The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-26

l quite withdrew the light of his favor again, and had turned all his fatherly affection to the brother who had at
 last succeeded in providing an heir. While Peter was at home, the time tn at he had to serve as midshipman ex- pired and he went to Plymouth to take his examination for promotion On tn e day before his ordeal he was on the
 backyard wharf when a party of sol . diers and their wives were being taken aboard a transport for India. He noticed one very drunken soldier with a prette young woman, who car ried a child in her arms. While he was looking on, the soldier suddenly topp1ed and fell into the sea. The woman shrieked and let the child fall. Be- fore Peter could grasp it 1t had dis appeared under water. The soldier also began to sink when Better leaped in and held him up till one of the boats pulled around and took them both in.
 When he returned to the backyard the young woman fell on her knees and kissed his hand. Give me your namei" she cried. Give me your name in writing that I may wear it next my heart and never forget to pray for you and bless you"
 Peter tried to get away, but the woman clung to him, till he realized that he would better humor her to avoid a further scene. She seized the card that he scribb1ed and followed her husband into the boat.
 Poor Peter cut a sad figure before the examining captains next day. He had come unprovided with a spare uni- form and the salt water had made such havoc with the one he wore that the captains were furious at his ap- pearance. They were in the midst of their anger when one of them said suddenly May I ask whether you are the midshipman who saved a soldier yesterday"
 Peter confessed rather lamely, but the change in the stern faces before him gave him courage and he passed his examination soNwell that they con graduated him.
 Peter lost no time in repairing once more to his grandfather, Lord Privi- lege. Undeterred by that gentleman's evident desire to be rid of him he managed to get the old nobleman's 5 signature to a letter which he wrote himself asking the first lord of the admiralty to hasten the commission for himself and not to lose sight of O'Brien.
 A few days after he left this letter at the admiralty O'Brien was promoted to the rank of commander and assigned to the command of the 1S-gun brig Rattlesnake. Peters commission as lieutenant arrived at the same time and Peter be appointed to the same ship, which was granted.
 Sailing orders for the West India station arrived soon and the two young
 sailors looked forward full of delight | to the cruise. But it was decreed that Peter Simple was to sail with a heavy heart after all, for his mother died be- lore ne JOlneQ the snip.
 l Scarcely had this blow fallen before the family received the news that Lord Privilege had died. When the will was read it was found that he had not left penny to either Peter or his father, but had bequeath ed to his son William everything beside the title and estates ] which. of course, descended to him by | law.
 i Peter Simple was far more disap- l pointed on his fathers account than on his own. He knew that his father had not saved any money and he grieved at the thought of his sister {! Ellen, for whom there would be no | provision now.
 | He felt convinced that his uncle had
 robbed him of all chance of the es-
 tates by substituting a child as being
 his own son. indeed, O'Brien had made 1 investigation in Ireland ana had dis
 covered that his uncle had engaged a i young mapied woman as servant there,
 and that a child had been born to her
 the same week in which child was
 born to his aunt. Suddenly as he had
 arrived, his uncle had then returned
 to England, and the young woman had l left for India at the same time with her husband who had enlisted.
 It was quite impossible to trace the
 couple. Altogether the affair was So
 well covered up that there could be no
 certainty. Peters uncle, however, had 1 learned of the inquiries, and had dis 1 covered who had set them on foot. He hated Peter Simple and O'Brien from
 that moment, and lost no opportunity | to harm them.
 The Rattlesnake made quick run
 of it to the West Indies, and soon was