Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-08-18
"Had he foreign valet, do you know
Marion ?"


Marion?"
"Not when he left London. Simmons
was with him then; but he may have left;
he was always threatening to leave, and
then, of course, it is most probable that
Francis would engage a foreigner"
Something must be done at once. You
cannot go yourself, Marion-that is quite
out of the question-neither can l very
well. Perhaps Alfred Clayton is in
town; he was coming up, know. l will
telegraph to him. Stay, l am not sure
where he would be. l will go up to Lon
don myself at once"
And Sir Clayton rang the bell and or
dered the carriage.
"But I feel that ought to go myself,
Sir Clayton; the letter said he wished
to see me-"
"My dear, do not think of it; Che jour
ney would kill you. To cross the channel
in this cold weather and with these tenn
pestuous winds, would be nothing short
of madness"
Sir Clayton dressed hurriedly for his
journey, jumped into the carriage and
drove off to the station, leaving Wlni-
fred to explain matters to his wife. he
just caught the up train by minute; the
horses had accomplished the five miles in
exactly twenty-five minues. Sir Clayton
had told the coachman that it was a mat
ter of life and death, and the old man,
sorely against his will, had driven his
favorites the whole distance at the top of
their speed. Sir Clayton reached London
and drove off to the hotel where he knew
Alfred Clayton always stayed when he
was in town. By good fortune ne mad
just arrived there, and was at the door
ready to depart again when Sir Clayton
drove up. The story was briefly told and
the two men looked doubtfully at each
other.
''Of course I will go at once" Mr..
Clayton said; "but cholera in one of those
foreign holes is a nasty business. | will
get time table and see how soon l can
go off I must get you to telegraph down
to Mrs. Grant at BrightOn--1 promised to
dine and sleep at her house tonight"
81 think" said Sir Clayton, that while
you are making preparations, | will drive
round to the house in Piccadilly and see
if there is any further news"
On arriving there he found another
letter, with a foreign postmark and open
ed it at once. 1t was written by the doc
tor in good French, and informed Mrs.
Clayton deicately that her husband had
just breathed his last.
'"This is a sad business" said Sir Clay
ton, returning to the hotel; "you must lose
no time in getting there. l fear he will
be buried long before you reach the place,
and there will be no chance Of bringing
the body to England. OF course, if"
''Of course-of course!' exclaimed Al
fred Clayton, hastily, and grasping the
baronet's hand he hurried off. He was
the next heir to all that splendid prop
erty, but for the time he felt no exulta-
ton at the thought of stepping into the
shoes of the man who lay dead and alone
in a foreign country. On reaching the
village he found that Sir Clayton's sur
mise was correct, and that the rich man
had been inferred some days before with
little ceremony. The obsequious land
lord and Lupin, the valet of the dead
man, were voluble in their information.
From Lupin he learned that Mr.. Clayton
had engaged him in Paris six weeks pre-
viously, having parted in quarrel with
his English servant.
At first Mrs. Clayton was shocked and
stunned at the unexpectedness Of the
blow. She had disliked her husband, but
it seemed so horrible for him to have died
in that terrible way, so far from home
and without a single friend. Her first
resolution was to leave Endon Vale, and
she sent an urgent message to her aunt
to Join her. This time Lady Marion made
no delay in answering the summons.
Lady Grace begged Fee to remain.
''You are very kind" she answered. 81
can scarcely thank you enough for your
long hospitality, but I would rather CO.
Under the circumstances, could but mar
the cheerfulness that ought to reign here
during the preparations for such happy
event as dear Winifred's marriage; and
until 1 can realize my new position 1
would rather go away quietly to some
fresh place If you invite me later, |
shall be very glad to come to you again" >"
Ito be continued.b