Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-04-03
s.,y-s,. ss,. I, ros..r so,,,.'. sos.
CHAPTER xiv.-(cortinuea.l

We hurried ON IO Hayre, Ni,a. Thor
fame and l. and took passage on La
TouTaine for New York.
Al my suggestion. Sita had engaged
a maid, and as she was an elderly.
sourvisaged female. she served every
purpose OF chaperon as well as OF p!e'
serving appearances.
Once in New York I sought the
major. ! found him at the club and he
nearly fell in heap ON the floor when
he beheld me.
by Gad." he exclaimed. rushing to
me. wringing hy hands, tears stream
ing down his face ard his whole frame
trembling. "Diekl WIlbcrton. old fei'
low. how did you do il! We heard
you were dead. you know"
Heard I was dead. eAF Well. I'm
a lively dead man. major, I've got
what went after. and more. too
Had all sorts of adventures and mar
row escapes Brought back Eaubi'
Eeck. whose ZANE is Henry Thorlaae.
and Siia Barlotti, whose name is Alice
GTaViscouTi.'
NO! Cad! Is it so7 Have yeu got
the proofg''
Proof enough. We must see Charles
SIsmotta Rt once. need another bit
af testimony from him, and then wa'Il
tackle GrayiEeOurt and knock him
out"
showed the major thc locket and
rln and read To him the statements OF
Antonio SIsmo;ta and Dambo.
You returned Just In time" said
the major. Erinly. The wedding Is
noW surely on the way ! have learned
since you left the true lawardncss of
iironRhton'S preference for GraViS,
court. II seems that BrUuEhion'a
meats are much more limited than We
have suppoEcd. and he has from time
to time borrowed money from GTavis'
court. giving him a mortgage on his
house aE security. He has gone 10 the
wall financially. and GravlucouFt
pushes his claim to Edith. promising
Broush,on to cancel all debts the day
she becomes his hglic. She held out
hrmiy until the rcws came that you
died In SardlDJa OF some fever. and
then the poor girl gave np the iisat
and consented to be- a sacrifice TO save
her father. hut you are In time. boy
you arc In time. Edith loves you.
AID you only. DO IN GrayIScolr, and
the field Ia yours"
''wha, about NI,aT" I asked. she
IL now mt the same hotel us Thorlanc
and I. but IL doesn't look just"
Not at all. hey: not Mt all. sly sis.
ter. Mrs, nabncr. iH lust the one. She
will be glad to receive her rs guest.
and. OF course. her wedding must be
In my sisters home. | Will see Nellie
at once"
True TO his promise. tn, major Eaw
his sister. and she readily asscntcd to
his plan. That evening Sita was cs.
cor'cd to Mrs. Dabncr's house. where
Shc remained until she became Mrs.
Henry ThorIanc.
wicn I left the club. was hurry.
Ing through the street, when 10.
saw Edith Broughton con.ing toward
me. with couple OF small packages
In her arms. And she was alone. My
death had freed her from all danger.
In Broughton's eyes. and she was now
allowed to go shopping alone. | looked
about me hurricdly. and saw n door.
way that was somewhat dark and Sc.
cIuded. waited near 1t. and when
Edith came up | seized her. whiskcd
her Into that doorway. and proceeded
10 hug and kiss her In n fashion that
partially recompcEscd me for the long
period Of waiting had undergone. At
first she was frightened nearly out of
her wits, but when she realized who
II was that had her fast. the darling
put her arms around my neck and met
me fairly half way, dropping her bun.
dies In her excitement.
'Dick' Darling Dick!" she cried.
They told me you were dead Kisses.
II don't look very dead. do |.
darlinE?" More kisses. Il have csr.e
back TO take you away from that isl.
low. Graviscourt. and no nonsense
about 1t now, either. I've learF.i
courage since | left New York. auu
you will be my wife now II have to
kill Graviscourt and your respected
parents to get you,"
oh. Dick. darling. what an escape
I've had! II you'd been little later
I'd have married him to save papa.
oh! think of 1t. Dick"
Don't do 1t. Think of me. You
are sure you love ne?"
Oh. Dick!" reproachfullly.
kissed her again. Her face was
sufIused with bushes. Her hat was
awry. She was half laughing AID
half crying in her happiness.
Some one will see us, Dick" she
said finally "Dp call a cnrrinpa and
take me home"
So | called carriage, and, putting
my future wife into 1t. clambered in
after her and set her down at her own
door. Then | lighted n cigar and. or.
dering the driver to take me to the
hotel | lay back on the cushions. the
most exquisitaly happy, contented and
egotisticallly satisfied individual in
the universe.
On the dag following that upon
which we arrived in New York, a
party of three weEded our way to