Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-09-25
CHAPTER xII.-(Ce.tinu.d.)

With much clattef and importance.
6heila-by accident, Of courss--wss just
coming down the stairs ~ Lady Dales-
water was ascending then.
There was . RITUAL start, and then
cordial greeting. Eheila was looking won
derfully pretty In her long sealskiA man
tie, her ruddy, golden hair making bit
Of bright celsr beneath her neat hat to
match. Lady Daleswatsr was pleased to
approve Of her probable future sister-in-
law
'You here, Miss Fraser I" she exclafn-
ed. 'This is quite 4 delightful surprise.
I pictured you in Mountberry, enjoying
yourself"
II 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 is
not particularly lively just now"
Can you give me any news Of my
brother-is he really 80 dangerously hurt?
Mamma 10 such an alarnist, yeu know"
Sheila assumed . sad, anxious look,
although In reality she WAS not aware
exactly how Jack was at that particu-
lar msment, and had never been very
much frightened even at tie verdict Of
the London doctors.
II an afraid As II very ILL.," she said
Ia low voice.
Lady Daleswatee did net seem much
Impressed.
II hope yeu ars net returning hsme
Immediately? Ns7 Oh, that Is delight
full, and still more delightful that ysu
should be staying here. Yeu must come
In and dine WITH me tonight. Mrs. Fra
scr is with ysur
Sheila explained that her chaperone
was her cousin, Mrs. Watson.
I'VE shall remain in London for little
WHILE" she said, and hope to see q
great deal Of yen. Perhaps may be
able to prevail on You to como down to
Daleswater Hsuse when I 70 back there.
1t will be very dull, my dear Sheila;
but"
But my dear Sheila" would have glad
~ welcomed months Of dizziness to get
such an invitation a. this. Her spirits
rose brilliantly, and she laid herself cut
to please Lady Daleswater.
Three days later the Earl Of Dales-
water arrived in London, and inmedi-
ately. at his wife's instigation, went
down to Msuntberry to zee how matters
were, and the very same afternoon, as
Stella sat yawning over q novel by the
fort was announced. She started up Gag
erly to greet him.
where have yen been? thought yen
were never. csning back" she declared.
~ ha,.SAee busy" hs said. II have
not been Sting tins, I assure you. Ysu
wonder what tsok Ne cut Of Lenaon7
Well, will tell ysu. I went down to
socthe the last moments & Roderick Ans
truthef. Yes, 1t sounds curious, doesn't
It? But Fats fer some strange reason
brought this nan to eur rescue Just whe,
We needed him"
"How can he help us1" asked Sheila,
1ncredulously. although her face was
flushing with excitement. "More espe-
cially II, a. understand you to infer,
he is now dead"
you shall zee, Miss Fraser. Ans
truther met me out In Africa; he then
went under another name. I always liked
the man, there was something grim yet
wonderful about him. When he found
was coming to England he gave me a
packet Of papers to bring to his law
yers; before delivering them I took the
precaution Of sounding these lawyers
first, and ~ easily - possible I soon
discovered my companions real name.
Needless to say, did not deliver the
papers, more especially when found
that Anstruther was in England, and
supposed to be dying-he had evidently
found his end coming, and rushed over
to see Mrs. Fraser before he died. ut
once travelled OF to seek him, and, of
course, had to tell q few dozen lies or 80
to explain why I had done 80. Fortu-
nately, the man was too III to protest
or question much; all he asked, all he
wanted, was to see Constance Fraser, and
confess the truth Of his treachery toward
her and his brother"
"And you call this helping u.s. Mr..
Rochfortr'
AS Roderick Is dead, and did not con-
fess TO Mrs. Fraser, I certainly do. To
please him I drew up . sort Of written
statement, to which he managed to scrawl
his name just At the very last. Here is
the document. Shall I tell you what 1t
contains, Miss Fraser7"
Sheila nodded her head.
This is the last dying confession of
Roderick Anstruther. in which he owns
to having separated his brother from his
wife for sheer malice, In which he also
confesses that his brothers child did
really die, and that the girl now living
Is the offspring of a secret marriage be-
tween himself and some country woman"
"And she 10 that rsallyT" Shsila asked.
''No, certainly not. Audrey, according
to her uncle's dying confession, IL the
child Of Frank and Constance Anstruther,
You forget, an reading what wrote,
hot what Roderick Anstruthsr told me to
write"
"WellT the girl said after this, a. her
brow cleared.
"This document then goes On to will
the whole Of the dead mans fortune and
possessions to this Aforesaid child Of
his on enc condition, viz, that she be-
come my wife before six months elapse |;
II she refuses. she 10 to be placed once
more in the Female Orphan Asylum till
some definite and equally disagreeable
abode IL found for her. You will see
that I have been very careful and very
explicit, Miss Fraser. I have left moth
lnr ,ndono that can vn.syhlv k.la ,.U