Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-17
CHAPTER II.
DROPPING THE MASK.

lunch, Sir Gervase opened the mysterious
letter again and read it once more.
MY Dear Brother: When our father
died, twenty years ago, he made a
foolish and disastrous will. Ignoring the
fact that we were twins and had equal
rights, he left the whole of the property
to you, trusting to your honor to share
it with me.
"He did not know that we loved the
same girl, and were deadly enemies. You
married Helen Arnott before | had the
chance of making last appeal to her
and telling her of the trickeries you had
resorted to to steal her from me. You
offered me my share of the money, and,
in my blind passion, refused it. If 1
had only known then what I did not
know until year ago, l would have
hurled you from your position long since.
For [ have found that 1 am the elder
brother, and in the will the fortune was
left to the elder,
why the exchange was made is
mystery. Whether our mother had a
notion of working out some belated
scheme of vengeance against our father
I cannot say. Certain it is that in the
hands of Messrs. Elliott & Drayton, of
Lincoln's Inn, are all the necessary proofs
my mothers confession and the testi-
mony of the nurse and the doctor in re-
gard to birthmarks, which l have shown
to reputable people out here A date was
named by our mother for the exposure,
but it went by, and as was to be the
first to know, and they couldn't find me,
it all fell through until last year, when
l was discovered by accident.
"At first | swore immediate vengeance,
but the shadow of death was already
upon me, and 1 resolved to attempt a
compromise When I die my son win
come to you. He knows himself as
Godfrey Linton; he is really las the son
of the elder twin) Sir Godfrey Tenant.
know nothing as to what kind of man
you are twenty-six years make vast
changes; but it is best for me to say at
once Don't scheme against him. 1t
would be useless. All proofs have been
thoroughly gone into. They are incon-
testable. If the solicitors chose to tell
ldm the truth at once, he could GUST you
IN twenty-four hours. But though he is
registered in his proper name, the whole
story is at present secret from him.
You have daughter. Why not let
them drift into a marriage before the
Truth is made known2 A union between
them would adjust things we'll If this
Is not possible, he must nevertheless take
his place as owner of Western Priors. I
am on my 1eath-bed, and / forgive you
for stealing Helen from me. Reward me
by carrying out my wishes.
JULIAN"
Meanwhile, Lillian and the man who
was in reality her cousin, sped away to-
wards Westbury.
On the road back Godfrey paused near
a little clump of trees, from which they
could look down on the pleasant, wooded
valley, where a stream wound its silvery
way through the mists that often hung
over the lowland meadows and the white
walled, red-tiled cottages.
Pardon me for pulling you up so sud
denly, Miss Tenant" he said, "but-you
see-this is my first visit to England, and
I'm delighted with these scenes of rustic
beauty. OF course, they are on a small
scale compared with what | have come
across elsewhere. But Pm always i'm
pressed by valleys or mountains. 1t
SSCiuo pau vi
A thrill went through the girls veins.
1t was of no use to battle against it.
There was an affinity between her and
this man which would not have existed
II it had not been for that fateful dream.
1t was already coming true in a certain
way. Here was this lover of the noun
tails and the valleys already leading her
with a silken chain; and Jack was drift
ing away from her, with his words of
Passionate love still unspoken.
little courage, little resolution,
little wrenching away from her new day
dream, and things could have gone on as
tefore. But did she wish to break the
spell?
She hardly knew, and, doubling, let
things go on as they were.
1t was for the future to say whether
she was right or wrong
We'll, your taste is not at all peculiar.
Mr.. Linton" said the girl lauphinglv.
Most people dislike monotony, and what
can be more horribly monotonous than
an endless range of flat country?"
You are very prosaic," answered Lin.
ton. Il am afraid express myself bad
y. There are monotonies that can be
endured, if other things conduee to male
hem bearable. With person one loved
Tor companion, one could endure all the
Hat landscapes and ugly scenery in the
world. But the valleys and hills would
be best. even under those circumstances
on are strange man, Mr.. Linton"
said Lillian gavely
Yes, expect I'm something Of fool"
ne answered with a gay laugh. my
father used to say to me. 1T Is a GOOD |
thing Geoff, that I've little money to |
cave You, or. with your poetical fancics |
md SO on, you'd never get proper grip |
IN the world However, I'm no dreamer. |
We an eye to the main chance as well as /
!, ntiment. Shall we be going now. Miss |
ennants | should like chat with your |
ather before dinner, if it could be man
'ged. If not, suppose
You'll have to fall back upon me"
aughed Lillian.
Or" said Linton, perhaps the diseon-