Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-10-14
LAM BERT'S
LINEAGE
BY Epcs az. .SarSenf
Copyright. 1906. by Il. Is. Mcclure

Preston Lambert. '"Then said want
cd TO marry you. and he put the bottle
back In the cellarct."
"Then he won't let you marry mer
she said wistfully.
"well. he didn't exactly say me nay"
admitted Lambert. but he made one
prohibitive condition. I've got to get
family"
"a family" she echoed.
Just that. | suggested that he was
tribe premature. but he explained
that what he wanted was back num-
bers. not future issues"
oh" walled Mollle. "Why did he
ever find out that he was direct de-
scendant of William the Conqueror?"
Pure cussedncss." suggested Lam
bert. "Bill didn't hand down any
money or titles that reached this far.
II was Jabez Gordon who did most of
that work"
Grandpa Gordon was awfully poor
when he married grandma" she as
scented. It's funny they never thought
about William the Conqueror before
they got married"
when you're poor" declared Lam
bert. 1t doesn't matter much whether
Adam or Bill Smith stands at the head
Of your family tree
Il hate family trees" brcathed the
girl vehemently. II wish dad never
had heard Of his gcncalogy."
'Oh. WELL" said Lambert chcerfully,
Eve can't chop the Internal tree down.
I'll have TO study forestry and learn
how to grow one"
did he say you could marry me II
you did," she asked joyously.
''IIe said that for the sake of the
race he wanted his daughter TO marry
man rs nobly born as herself. lie
sort Of intimated that he had an eye
OH an English duke. with pedigree
AZ long as snakes tail"
II won't be Duchess" Mollie pro-
tested. Il want to be Mrs. Preston
Lambert"
And so you SHALL" he declared. I'll
have family tree as tail rs "a cocoa
nut backed up here ON truck inside
Of three months"
''It took pa three years and II half TO
get his together" she dissented.
That's ali right" laughed Lambert.
STOPPING to kiss her. I'm II wonder
when get started"
Mollie followed him TO the door and
watched him swing down the street.
Then she went into the now deserted
library and gained some consolation
from making faces ut the elaborate de-
sign whereby the Gordon ancestry was
traced In direct line to royal blood.
More than one small fortune had
been spent upon the tree. and It was
the pride OF Robert Gordon's life. The
millions he derived from his father
had been nothing TO him until this nm
cestral line had been discovered. lie
had been merely Jabcz Gordon's son.
Gordon the elder had been Forty
miner and had left vast stores of min
eral wealth to his son and faint rec
objection OF his grandfather.
Robert Gordon's respect for ancestry
amounted almost TO II mania. and his
first attention upon becoming the heir
to the fortune was given to work on
his historical records.
None OF them had been successful
until Gottfried Shackmeister had picked
up the scent. and In due course de-
livered TO his client letters and other
documents TO prove that the Gordons
were II branch OF an old English line.
II had not only taken him more than
three years. but also involved travel
Ing fur and wide. Gordon. however.
had not grudged either time or money.
1t was less than three months be-
fore Lambert sought u formal inter
view with Gordon.
Il have that tree you wanted" he
announced lightly as he was ushered
into Gordon's presence.
'"rree:" was the puzzled exclama-
ton. Il don't remember any CONVEX
sation have had with you on the mat
ter Of trees. Mr.. Lambert. leave
those matters to the landscape gar
dencr."
Don't you remember" reminded
Lambert. that you said could not
marry Mollie until | had some man
whose name has come laundering
down the ages to blame my existence
upon?"
II recall saying that It was a duty
we Gordons owed our race TO marry
only into families as ancient as our
own" he corrected.
"Well." continued Lambert flippant-
ly. "this is it, He placed upon the
table small handbag. from which he
extracted old volumes. time stained
parchments. papyrus and what not
~ find" he ratified on. that am
directly descended from the Pharaolis."
Gordon rose angrily. This Is an In
suit" he stormed. Ito come here with
this absurd collection OF forgeries
which you presume to tell me are rec
ords dating back more than 1000 years
and collected by you within three
months. VIII you leave or shall I
have to call the butler?''
Hadn't better call Peters" urged
Lambert smoothly II hate to do II,