New-York tribune., 1903-01-25
TIE U7sOfllfnS Preferder.
By BEATRICE HERON-MAXwELL.

/ ,
I have scarcely any friends he answered;
they have not happened to come my way. You
see, have been by myself always. My mother
died when / was young. She secretary TO
the head OF a great engineering firm, and did
him some good service in a critical strike time;
so he left her large sum of money in his will.
She put II into q lawyers hands trust for me,
and after her death he sent to school and
college until I was twenty-one. and then handed
il over to me It is not much, things go
nowadays; II brings me in about two thousand a
year"
And then he told her what Major Wallace had
said 70 him.
I wonder why he troubles about me- he said.
I think it would he greatly TO his advantage
to find an hair for Mr.. Curtice' Lady Mary
/ answered graYely. Il fancy that he offered ms
services 10 the old man those conditions
He is a friend Of yours?'' said John Waiforu,
with a hint of doubt in his tone.
I have known him week. she replied; he
introduced himself TO US when he arrived at Les
Suivants."
Then. in response TO Mrs. Brandons beckoning
appeal from the veranda. Lady Mary rejoned
her, and the Major, pouncing on his new pro
+ teEe, carried him of to Mr. Curtice's sitting
/ The announcement few days afterward that
old Mr. Curtice, whose failing health and spirits
attracted general sympathy, had discovered
grandson IN the person OF Mr.. John " aIIVII %
created quite stir Of excitement in the hoteI;
The romantic details of the case, spread ABROAD
in senli-confidence. by the Major, maCe up an
interesting story.
/ Johns "reminiscences OF his youth dovetailed
with tie facts already known about Mr.. Cur
/ tees long lost son. linked themselves into a
chain Of cirCumstanJial evidence that the MAJOR
had cOntrived to render convincing
! Mrs Waiford's appearance IN Port Adelalde, d
young widow with q baby boy, conceded Win
Mrs. CurtiCe's sudden departure from Peluan'
! her resumption Of her maiden name beng at
tributed TO the knowledge Of her husbands IN
/ vincible resolve never TO return TO his people.
Possibly she may have thought tnat this reSo-
luton was q necessity. and that she was doing
the best thing for her little boy IN giving MN
an unSUllied name
The fact Of her having died without leaving
Ea- nj n
nation Of her SOL pointed to TINS conclusion son
/ Her initial was the same that in John Cur
/ tees marriage register, her sons ChrlStah
name was john and IN personal aPpeiL 81, 90
John Walford bore = very passable resemblance
/ 10 this unknown father Of his.
Nj Curtice welcomed the prepossessing young
! australian with all his heart and John.
/ without however any sign Of elation. accepted
the new position that fate had thrust upon nm
/ 4 journalist staying II Les SulVants ulS-
. patched q neat little paragraph TO the knglsh
I and French newspapers. for which advertise
rrenr the hotel proprietor offered him adyanta-
/ geOus terms; and Major Wallace, win SUI
stanrial symbol Of Mr.. Curtce's gratitude lodged
+ at his bank gave himself the airs OF a ialre
godfather and looked round for more beneicehI
work 10 do
our young friend he whispered TO Mrs
r2-ar5on is exceedingly fortunate for old Cur
rlle-pcor fellow,-cannot last much longer, and
4 i is q question of thirty thousand a year. he
/ may aspire 20 a good marriage on the strength
Of il The daughters Of some of our EngIlsh
peers have such small dowries that money
counts before rank What do you think en-
Mrs BrandOn?'
Mrs Brandon's glance followed the direction
OF the Majors. and rested on a sight that was
evidently unpleasing TO her: for, with a hurried
,,-7,rr,7r7r she rose and began making her way
through the garden down to the shore But she
was too late: by the time she reached il small
boat was leisurely traversing the lake and the
occupants We're too absorbed to notice her sig
mails and put back for her. -,
Il wish I could feel differently about II all,
John Nalford Curtice was saying, as he scuiIed
LADY Mary toward Bernon; "it seems so un-
ra rIIraI 10 have no instincts of affection to"aro
ones own gTandfather-no sense OF klnsh1p-
am profoundly sorry for Mr.. Curtces Illness
and glad that my unworthy self should be
source OF happiness to him, but personally
have a feeling Of regret that we should nave
been brought together in this way. feel op-
pressed tied down, bewildered- II 1t were not
for one thing''-he stopped and gave QUICK
look at her-"I should be sorry that ever came
10 Les Suivants- =, .,
LADY Mary was in a white dress, all hlTny
lace and muslin. with a dropping nat tnaI
sbadowed her eyes and turned their blue 10
violet Her lips were grave; this new phase
of pensive quiet suited her well. -
"It must be strange for you, she aolnltteu'
'-one prefers TO grow up with ones grandfather
as q rule. But you have career peIofe yOu-
What shall you do? Go into Parliament
MY grandfather suggested il" he SAID, put
well You'll think me very discontented, Lazy
Narv-I find that I would sooner carve OUT hy
own life than have il ready made for me-"
You are aTnbitious?'
TOO much 50. I shall never care even Io '1Sh
for my hearts desire. 20
T-hev had reached the bank, and the WOODS OF
Fernon nesting against the mountain whose
snowy crest was hidden in the clouds, lay peIoIe
-Lay7 He fastened the boat to q tree and helpeo