The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-23


the beauty of the world brought him
no forgetfulness.
AT last he was called back to London
by Lord Monmouth. The ma jority of
the Wings in the House of Commons
had become little more than nominal. !
and for the first time the government
of England depended on single cleo
lions. Lord Monmouth saw his oppor-
tunity. and his political passions
burned az never before. He was hot
for the light and wanted his grandson
for the combat.
Conlngsby found a great change at
Monmouth House. Lord Monmouth had
forced a separation on Lady Monmouth
helped by some letters, stolen by his |
agents which Lucreua had written to
gay prince in Paris. and which
would not look at all we'll in court.
Lord Monmouth's man OF affairs was
now q Frenchman named Vtllebecque.
who had been a theatrical manager
and had married oiice famous actress /
after she had been abandoned by no. |
BILE English admirer. Villebecque had
been more than kind to her until her
death and had adopted her daughter
Flora. These two were now inmates
of Lord Monmouth's house.
Coningsby, who had met them be-
fore, wnen they were at Coningsby
4
and was especially glad to sec Flora
again, for the gentle, soft-hearted and
modest girl had made an agreeable
impression on him. She. in her turn,
heard of his arrival with shining eyes
and greeted him with an earnestness
that only her timidity saved from be-
ling noticeable to everybody.
| Lord Monmouth lost no time In tell
| In. Coningsby what his plans were.
II want you to stand for Parliament,
| Harry cried he, 'in the borough of
Darlford against that fellow NIillbanl.
| The name of Coningsby will be host.
| We are bound TO win! I want to
turn our coronet into ducal one and
! to get your grandmothers baronet
called out OF abeyance in your favor.
| I have already purchased an ample
estate. with tho view of entailing It.
on YOU and your issue. You may
marry, If you please Lady Theresa
| Sydney. Count on me-
My dear grandfather" said Con-
nssby. touched deeply. you have ever
| been only too kind. There is no per-
sonal sacrifice which am not pre-
pared to make, except one. l cannot
trade my convictions. cannot sup
port the Conservative party"
Damn the lad" cried Monmouth
starting in his seat Members of this
family may think as they like. but
they must act as I please! You must
go down on Friday to Darlford and
declare your candidacy, or / shall re-
consider our mutual positions. He
rang his bell and dismissed him.
Harry Coningsby did not go down
TO hartford on Friday, nor did he al
low any considerations of worldly pru-
dence to tempt him 10 compromise. He
saw his grandfather again a few times,
but the nobleman did not aIlude to
subject. "a Nv mo Y,ac sn1
and then Coningsby was called from a
! festvity one night to learn that Lord
Monmouth was dead
After the funeral Conlngsby was ush-
cred into the principal saloon of Mon
mouth House, where the will was to
be read. 1t proved to be long string
of codicils and alterations. The orr
sinal will left Coningsby and Mr.. Rig
by each 10000 Then came a codicil
increasing Coningsbys legacy to $780,
600. The next codicil revoked this and
left the amount to the Princess ILL.,
cretias and bequeathed another $4,000
to Rigby, while Conngsby was to in
herit all the rest of the huge estate.
Now came a codicil made after the
separation. Mr.. Rigby's legacy was re-
duced to 10000, an equal sum was
given to Villebecque. Lady Monmouth
was cut off with a small annual sum,
and everything else was left to Con-
ingsby.
Another codicil followed. 1t cut down
Mr.. Rigby's legacy to $4,000. but added
that he might have his own bust, which
he had once presented to Lord Mon
!. mouth.
Everybody took care not to catch the
n Rigbyan eye at this passage. That poor
gentleman waited wildly to hear the
J next and final codicil. in the hope that
: there might be change. There was,
Il hit at IN "a To- rox
The final codicil, cutting Rigby off
| entirely, left Conlngsby Flo, 900 and no
) more. 1t left 100000 to Villebecque and
, all the rest of the unentailed property,
amounting to nearly million pounds,
was given to Flora. who was described
| as My daughter by Marie Estelle Mat
teau, an actress at the Theatre Fran
, Gals in the years 1911 and 1875"
t Alone in his rooms. Coningsby's heart
sank. He faced not only a hopeless
!, fight against what to his mind was alb
l sclute poverty after his training and
| previous life, but he had to say fare
, we'll finally and forever to all lingering
hope of gaining Edith. Fills night passed
9 in misery. The next morning he re-
|, ceived a note asking him to call on
t Flora.
d She pressed his hand affectionately
: monplace remarks. Then she burst out
suddenly Win an appear 10 MIN to
take the fortune that had been wrested
] from. him unwittlngly by her. my
d kindness" she exclaimed. This for.
tune Is an arrow in my heart"
Gently Coningsby held her hand ant
Ebade her dismiss the thought He LEFT
her in tears but walked away with
i fresh courage. Gradually his SOU
4 emerged from the crash of his hopes
. He determined anew to devote himself
q to the. cause Of the people as no saw
: 1t, and as the first step toward enter
: Ing public life now that he could
count on no aid, he decleded to read for
I the bar.
He took lodgings in the Temple and
became the pupil Of celebrated spe-
$ cial pleader Within month his name
: had been erased from all his fashion,
i able clubs, his horses and carriages
t sold and his old haunts knew him nc
more.
> Then came time of keen trial for
him. a catastrophe was imminent for
the existing government. The battle
7 lines between the great parties were
l drawn; all the friends OF his youth
: were in the field Henry Sydney was
i, certain of election. Buckhurst was cam
: paignlng a large agricultural borough.
< Lord We're stood for Yorkshire town,
and Oswald Millbank was soliciting the