Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-11-05

VITO get some one to personate me-"

"TO get some one 10 perSolute hc'
said Hammond; "to let Charles return
to the hotel as secretly as possible, and
tomorrow suffer him to Introduce Har.
riet Foss to the pretended Luke Ham,
mond as his father. She will not find
her sisters husband, be deceived. and
seek for her vengeance elsewhere"
Marks shook his head, and said:
"You cannot deceive her. She has
been told that, If you are not the man
she seeks, you resemble him very
much, She will seek for that resem-
blance, and not finding 1t in the hc.
titious father of Charles, will instantly
suspect some trick. Besides, Charles
will not consent to the deceit"
II will command him! will tell him
he must! to save his father from total
ruin, if not from DEATH" said Luke.
"Well, If he consents he will not be
able to do 1t so ms to deceive Harriet
Foss," said Marks. "And, by the way.
I must tell you also that Charles will
never marry Catharine Elgin. He al.
ready loves"
"Ah!' said Hammond.
"Yes. And he Is young, enthusiastic,
romantic, in fact" said Marks. "In
time you might corrupt him. but now
he is too honorable. You have made a
great mistake In having him reared
away from you"
81 have--I have" said Hammond.
"'Tis the fault Of my sister.of Nancy
Harker. will tell you that the mother
Of Charles. my second wife, died one
year after married her-died in giving
him birth. cared little for the moth
CT, but loved my boy. At that time,
my sister, Nancy Harker, who had fed
to America with me, and aided me In
passing myself off az the genuine Luke
Hammond, took charge of Charles, n
mere infant, and l did not see him for
three or four years. When l saw him
again he was running about and play.
Ing with your son.
my son! Ah-go on" said Marks.
"Your son was some two or three
years older than mine, but being first
cousins, they resembled each other
very much. My sister persuaded me to
have the lads educated in Europe-I
think she desired to have them reared
as what squeamish people call honor.
able, honest men,"
"Well, that was green in Nancy
said Marks. "Still she was always
1ighty and took queer notions. L am
very glad now that she persuaded You
to have the lads educated away from
you. But what became Of Harker,
whom she married."
"Harkcr was killed in a duel, one
month after my sister married him."
said Luke.
"And you have never seen Charles
since he was three or four years old?'
asked Marks.
Never" replied Hammond. II be.
came immersed in speculation for
many years, and only heard from the
lads by letters from Nancy and
Charles. After time | conceived the
plan of marrying Charles to Catharine
Elgin, and since then have thought
more of my boy than ever"
"And where is my son now?' de-
mandcd Marks, eagerly.
II do not know" said Hammond.
"What! are you trifling with me,
Hammond" said Marks.
mo, am not. Nancy Harker knows
where he is" said Luke.
Marks closed his eyes in deep
thought for few moments and then
said
"Whcre has Nancy Harkcr been
during these long years.
sometimes in America, sometimes
in Europe. But never known as my
sister, and never known out of this
house as Nancy Harker,' said Ham
mond.
Harriet Foss must have learned all
this from Charles" said Marks.
mo. My letters have always forbid.
den him to answer any questions about
me or about himself said Hammond.
For the last four years he has been
travelling in Europe and ASIA
"And my SOM said Marks.
Nancy says your son was not with
him; nor have they been together for
years" replied Hammond. Charles
would not recognize Nancy Harker
now, for he has not seen her since he
Xas 4 boy. ChareS was reared by an
English clergyman, to whom l have
always sent funds and advice. Do
YOU know / was afraid that terrible
woman, Harriet Foss, might learn who
As for myself, l can defend myself.
You shall learn more hereafter. And
now tell me who my son loves, and how
you found 1t OUT
"Why, Charles is an impulsive fel'
low said Marks; las unsuspecting as
girl, and just as talkatlve. He looks
twenty-four or six years of age ut one
minute, and less than twenty the next.
buL Hc udS llubG IL
take"
"a tremendous mistake" said Ham,
mond.
Yes. He has fallen desperately in
love with woman at least twenty
years older than himself"
"My lifew exclaimed Luke. "Who
Is she?'
"a very handsome and fascinating
lady," said Marks, putting furiously.
"You know that when young men do
take q passion for women older than
themselves they go mad about it,"
"True! How unfortunate" said
Hammond. "But who is she? and
where did he meet herr"