The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-05
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naughty arrogant bearing silenced any too inquisitve gossip. It is true that Lord Mauleverer was puzzled to remem- Der where and how he had heard the voice of the new arrival. But his brain, never given to extreme exertion, did not dwell on the problem.
 The strangers address. his easy coni- dence and his romantic appearance soon opened all doors to him in this society that, with all it's apparent rigidity of rules was secretly adventurous and pin ing for new and fresh sensations. Neither the gaming tables nor the bathrooms asked too closely after pedigrees.
 By the time Mauleverer and Brandon awoke to their danger, Captain Clifford had won the squire over. The sturdy old chap declined to allow any one to raise doubts in his mind as to the fine cav alters real standing. And as for Lucy Brandon-that courted and admired young woman turned from all the titles and estates and baubles that were laid at her feet to give her whole innocent heart to Captain Clifford from Nowhere.
 He had been thrown among the leaders in his profession-men whose birth, in many instances, was by no means low, and who appeared by day as blue-blooded gentlemen at Ranelagh, and made speeches worthy of Cicero when at last they were forced to trial. His uncom- mon distinction and beauty of person completed what his brave manner had begun Lucy surrendered herself wholly to his fascination
 When William Brandon and Lord Maul everer bestirred themselves In earnest to attack the enemy who had broken into their very stronghold he had already cap tured the citadel. All their efforts would have been futile had not something ut terly unexpected come to their assistance. Captain Clifford suddenly developed conscience-something that had not troubled the gay gentleman of the dark road before.
 Hitherto he had viewed human society as a creature that despoiled weaker ones and must expect to be despoiled as frank ly by those who dared. Despising society for its dishonesty and hypocrisy, his own dishonesty seemed not at all heinous to him. Satisfied that against the petty riches of humanity he was stalking his life, he felt that he was playing the fairer game.
 Now all this is changed. He saw him. self as he was-a hunted, outlawed en- emy to the world Hhe shuddered at tho mere thought of linking her beautiful. pure life to such career as his In the beginning he had dreamed of sinking the past behind nim. Now he realized that his black career must stand forever be- tween them.
 With lips that tried to hide their an- guish beneath a tremulous smile he told her that they must part-that he was un- worthy that she should even touch his hand. Before Lucy Brandon could com prehend his meaning he was gone.
 Highly pleased, indeed, were the two ambitious ones to whom he left clear field. Lord Mauleverer redoubled his suit and William Brandon schemed and planned and plotted.
 To this man, hitherto ambitious purely for ambitions sake, there had suddenly come a new and absorbing vision. black sin of his youth had arisen to haunt him. and from 1t he had snatched great hope.
 That hope gave concrete form to Will liam Brandon's lifelong ambition, which was to restore his family to the high rank 1t had held.
 Once the friends and allies of kings, the Brandons, for many generations, had been drunken. worthless, debt-encumbered. 1 His brother the Squire, was the first re- cent one of a long line of bad ones. Will liam remembered his father, crawling, stu bid with drink, filling the house with de- graded company of both sexes. A penni' less younger son, he had struggled through hunger and privation to reach q | position where, in his own person, ne | should be able to make the name Of Brandon powerful again. It was not for honor's sake that he dreamed the dream. Honor was an idle thing to his stern, dis dainful creed that was based on supreme 1 contempt for all mankind. His one mo- tive was that of fiery. worldly pride
 When he saw the chief justiceship of i England before him, with a title that he might hand down to his decendants, tho ! only shadow on his cold, saturnine delight was that he had none. And then there arose the ghost of his past and with 1t the new wild hope.
 l It come upon him suddenly while he was in court pressing a frightened wit ness. Driven into corner where the fellow perceived that his own collar would soon be in danger. the man said in low voice that reached the lawyers ear alone AK MT. Swoppem, the pawnbroker, what I sold to i'm twenty three years ago!"
 Btandon's lips grew white instantly. His hands clinched convulsively. So negli- gently did he continue the trial. so pur- poseless were his questions and cross-ex- animation, that the case was ruined and the Jury returned a verdict of ''no guilty
 The moment he left the court the wit ness was closeted with him. Then he sought out the pawnbroker personally That person admitted that 23 years before | the witness had sold him a number of ar l ticles of silver and jewelry. Most o | them had, of course, been sold again lons | ago, but few stray trinkets were foun( l after @ search through his motley stock.
 He bought them eagerly. Locking him self into his library, he sat down am stared at them. They were inscribed "W B. to Judith"
 The poor, cheap ornaments brought Ill before him his past life like the phantom | sb<. n% d ,ritrh'a tncantntfoV, 1~6a efarf7