The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-17


During the entire narrative she had not
uttered assyllable.
when my husband returns home
she said at last, family, he Will pro-
teet me from this cruel charge
Are you prepared to swear that the
boy sitting on your knee is your own
boy" 1 asked
am
"WfI you take ar oath on the Bible
that he is your child?"
Her face grew white.
Surely that is not necessary" she
said.
But you Will do it?' I repeated.
She looked down again at the boy.
The boy looked up at her.
Pity lady" he said. all OF a sud
den.
The moment he uttered the words
noticed a queer change on her face.
She got up and rang the bell. A grave
looking m;ddle-aged woman entered
the room.
Take baby. nurse" said Lady
Faulkner
The woman lifted the boy in her arms
and conveyed him from the room.
1T will swear, Mr.. Head" said Lady
Faulkner. There is a Bible on that
tablet will swear on the Bible"
She took he book i'll her hands. re-
peated the usual words of the oath and
kissed the book.
81 declare that that boy is my own
son, born of my body" she said, slowly
and distinctly.
Thank yOu," I answered. land the
Bible down on the table.
What else do you want me to dO?''
she said.
There is one test" / replied. (which,
~, ,fr,sI rx-fH hn
finally. The test is this. If the boy
have just seen is indeed your son, he
viii not recognize Durham, for he has
never seen him. If, on the other
hand he is Durham's boy, he cannot
fail to know his father and to show
that he knows him when he is taken
into his presence. Will you return. with
me to town tomorrow. bringing the
child with you? If little Robins father
appears as stranger to the boy. will
believe that you have spoken the
TRUTH
Before Lady Faulkner could reply. a
servant entered the room bearing let
ter on salver. She took it eagerly and
tore it open, glanced at the contents,
and a look of relieg crossed her face as
her eyes met mine. They were bright
now and full of curious defiance.
II am willing to stand the test" she
said. Il will come with you tomor-
row.
With the boy"
Yes. / will bring the boy"
You must allow him to enter Dur
hams presence without you"
HE shall do So"
Good 1 answered. I'VE can leave
here by the earliest train in the morn
ing"
l left the castle a few minutes later,
and wired to Dufrayer, telling him that
Lady Faulkner and / would come up
to town early on the following day.
bringing Lady Faulkner's supposed boy
with US. / asked Dufrayer not to pre-
pare Durham in any way
Late in the evening ! received re-
ply to my telegram.
Come by first possible train" were
it's contents. Durham is seriously i'll.
I thought it best to say nothing of
the illness of Lady Faulkner. and at
an early hour on the following day we
started on our Journey No nurse ac-
companied the child. He slept a good
part of the day-Lady Faulkner her
self was almost silent. She scarcely
addressed me. Now and then I saw her
eyes light upon the child with a curl
Gus expression. Once, as / was attend
ing to her comfort, she looked me full
in the face.
you doubt me- Mr.. Head she said.
''It is impossible for me to feel friendly
toward you until your doubts are re-
moved.
Il am more grieyed than I san say
I answered; but l must, God helping
me. at any cost see justice done"
She shivered.
At D. m. we steamed into Kings
Cross. Dufrayer was on the platform,
and at the carriage door in a second.
From the grave expression on his face
| saw that there~was bad news. Was
it possible that the worst had happened
to Durham, and that now there would
never be any means of proving whether
the child were Lady Faulkner's child
or not?
'Be quick" he exclaimed, when he
saw me. Durham is sinking fast: /
am afraid we shall be too late as it is
What is the matter with him. 1
asked.
THAT is what no one can make out.
Langley Chastop, the great nerve spe-
cialist, has been to see him this after
noon. Chaston is completely nom
plussed. but he attributes the illness to
the shock and strain caused by the loss
of the child
Dufrayer said these words eagerly,
and as he imagined into my ear alone.
A hand touched me on the shoulder 1
turned and confronted Lady Faulkner
What are you saying?" she ex-
claimed at is possible that Mr.. Dur
ham is in danger, in danger of his life?'
HE is dying" said Dufrayer,
brusquely.
Lady Faulkner stepped back as
though some one had shot her. She
quivered all over
Take the child" she said TO me, in
a faint voice.
l lifted the boy in my arms. A broug-
ham awaited us: we got in. The child
Neary with the journey, lay fast asleep.
In another moment we were rafting
along the Maryiebone road toward
Manchester Gardens.
As we entered the house. DR.. Curzon.
Durham's own physician. received us in
the hall.
You are too late he said. 'the
poor fellow rs unconscious. It is the
beginning of the end. 1 doubt if he
will live through the night
The doctors words were interrupted
by a low cry. Looking around, 1 saw
that Lady Faulkner had flung off her
cloak, had lifted her veil, and was star
ing at DR.. Curzon as though she were
about to take leave of her senses.
Say those words again." she cried.
My dear madam, / am sorry to star