Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-12-18
By Louis Tracy,
Author of wings of the Morning" 1.-The Pillar o
LA.ht," Etc.

'rave and gave me your hand to help
ne from the carriage with the air of a
Toung lord"
"And have cherished your face in
my waking dreams ever since. You
looked like fairy. And how you stuck
up for me against your uncle!'
Tell me, what did you think of me
when you saw me standing disconso-
late in the park?'
Tell, tell, tell--it was nothing but
sweet questions and sweet assurances
that this pair of turtle doves had been
seeking each other through all eternity.
Their wedding was fixed for the mid
die of July Sharp work, it may be
said, but what need was there to wait?
Mr.. Abingdon was greatly pleased with
Philips choice and urged him to settle
down at the earliest possible date.
Mrs. Atherley, too, raised no protest.
The sooner her beloved daughter was
married the more rapidly would life
resume its normal aspect. They would
not be long parted from each other. :
The young people had no housekeep-
ing cares. Philips mansions We're re-
plete with all that could be desired by
the most fastidious taste. His yacht
was brought to the Solent so that they
could run over to Portsmouth on Il
motor car to inspect her, and Evelyn
Instantly determined that their honey
moon in Etretat should be curtailed to
permit them to go for n three weeks
cruise around the British coast.
This suggestion OF course appealed
to Philip. Nothing could be more de-
lightful. He whispered in Evelyn's
ear that he would hug her for the idea
at the first favorable opportunity.
One morning. q day of June rain,
letter reached Philip. 1t bore the print
ed superscrlption, 1.-The Hall, Beltham,
Devon" but this was struck out and
another address substituted. 1t was
written in scrawling, wavering hand,
the caligraphy of man old and very
Ill. 1t read:
My Dear Philip am lying at the point
of death, so l use no labored words to
| explain why address you in such man
| ner. / want to tell you how bitterly l
| mother and my sister. If. of your char
| ity, you will come TO my bedside and as
| sure feeble old man of your forgive-
| ness, j can meet the coming ordeal strong
| in the certainty that Mary Arson will not
| refuse what you have given in her be-
| half. Your sorrowing uncle
PHILIP NIoRLAND.
With this piteous epistle was inclosed
| another:
Dear Mr.. Anson-I join my earnest sup
plication to my husbands that you will
console his last hours with visit. He
blames himself for what has happened
in the past, yet the fault was more mine
than his-far more. For his sake l will
ingly admit It. And have been punished
for my sin. Ruined in fortune, with my
husband at deaths door, l am indeed IL
sorrowing woman. Yours faithfully.
LOUISA AIORLAND.
The angular Italian handwriting of
the second letter recalled a faded
script in his safe Mt that moment. The
address in each case was n village on
the Yorkshire coast, remote and in
accessible place according to Philips
unaided recollection of the map
"Grange House. might be farm or
broken down manor, and Lady Nor
lands admission OF reduced circum-
stances indicated that they had chosen
the locality Tor economy's sake.
These appeals brought frown of in
decision to Anson's brow. His uncle
and his uncles wife had unquestiona-
bly, been the means of shortening and
embittering his mothers life. The man
might have acted in ignorance; the
woman did not
Yet what could he do? Refuse q dy
ing relatives last request! They or
one of them refused his mothers pitt
full demand for a little pecuniary help
at n time when they We're rich.
And What dire mischance could have
sunk them into poverty? Little more
than two months had passed Size Sir
Philip Morland was inquiring for his
Philip's) whereabouts through Messrs.
Sharpe Il Smith with a view toward
making him his heir.
Was the Inquiry Lady NIorland's last
ruse TO save an encountered estate?
Why was all pretense of doubt as to
his relationship swept aside so coln-
pletely?
He glanced again at the address on
the letter and asked a servant to bring
him a railway guide. Then he ascer-
tanned that il lie would reach Scarsdalc
that day he must leave London not
later than noon. There was q journey
of nearly seven hours by rail; no
chance Of returning the same night.
He went to tie library and rang up
Sharpe Il Smith on the telephone.
] a clerk assured him that Mi. Sharpe,
who attended to Sir Philip Morland's
affairs, had been summoned to Devon
shire the previous day.
4 ITO Devonshre"' cried Philip. 81
have just received letters from Sir
Philip and Lady Morland from York
shire"
MIR. Sharpe himself is puzzled about
the matter, Sir. Lady ATorland wrote
from Yorkshire, but told him to pro
coed to Deyonsllire without delay"
Has there been some unexpected de-
yelopment affecting the estateT
VI am sorry, sir, but you will see
can hardly answer any further ques-
TONS"
OF course the clerk was right. Phil.
Up had hardly quilted the telephone
when note reached him by hand
from Evelyn: please come Mt once.
Must see you"
He was at Mount street in three min,
Ites.
Evelyn looked serious and began by
holding out a letter to him. He recog.
nized Lady Moriands writing.
"Philip-those people-who behaved
so badly to your mother
"Have they dared to trouble you:"
"Oh it is so sad. Your uncle is dy.
ing. They are wretchedly poor; IN un.
foreseen collapse. See And she
read:
OF your pity. Miss Atherley, ask you,
aliianced husband to come TO us and Il
help us. | want nothing for myself but
the mere sight of a few checks to pay
tradespeople. doctor and the rest will
soothe Sir Philips last hours. lie is a
proud man. and know he is heartbloken
10 think he is dying II paupcr among
strangers.
| n