The Washington times., 1903-04-26
CHAPTER XIII.
THE DRAMA is PLAYED OUT.

Colonel Sudekin omitted the super
scription on the back Of the letter, and
read as follows:
Philadelphia. Pa. the 1st- OF June, 1897
My Dear Son:
I have had warnings of late that the
termination of my life is not far distant,
and lest death should come upon me IN
awares take the present opportunity of
committing TO paper a secret that has
often weighed heavily upon my heart
doubt now whether I an acting wisely.
but time may tell, auG. 3 hatcycr hap
pens, beg you to remember that have
always given you fathers love and
care, though you are not really my own
SON Had you been so I could not have
loved you more devotedIy. I will tell the
story briefly and simply, for of late my
hand has been clumsy with the pen, and
this IS task that l can trust to no one
else.
In the year 1869 I was doing a mer-
camille business in the city Of St Pc
tersburg, and on the evening OF the
nth OF July of that year, as I was row
ing in a small boat through the Ostroff
Canal in search OF a vessel containing
a cargo consigned to me, a Tiot broke
out between the police and the people
in the street which crossed the Fortuna
Bridge.
Bullets came flying thickly, so I drew
the boat up under the parapet and wait
ed for the firing to cease. 1t had de-
creased considerably, and I was think
ing of leaving the spot, when a man
swan through the darkness to my boat,
and threw a tiny bundle Into the bot
tom
Take care of it. he gasped. q saw
it fall from yonder bridge. The police
have shot me. I am moTtally wound
ed"
Poor fellow, he spoke the truth. He
fell back into the water and sank. nor
could I md any trace OF him afterward
When I came to examine the bundle /
found that 1t contained a baby probab-
" six months old.
You, my dear boy, were that baby
You were richly dressed, and had about
your neck a chain of silver beads, which
enclose in this package. You looked
up at me with a quiet. confding smile
that went TO my heart.
AS fighting was still going on in the
vicinity 1 dared not land. 1 took you
home to my wife. where you received
the best of treatment, and on the fol
lowing day I inserted advertisements IT
all the papers, and going before a no
tary. had him attest a statement OF the
facts-which document I incIose witt
this letter.
But not the slightest clue to your
identity ever reached my ears. though
for some years I made diligent search
and inquiry Your mother and I-she
would rise from her grave were tc
call her by any other name. so deaTls
did she love you-Were only too glad to
adopt YOU having the misfortune to b.
childless, and never had cause to regre
the step.
I need not dwell on what followed.
have unburdened my mind and feel
great relief We remained in Russl;
until you were ten years of age, an,
then returned 10 America.
advise you to forget this mystery o
I your past life. for am convinced tina
I your real identity will never be discov
cred, and even should the future, whici
! no man can read, reveal TO you in som,
/ wonderful way your real parents. yo
/ can never receive from them the Low,
and devotion that were given you b,
your adopted mother, and by your af
/ feetionate father.
ANSON CHUMLEIGH.
! Colonel Sudekiu paused and held u
! another paper
| The statement attested by the 10
tary," he said. Il need not read 1t. l