The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-07-28
WALTER BLOOMFIELD

fore 1 should have lacked the courage
to make. My uncle listened with an
amused smile, and when l had finished
speaking, he remarked that he had
observed almost as much for himself.
"The man who wins Constance
Marsh" said uncle Sam, will have
wife wise, healthy and wealthy. You
will observe that place these time
honored qualities in the order in which
they ought to be esteemed, but are
not; the second is largely dependent
on the first, and the third wholly so.
1 wish you success in your amorous
enterprise. 1 am the young lady's
guardian, but tell you frankly. will
neither assist nor retard your suit.
have seen something Of the disaster
usually consequent on the interefer-
ence of a third party in such matters.
AS society Is now organized, marriage
offers no scope for a broker; the busi-
ness, to be successful, must be ar
ranged by the principals themselves"
This is as much as l could reason
ably hope for" said. Il was afraid
you might resent my presumption.
Dismiss that fear, my boy" said
uncle Sam, consulting his watch, land
come with me to breakfast. l am
as hungry as prairie wolf. and would
prefer porterhouse steak"
1 followed my uncle down stairs
into a room which / then entered for
the first time, and was disappointed
to observe that breakfast was laid for
two. On inquiring the cause of this
learned that aunt Gertrude and Miss
Marsh, in preparation for what they
expected would prove fatiguing day,
had ordered breakfast to be taken to
them in their private rooms. On the
table lay a letter addressed to me in
my fathers hand. My father had
promised to write to me Immediately
he received telegram announcing my
arrival in New York, and l had ar
ranged that his letter was to be for
warded to my uncle's house by special
messenger the moment 1t was received
at the Gilsey House, but / felt sure at
the time that my father would write to
me within a day of my departure from
home, so its presence on my uncle's
breakfast table occasioned me no sur
prise. On the contrary l had been
thinking that l might possibly hear
,;,,p
"Well, what news from Suffolk"
asked uncle Sam as he sat down. for
his quick eye had perceived the Eng
lish stamp and the familiar writing on
the letter which lay on the table.
Il shall be pleased to tell you the mo-
ment 1 know" 1 replied, tearing open
the envelope. And then the following
lines, and all that they implied, were
revealed to me.
Holdenhurst Hall.
Bury st. Edmund's, Sd September. 1S-
My Dear Son-When you arranged
with me the particulars Of your tour
voluntarily stated that I had no OBJ
lection to your calling upon your uncle
when you were in New York should
you feel disposed to do so.
You have been gone from home but
one day, and in that short time circum-
stances have arisen which induce me
to write to you at once, urging you
very earnestly not to do so, or to in
any way concern yourself with my
brother or his doings.
About four hours after you left here
1 was startled by your grandfather
calling upon me. AS you know, l had
not seen Mr. Wolsey for four years,
and during that time he has been round
the world l was greatly surprised by
this visit. and much impressed by your
grandfather's venerable aspect; he ap-
pears quite an old man now. and his
hair and beard are almost white. His
story is strange and painful. After
being deluded by cunningly devised
false clues for four years he has at last
found his daughter. She is at present
staying with her little child at Bourne
mouth, but never remains at one place
for more than month or so, and lives
chiefly on the Continent. I understand
also that she goes to America once a
year. The man who induced her to
leave her situation in London is no
other than your uncle, Samuel Tru-
man.
Your grandfather is staying with me.
and Is more contented than he was
now that the mystery is made plain to
him. Such also is my own case. Any
shadow of doubt which may have lin
gered in my mind as to the Venetian
treasure is now dispelled. A man who
will resort to villainy to accomplish
one purpose will not scruple to employ
it for another.
Do not neglect this injunction, my
dear boy, but write as soon as you
can. telling me where you have been,
and how you have employed your time.
When your money falls as low as fifty
pounds let me know Of it and l will
endeavor to send you some more.