The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-04-18
CHAPTER xII-fContinued,

coming down the stairs as Lady Dales-
water was ascending them
there was a mutual start. and then
cordial greeting. Sheila was looking won
oerfully pretty in her long sealskin man
tie her rudy, golden hair making bit
OF bright color beneath her neat hat to
match. Lady Daleswater was pleased to
approve of her probable future sister-in-
law
You here, Miss Fraser." she exclaim-
ed This is quite delightful surprise
pictured you in Mountberry, enjoying
yourself"
vas compelled to come TO London
on business matters, and" Sheila added
with tiny sigh that die not escape Lady
Daleswater's keen ears, Mountberry Is
not particularly lively just now.
Can you give me any news OF my
orother-is he really so dangerously hurt
Mamma is such al alarmist. you know.
Sheila assumed a sad, anxious look,
although in reality she was not aware
lar moment. and had never been very
much frightened even at the verdict OF
the London doctors.
Il am afraid he is very ill.," she said
. In a low voice.
Lady Daleswater did not seem much
impressed.
hope you are not returning home
Immediately? No? Oh. that is delight
full. and still more delightful that you
should be staying here. You must come
In and dine with me tonight. Mrs. Fra
scr is with your
Sheila explained that her chaperone
was her cousin, Mrs. Watson.
We shall remain in London for little
WHILE" she said. land | hope to see
great deal of you. Perhaps / may be
abb to prevail on yon to come down to
31leswater House when / go back there.
~ viii be very ,IuIl. my dear Sheila :
but
But "ny dear Sheila" would have glad
ly welcomed months of dizziness TO get
such an invitation as this. Her spirits
rose brilliantly. and she laid herself out
to please Lady Daleswater.
Three days later the Earl of Dales-
water arrived in London, and immedi-
ateIy, at his wife's instigation, went
down to Mountberry to see how matters
were. and the very same afternoon, as
Stella sat yawning over a novel by the
fire. the door opened and Beverley Roch-
fort was announced. She started up Gag
erly to greet him.
Where have you been? / thought you
were never coming back" she declared.
II have been busy" he said. Il have
k<lot been wasting time. assure you- You
wonder what took me out of London
Well. l will tell you. | went down to
soothe the last moments of Roderick Ans
ttruther. Yes, it sounds curious. doesn't
1T? But Fate for some strange reason
brought this man to our rescue just when
we needed him."
"How can he help u.s." asked Sheila,
incredulously, although her face was
Flushing with excitement. More espe-
ciaIly If, as / understand you to infer,
ne is now dead"
i You shall see. Miss Fraser. Ans
4 ruther met me cut in Africa; he then
vent under another name | always liked
he man. there was something grim yet
sonderful about him. When he found
was coming TO England he gave me a
Jacket of papers to bring to his law
rers; before delivering them I took the
u
! ir>t. and as easily as possible I soon
discovered my companions real name.
Needless to say. | did not deliver the
,opers. more especially when I found
/. hat Anstruther was in England. and
/ upposed to be dying-he had evidently
/ ound his end coming. and rushed over
o see Mrs. Fraser before he died. 1 at
/ nee travelled off to seek him. and. OF
1 curse. had to tell few dozen lies or so
|; o explain why / had done so. Corfu
/ ate1y. the man was too i'll to protest
4r question much; all he asked. all he
I anted, was to see Constance Fraser, and
J orfess the truth of his treachery toward
/ er and his brother"
And you call this helping US, Mr.
ffochfortf"
AS Roderick is dead, and did not con
k,ss to Mrs. Fraser, certainly do. Tc
1 lease him ! drew UP a sort o. written
1 .atemenf, to which he managed 20 scraw
is name just at the very last Here i:
4 ,c document Shall 1 tell you what il
/ ,ntains. Miss Fraser?"
/ SheiIa nodded her head
; This is the last dying confession oil
/ oderick Anstruther, in which he owns
having separated his brother from his
! ife for sheer malice, in which he also
/ ,nfesses that his brothers child did
/ ally die. and that the girl now living
/ the offspring Of secret marriage be
zen himself and some country woman
~ nd she is that realIy?- Sheila asked
4. f'No. certainly not Audrey, according
BIER uncle's dying confession, is ths
Id of Frank and Constance Anstruther
/ IN forget. l am reading what / wrote
{ what Roderick Anstruther told me to
/ rite"
.WelI?" the girl said after this, as he,
1 ow cleared
! This document then goes on TO vii
e whole of the dead mans fortune ane
/ sessions TO this aforesaid child OF
on one condition, viz, that she be
me my wife before six months eIapse
| she refuses. she-iR~so be placed once
IRE in the Feus~re Orphan Asylum til
me definite and equally disagreeablt
ode is found for her. You will sec
! At I have been very careful and yer,
J olicit. Miss Fraser. / have left moth
undone that can possibly help u.s."
ssYou forget, she may always refuse.
ella said. gloomily. This is not what
4 rad expected"
Il am not 50 nervous of failure" Bev
ey returned. Audrey will be a ricl
man if she becomes my wife, and be-
will not be an enviable one if sh.
uses"
] There is Mrs. Fraser to be faced"
Mrs. Fraser will cease to have AM
trdianship over the girl when this doc
ent is reid.'
! Who will be her guardiany' asket
] lila.
i am left the one sole and entire
! rdian of Miss Audrey Anstruther
deceive him was easy, to explain tC
/ lawyers a trifle more difficult: but
4 vas soon DONE When you peruse this
YER carefully you will see that the rea
Roderick Anstruther reposes such
! 81 in me is because a few years age
! ayed his life at the risk of my own
because we were firm and never part
friends out in Africa together. l give