Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-02

OF your charity furnish me with a glass OF VINE
Your servants have helped themselves Literally
gard meanness. For days past | have endured
the tortures Of Tantalus, listening thirstily to
the popping of champagne corks."
Perigord turned toI his companions. pray
you leave us, gentlemen, and please send me
bottle of champagne"
Cressingham and Oeltjen at once departed,
and a sailor next moment entered the tent with
the Counts desideratum Perigord filed glass
with the wine, then noticing how bound up the
old man was gave him the freedom Of his hands.
The Count sighed gratefully and took deep
draught Of the sparkling liquor, holding out
eagerly thereafter his glass TO be rehlled. "Ah
that is eood" he cried: cit puts new life into
thing"
Death, CountY asked Perigord's deep voice
'Bah, am not dead yet, though daresay
soon shall be, for ! am in your power, but
shall give you little trouble first. Hum, hum,
let me look at you, my SON. Sapristi, how old
you have grown in these past fifteen years. old
and sad-looking. You have had hard time
chasing me is il not so, Valdemar?"
Perigord started up as abruptly as though he
had been shot on mention of that name, and ne
stared at the old with ncredulous amaze
''How comes it tlat you know my manner he
demanded.
The Count Chuclled out: 'Ha, hal it sur
pr1SeS HelnI On, L hnVW HhOAC VI ~
than you think, my son!"
Reserve such epithets for members OF your
family said Perigord codly, thank God
am not your son''
The old man smiled. "Your Thanksgiving
prayer is wasted, Valdemar-entirely thrown
AWAY You may not relish the honor PAID you
in creating you, but you cannot escape the faGt,
however much you choose to thank Goo: s
voice and manner were so replete with lnsoient
mockery that Perigord, strong wiled ana stono
as he was, involuntarily gave shiver.
srYou waste time" he retorted angrily; you
said YOU had much to tell me- Commence!
'I have already. have told you that you are
my SON."
dead!" -.
seYour mother told you that on my direction.
Sanristi. YOU do not credit me? Listen, then
nav. first tell me what you know about your
narentaee. | shall presently convince you,
Perirord gazed at his enemy, his eyes filled lie
with disgust, and slowly shook his head. =, do
YOU think shall make Of you confessorF
sfNiule that you are!" cried the Count with
sudden fash Of rage. 'Heed me well. Your
n,other was a princess Of the House of Austria,
hy name Theresia Isabella, You were born IN
tbe Castle of Fitzhammerhaus, near Iotna on
the Danube on the eleventh day OF May, 70
You were brought up as the child OF Maria
Nekka. your mothers tiring woman; 1T was not
learned the secret of your parentage-that was
when Theresa visited Totna she thought, to
AZ 7ajtbourh she afterwards recovered. She
was then the wife of the Grand Duke OF ------'
and mother of Prince Frederick, who you no
doubt know is my colleague and member OF
the Three"
perieord's face had turned slowly of an ashen
bue With great effort he muttered: You
are acquainted with my family history, 1T
seems" ~
The Count sneered 'No one has better
right. but YOU are still doubling my words;
shall 90 into details. met your mother tweive
months before your birth. was then engaged
upon mission from my od masoer HHTasvn r.aa
the Pole, whose second in command l was
whose object was to gather together the scat
| tsred tbreads of anarchy in Austria and Hun
gary with the view to the formation of lodge
which might further disseminate the seed we
wished to SOW. 1t was at Buda Pesth we met
| at State ball. for although an exile then was
we'll accredited and personable; say 1t w1tnout
vani+v few men were at that time more good
to lool, upon than l. Well, Theresia fell in love
with me. We met frequently but always the
| e,,as of the multitude were on us, for she was
vouno beautiful and sought IN marriage py
hing. You remember the old saw-'Love laughs
| 81 iocksmiths' Ha, ha, ha! Theresia found her
su.,, - Get her wishes She fell i'll and was or.
| darod bv her doctors to Trieste for change OF
air There / followed her and we were mar
|
| ried."
lcWbat?' Numbered Perigord.
eve were married. repeated the Count cold
" .eWe we're married by priest -.
sNThe proofs!" cried Pergord, "the proofsE
The old man took from his inner pocket a
bnllv leathern case, from which he extracted
a naner. 'T have kept this on my person since
| the frst dav that l knew you were upon my
track" he said quietly. "No one can foretel
| tba fnture. but wise man always provides for
| Il in the best manner that he can. You OBJ
! serve that nv precaution has justified itself
Read"
,,h;cb he found to be properly attested mar
r;age certificate between the princess, his mother
md the Count d'Attala The date and every
| thing about it corresponded perfectly with the
oId mans story 'My God-I thank thee" he
'S "For having found your father?" jeered the
Count. 81
stars. "But for having at length discovered
that was not born in shamel AT last the stain
is removed
"Rahl" sneered the old man with bitter
cbucke. "JJndeceive yourself that paper is ut
terly valueless; your mothers marriage was il
legal" -,
'Not in the sight Of Hesyenl" retorted Peri
gord with dignity that abashed the old man
for a moment; but presently he rallied and
muttered jeeringly; "shall go on with the
storyT
4 eyes"
eve left off at the marriage. Your mother
was i'll then, she remained i'll for nine months
and so lost a king for husband. You were
horn in her friends house at Totna and brought
up as | have said. She subsequently, returned
to her fathers protection, and shortly after
wards married the Grand Duke. consented to
the match, and we remained friends up to the