Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-02-28


turned my head. When Vincent was
born l had found out that il was i'm.
possible Tor us to live together. She
never loved me, but thought only of my
rank: loved but one woman, and she
was IN her Italian grave, and it was sac
rilege to me that an underbred creature
should take the place that should have
been my Joans. My father had died, and
was then Viscount Avrin, but l was
stll IN Australia because | was ashamed
OF my marriage.
i took a full revenge on her for hav-
ing trapped me. When she was gloating
over her boys prospects / showed her
my eldest son, my real her, and told her
OF my first marriage and Joan's death
at the birth of our boy. Then / made a
strange compact with Marion. You must
remember it was torture to me to see
her, and | scarcely remembered nv sons
claims, to preserve his life to spite her
was my one thought, and | knew her too
We'll to feele that he was safe unless it
was to her own interest to keep him so.
gave her my Joan's baby to bring up,
and L swore that while she kept her mar
rage TO me secret | also would hide
my first marriage That while my eldest
son lived hers should live also. but if by
chance he died hers should die also by
my hands, and | would cheerfully die for
IT. A tiendish resolve, but | meant it..
I'd have kept my oath if my Joan's boy
had not lived to come into his rights.
She agreed, and brought up both boys,
calling herself Mrs. Dene-your own
name, John, for it was the second one
your mother gave you, after a relation
of her own.
Marion never molested me in any way
till this attempt of hers to win the
proofs OF my first marriage. She thinks
she has succeeded, and the bitter humor
of it pleases me. But you will find this,
John, and crush her at the moment when
she achieves her aim. What would not
give to see that comedy played out? But
you must forgive me, John, if leave you
to find out after my death. You must
forgive me for much, my boy, and chiefly
for your mothers death. l killed her as
surely as if | had clutched her white
throat and strangled her She was far
too good for me, but she loved me. And
when found her homeless, and urged her
to marry me secretly, she yielded. NV
father was dying, they said, and he had
set his heart on my marrying an heiress.
| couldn't vex him then
1--WE married and kept it secret. Then
she grew scrupulous and wanted to con-
TESS, for the old man fingered | refused
and we quarreled. She had high ideals.
| never came up to- any of them. / was
lazy, pleasure-loving, passionate; she was
all for elfcontrol and noble effort Even
tually | left her in fit of wild temper
Before | could get back to ask her for
giveness you were born and she was
dead. John can you pardon me for the
bitter, malicious humor which has PLAYED
havoc with your life, my son-her son
I've had you with me of late years pur-
posely I've learnt to see her again in
you, to hate you for it, and then to love
you. You are worthy to be her son, and
can say no more than that You will
make better Viscount than ever could
be. As for little Honor, there is stuff
in the girl, and know your hearts de-
sire. But, John, the game that will be
played The fine game which you must
win! If I could but see it, boy!"
The letter ended abruptly with Lord
AvrilPs signature and the date John
put it down on the table and drew his
hand across his eyes. For few minutes
there was silence, then the patience of
Simmons came to an end.
"Well, my lord, it's true, you see. ]
always knew it, thought it wasn't for me
to speak out, not knowing the hang of it
properly. But you've got his lordships
ways and some of his looks, and your
step-when you pace up and down think
ing, / could vouch it was him again, and
any fool could see you were something
more than a secretary. You do see it's
true, don't you, my lord?" he concluded
wistfully.
eyes," said John slowly, 81 see But
at the same time Pm thinking of Miss
Honor"
"Oh, WELL" cried Simmons in energetic
disdain, "this way is much better! Her
ladyship is a very nice lady to serve, Pm
not denying it; but Avrill Towers wants
lord of its own. And besides" He
paused discreetly, not quite sure how
any suggestion as to methods of consol
ing Miss Honor would be received
John sighed heavily.
well, | must fight it out My father
lays it on me- Yes, Simmons, Pm proud
enough to call him that. But have you
noticed, my friend, that it win be a fight,
and the victory by no means certain ?
My father has forgotten to give the
place, the date, or the manner of his
marriage. Lady Avrill knows, however,
and possibly has taken good care that no
one else shall ever know
Simmons gave vent to few words ex-
pressive of dismay.
81 never thought of that, my lord.
Well, we've just got to hunt England
through"
England. Ireland, Scotland, and Wales,
or it may be any place besides. We have
nothing to guide us"
Here's messl" groaned the valet.
"Never mind, my lord. Wen be even with
her ladyship yet Now / know why she
waited those four months; she was
waiting for you to discover something
about this"
"No doubt Well, tomorrow l shall go
down to Avrill and have it out with her"
Eyes, my lord. Thank you, my lord. .
Simmons stood up, stiff, smart, every
inch the capable man-servant. and
and-I may consider myself in situa-
ton, hope?'
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