Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-11-07
CHAPTER TX.
The Woman in the Way.

The day following Mark Bretting
hams interview with his newly-found
father he received a telegram request
ing him to call on a firm of solicitors
in Lincoln's Inn Fields
He was courteously received by the
senior partner, who, without troubling
him with details Or putting any ques-
tons, handed him $500 in bank notes,
and informed him that it was expect
ed that he would leave London that
evening by the Continental mail, and
advise the firm from time to time of
his address.
x am paying you this money" said
the lawyer, "by my clients instruc-
tons, and I shall forward you the
same amount every quarter to the adj
dress you communicate to me. My
clients stipulation is that the address
shall be on the Continent presume
you understands"
Perfectly" replied Mark, taking the
bank notes and then folding them and
putting them into his breast pocket.
There is one other stipulation
continued the lawyer. You have our
address, which you will, of course,
carefully preserve; to that address,
and to that alone, are any communica-
tons you desire to make be sent. That
also, | should inform you, is part of
the understanding on which this allow
ance is MADE to you
Il quite understand the arrangement
and [ shall place no difficulty in the
way" replied Mr.. Mark rockingham.
Il shall leave London tonight for Par
is, where I propose to remain for a
time. You can address me there at
the Grand hotel until further notice."
He smiled pleasantly, bowed, and
bade the senior partner good day.
"Humph." said the senior partner to
himself, as the door closed behind his
visitor; another family romance to
add to the dozens that lie hidden away
in the black boxes of the firm. Poor
Sir Mark! | hoped Hank had got a
mares nest, but I don't think there's
the slightest doubt about the truth of
his story now I've seen the young man.
He's a Buckingham, and his voice is
his father's-I could have closed my
eyes and fancied that it was Sir Mark
himself speaking to me-
Mark Bettingham walked through
Lincoln's Inn FIELDS into Holborn He
entered the first postal telegraph office
he came to, and wrote out a telegram
to Bertram Hank:
Leave for Paris by night mail,
Charing Cross. Come to me at 5.
/ Room 27. t.-Brettingham.
He was relieved when he had dis
patched the telegram.
1t was necessary that there should
be no secrets between himself and
Bertram Hank But he had for his
own reasons kept back the incident
of his marriage. He knew from the
conversation Hank had with him il
the train on the night of his escape
from Dartmoor that, closely as the
detective had peered into his past his
| tory in order to get upon his track, he
had not found out about the marriage
| He would have mentioned it if he
had done SO.
He quite understood why this detail
had escaped the attention of the in.
| quiry agent.
The farmer knew nothing about it.
/ John Wilson had left his wife for some
little time when he came into the
hands of the police, and, being a SOL
! der in barracks, no question as to his
domestic circumstances arose at the
trial.
But the police would know of his
marriage now, because his wife had
written to him at the convict Jail, and
the governor would have a full knowl-
edge of the fact. He would certainly
communicate it to the proper quarter,
as all letters are entered in the prison
books. The authorities would have a
full knowledge of his wife's address.
He had thought Of adding this item
to Hanks other information when
they had their first conversation to-
gether. But he had reflected that
Hank might consider it his duty to in
form his employer, Sir Mark Bretting-
ham, and Mr.. John Wilson thought this