Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-06-17
CHAPTER xxx.


er by a true lovers knot cry Of as
constituent burst from his lips; he took |
II to the window, infinitely examined II,
passed his hand across his eyes, as
though doubling their evidence Then,
with trembling fingers. he tried for the
spring. At last he found it. Upon one
side was the miniature of a beautiful
woman; upon the other, which had once
contained another portrait. lock of
dark hair.
He sank into chair. trembling as
with an ague fit. and gazing wildly upon
the miniature. But soon his face soft
ened, the tears gathered in his eyes, and
his chest heaved with deep sobs. lie
kissed the picture, and murmured words
Of passionate love over II. In trying for
the spring, Mr.. Porter had bent the case
little. As Montgomery pressed ii TO
his lips the portrait fell out and dis
closed neatly fitted at the back, scrap
OF paper. There was writing upon 1t;
but the characters were so minute that
he had great difficulty in deciphering
them. At last he read these words;
1.-The child upon whom this is found is
Silas Morant, son of Francis Morant.
whose portrait this is, Of The Willows,
Herts."
For some seconds both strength and
consciousness deserted him. At first. his
thoughts came back broken and confus-
ed. This portrait of his wife in Mr..
Porter's possession! How came 1t there
"a child Of whose existence he was ig-
norant2 Silas Morant-Silas Carston
and Madame Berne interested In hml
Great heaven this boy, then. whom he
had given up to his bitterest enemies,
whose lifelong misery he had sealed,
whom he was on the brink Of consigning
to an awful death. was his own son!
Back upon his soul like the blast OF a
trumpet rushed the parting words of
Madame Berne-that vengeance was
'held by a higher power than that Of
puny man"
For the first time since his childhood
days, this hardened man of sin knelt
down, and trembling and appalled, at
what had been, what might have been,
and what might be yet, prayed to heaven
for pardon and for succor.
What was to be done? II he could get
clear of the house, there would be no
difficulty. But he had heard Rodwell
lock the door behind him. All, the win
dow! 1t was a French one. opening
upon n garden; 1t was unfastened he
could see the back door before him. The
next moment he was there. He could
not open II.
1.-THE door is locked, sir" said voice
behind him.
Montgomery started and upon look
Ing round saw a burly looking fellow
dressed like a groom, sitting under q
ha ff
open II for me?" he said, in as uncon
cerned tone as he could assume.
Cant, SIR" was the answer. MAS
ter has left me here with the key, tC
see that nobody passes out WATSON
ever"
For a moment, Montgomery entertain
ed the desperate idea Of trying tussl'
for the key, but the powerful build o.
the fellow, and the thought Of the nois'
1t would create, quickly dispelled It, An
other and more feasible plan crossed hi
brain.
would you like to earn a dollar. IN!
mann" he said. IL don't mean by let
ting me out Of that door, or by disobey
ing your masters orders. VIII you tax
message for me to the telegraph ofiic
close byT'
The fellow considered for moment
"Well. wasn't told anything about mes
sages, so l dare say 1 can get 1t don
for you by somebody"
1t was an enormous hazard 10 trust I
this man. but 1t was the only chanc
left. There were writing materials 4
the room he had just left. He hastene
| back, and upon a sheet Of paper wrot
| addressed to Jonathan Rodwell, MOI
| ley's Hotel, the following Words
Il IF you wish to see your granddaugf
II ter alive. lose not a moment In going I
i Manor House, Essex, John Rodwell
Il house"
II AS a double security, he would sen
Il another to Bow street station. The Sc,
i ond telegram ran thus;
"The young girl for whose discovery
reward has been offered Is at MnnC
House, Essex She Is In imminent dan
ger-lose not n moment"
= He sealed these up in separate enve
! opes, and went back to the man.
= youth, looking like a stable lad, was /
: his side; this was to be the messenge
: No person was in sight. The lad
/, parted upon his errand, and Montgon
Y cry returned to his room.
j The next thing to be thought OF WI
4 his own course Of action, or rather, viii
!, answer he should give to Rodwell whS
he returned. He must feign to assent
. his diabOlical proposition-a di6icu
" task in the present agitation OF his min
e but the only one. But would Rodwt
II implicitly trust to so sudden conve
sion?
= All this time he held the portrait
n, his wife In his hand, never taking b
gaze from off il. And amidst all the
racking doubts and fears Of the prese
there rose up images OF the past-brlgf
beautiful, gloomy, and sad. Let US ph
tograph some Of these pictures, conneC
ing them by links that have dropp
out OF his memory, and adding many
tails Of which he is ignorant.
A He is one-and-twenty, wild, and SON
what dissipated. but not vicious, IL
returned from college to his state
home. But a great change has come ov
~ that home since he saw II last. II
- noble, loving mother is dead. His faith
gs has returned to The Willows; but 4
ny alone. Two strangers-ladies-h Z
n companied him from Switzerland-Mn
III anne Berne and her daughter. 1t W
\ . ut the house OF the former that
Or mother resided during her last illne
ne. She is a rigid. austere fanatic, acti
. up In all things to the letter Of her p
|. LESSONS, but denying the existence
Il any good beyond them; all virtue a
Il all holiness are confined within the lin
Of her creed-beyond II. all is sin a
n death. She has acquired a power
n ascendancy over Mr. Morants mil