The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-12-31

under his b, meath that was not quite
audible. Clement leaned heavily
against the mantelpiece and breathed
hard.
Marion looked from one to another
with a troubled and bewildered face.
"You say | am not the daughter of
Richard West?" she questioned,
slowly.
Richard West" said Mrs. Nav.
gan, from her chair, in a half-stifed
voice; ''the man who robbed my poor
dead h~usband?"
No n appeared to heed her, how
ever. According to these a~ffidavits,"
the lawyer went on. quietly, Richard
West was never married, but on the
death of your mother, who, 1t seems,
was his sister, he took you and your
nurse to his home and brought you up
as his own"
Marion stared at Mr.. Bice for some
moments in silence, but ii is doubtful
II she saw him. Her brows were. low
cred, her lips firmly set. She seemed
to be trying to pierce the darkness
that surrounded her ealy childhood.
She spoke at length with an absent
look In her eyes, as if thinking aloud.
Richard West was not a good man,
but on the whole he was very kind to
me-"
He was a very bad man." inter
jected Mrs. Mawgan, with energy,
land / am thankful you are not his
daughter. II | had known" then
she stopped abruptly and the sentence
was never finished.
Marion raised her head almost an
grily. Then her face softened. 1t
was not to be wondered at after all
that this lonely m should feel
hard and bitter.
For a moment or two there was an
awkward silence. Then Mr.. Bice, who
had been making a fresh examination
of the papers, spoke again.
Your identity, as far as | can judge,
to be very clearly established"
he said. ut is more than probable
that most Of the signatories to these
documents are still alive, in which
case the task of establishing your
claim will be much simplifed."
But why did my-my-uncle keep
me in ignorance of my parentage?"
questioned, abruptly.
"Ah, that is not for me to say" the
answered, with a dry smile.
ITO discover the r-otives that under
lie human actions is often an impos-
sible task"
WAS my father rich?"
81 think not-that is, as men count
riches in these days. If my memory
serves me right he was entitled to
property in this country,
which, failing heirs, would revert to
his brother. But l remember it be-
ing reported at the time of his death
he had made money rapidly in
the states, and, indeed, these papers
show that a considerable amount Of
property is involved"
you mean II | can prove my claim
shall not be poor?"
MY dear young lady, it seems to
you cannot possibly be poor,
W htSNS OCNohbSS vi youl ldlHSl . |
English property"
But what Am I to do? Suppose
my fathers people are ignorant Of my
.existence?"
"Curiously enough" Mr.. Bice re-
piled, with the same dry smile, 1T
has been understood all along that
your father had a daughter somewhere
N the states. have heard the mat.
ter discussed many times. But-but
bless my soul" And Mr.. Bice
from his chair and stared
wildly around him. WELL, if that
ISN'T curious!" and he took off his
pince-nez and puckered his forehead
INTO a hundred wrinkles. why, it
was only a few weeks ago, now | come
% think, that / saw in some paper an
announcement that news had reached
of the death Of Lord Edward
.rovely's daughter. Great Scott!
cunning brain has been at work
81 remember seeing that announce
ment myself" Mr.. Jackson interjected
at this point.
l