Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1907-09-28
CHAPTER xII.-(Continued.)

Next day, about lunch time, the coun-
tess, her children and attendants. arrived.
with much clatter and Importance.
vcAeila-by accident, of courss-was just
coming down the stairs as Lady Dales-
tT was ascending them.
tnere was q mutual start, and then a
coPiA greeting. Sheila was looking won
derfPiy pretty In her long sealskin man
tie, her ruddy, golden hair making bit
OF bright color beneath her neat hat to
match. Lady Daleswater was pleased to
approve Offer probable future sister-in-
law
"You here, Miss f-aser |" she exclaim-
ed This IL quite a delightful surprise.
I pictured you In Mountberry, enjoying
yourself"
Il was compelled to come to London
on business matters, and" Sheila added,
with tiny sigh that did not escape Lady
Daleswater's keen ears, "Mountberry IL
not particularly lively just now"
"Can you give me any news of my
brother-is he really 30 dangerously hurt?
Mamma Is such an alarmist, you know"
Sheila assumed sad anxious look,
although in reality she was not aware
exactly how Jack was at that particu-
lar moment, and had never been very
much frightened even at the verdict Of
the London doctors.
Il am afraid he Is very ILL.," she said
In a low voice.
Lady Daleswater did not seem much
impressed.
II hope you are not returning home
ful, and still more delightful that you
~ r.
In and dine with me tonight. Mrs. Fra
scr is with your
Sheila explained that her chaperone
was her cousin, Mrs. Watson.
I'VE shall remain In London for little
WHILE" she said, "and I hope to see a
great deal of you. Perhaps 1 may be
able to prevail ON you to come down to
Daleswater House when 1 go back there.
1t will be very dull, my dear Sheila
but
But my dear Sheila" would have glad
~ welcomed months of dullness to get
such an invitation as this. Her spirits
rose brilliantly, and she laid herself out
to please Lady Daleswater.
Three days later the Earl of Dales-
water arrived in London, and immedi-
ately, at his wife's instigation, went
down to Mountberry to see how matters
were, and the very same afternoon, al
6beila sat yawning over a novel by the
IRE, the door opened and Beverley Roch
fort was announced. She started up Gag
erly to greet him.
Where have you been? I thought yor
were never coming back" she declared.
II |,ve been busy" he said II hav,
not b. IN wasting time, assure you. Yor
wonder what took me out Of London
Well, / will tell you. / went down t
Boothe the last moments Of Roderick Ans
truther. Yes, 1t sounds curious, doesn'
III But Fate for some strange reason
brought this man to our rescue just wher
We needed him"
"How can he help usf" asked Sheila
fncredulously, although her face wal
flushing with excitement. More espe
eially II, as I understand you to infer
b. ID now dead"
"You shall see, Miss Fraser. Ans
truther met me out in Africa he thel
went under another name. l always ike
the man, there was something grim ye
wonderful about him. When he foun,
l was coming to England he gave me
packet of papers to bring to his law
precaution OF sounding these lawyer
first, and as easily as possible l sool
discovered my companions real name
Needless to say, did not deliver tn
papers, more especially when foun'
that Anstruther was In England, ant
supposed to be dying-he had evidentl,
found his end coming and rushed owe
to see Mrs. Fraser before he died. l a
once travelled of to seek him, and, o
course, had to tell few dozen lies or .
to explain why l had done 80. Fortu
nately, the man was too III to protes
or question much; all he asked, all b
wanted, was to see Constance Fraser, an
confess the truth Of his treachery towar
her and his brother"
"And you call this helping rs, MI
Rochfortw
"As Roderick Is dead and did not con
Tess to Mrs. Fraser, 1 certainly do. t
please him l drew up sort of write
statement, to which he managed to scraw
his name Just at the very last. Here
the document. Shall tell you what
contains, Miss Fraser?"
Sheila nodded her head.
This Is the last dying confession Q
Roderick Anstruther, In which he own
to having separated his brother from hi
wife for sheer malice, in which he ais
confesses that his brothers child di
really die, and that the girl now Twin
Is the offspring Of secret marriage b
tween himself and some country woman.
"And she is that really7" Sheila asked
"No, certainly not Audrey, accordin
to her uncle's dying confession. Is tn
child Of Frank and Constance Anstruthe
You forEet am reading what l wrot
-A.x pcdorick AnHtruther told me I