The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-06-22
AN ANONYMOUS LETTER.

Eldu(Ao OACiSAlOn Sot oARPAh6 q ~uR
of coffee in aretired corner of re-
spectacle restaurant, not far from the
fashionable quarter of London. A
table near was occupied by a couple
of young men; and as Francis slipped
his coffee and read the news of the
day, scraps of their conversation
reached his ears.
Suddenly, a CLEAN of interest
flashed in his eyes, and, though he
continued to glance at the paper, his
whole attention was given to the talk
of his neighbor.
eyes," one of them said, II saw
Jack Travers today. He is one ofthe
two young men selected as being like
ly to suit old Mr.. Wellborough for
secretary.
Marlborough, the big mill owner!"
the second man asked. "Travers
will fall on his feet if he gets the job.
Wellborough's millionaire. !"
eyes, and millionaire of good
type. I wish Jack may get the post
but I'm afraid he won't if Wellbor-
ough hears his story.
"What story / didn't know
Travers had one. Wasn't his mother
that nice widow lady who used to live
near your place ?"
"Mrs. Travers wasn't Jack S mother
though he thought so till the time Of
her death. His father was an Irish
man named Gilmore, who had mar
ried an Englishwoman. Gilmore was
an engineer, or something of that
sort. Well, Mrs. Travers. after her
husbands death, went to stay in a
place in Ulster called Rossclare, and
became acquainted with the Gilmores.
During the time of her sojourn in
Rossclare, one of those party riots so
common in the North of Ireland
broke out. Hugh Gilmore in the
melee killed man with one blow.
He was arrested, tried for manslaugh-
ter, and sentenced to two years i'm
prisonment. He died soon after he
was sentenced and his wife, deli
cate woman, never recovered from
the shock. Mrs. Travers, in her
own sorrow and loneliness, became
attached to Mrs. Gilmore and her lit
tie baby and when the former died,
she took possession of little Jack Gil
more and took him to England with
her. She had sufficient annuity to
educate the boy /; but it ended with
her life. My mother was well ac-
quainted with the story. Jack him
self never suspected he was not Mrs.
Travers' son till she was dying. She
begged him to keep the name she
had given him. He was telling me
today about the secretaryship. 1t is
worth several hundred pounds year.
Mr.. Wellborough's lawyers inter-
viewed all applicants for the situation
in London, and selected two from the
number. These two go down to the
old pentleman's place in Yorkshire
tomorrow. on approval as it were.
Francis Creighton listened atten-
lively and waited till his neighbors
had taken their departure.
"By jove," he muttered to him
self, "this is interesting fancy
the situation is mine. 1 believe Mr..
Wellborough is thoroughly conserva-
tive. He will hardly give the secre-
taryship to felon's son. An anony-
nous letter will bring him the infor-
nation. I shall get my landlady's
son to write note; my own writing
might be recognized. Rather fortu-
nate that I fingered so long this after
noon p
The anonymous letter was dis
patched to Mr.. Wellborough that
evening, and Francis Creighton
journeyed to Yorkshire by an early
train next morning. At the station
nearest to Mr.. Wellborough's place
a carriage was in waiting. The
coachman explained that his master
expected two gentlemen, and after
few moments Jack Travers appeared.
The young men greeted each other
with some awkwardness and at once
took their places in the carriage, and
half hour brought them to Wellbor-
ough Hall. It's owner was waiting
for them.
"You must pardon an invalid for
asking you to undertake so lengthy a
Journey" Mr.. Wellborough said
courteously, "and partake of lunch
con before we proceed to business.
During the progress of the meal,
Francis fancied he detected a shade
more attention to himself than to his
rival, and his hopes were high as he
accompanied Mr.. Wellborough to. his
library. The gentleman seemed to
have some hesitation in beginning the
conversation.
"Up till this morning, Mr.. Creigh-
ton," he said at length, "you had
the better chance of obtaining the
situation. Your training and qualifi-
cations seemed to fit you for the post.
An anonymous letter, however, has
caused me to change my mind"
Indeed p Creighton's surprise
was genuine.
"It does not concern you, and gen.
orally pay no attention to such let
ters; but this case is different. Mr..
Wellborough hesitated a moment.
"When my brother and l became
Joint owners of the Wellborough
Mills in Bradford, the business was
fast going to the bad. Neither of us
had any private capital with which
to prop it up, and not very much ex-
perience. At this period became
acquainted with a young Irish engi-
neer named Gilmore. The man had
a perfect craze for machinery of all
kinds, and he gave me plans by which
great improvement might be made
in the looms. Just after doing so he
disappeared completely. His plans,
after some changes, were found to be