The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-11-26
CHAPTER XIII.
A Proposal.

Clement Mawgan was not the only
one who found himself in a brown
study that Monday afternoon. In the
smoke room of a West End club Lord
Richard Grovely was seated in a deep
easy chair abstractedly into the fire.
Across his knees lay a copy of an
evening paper which he had just been
reading. He had picked up the paper
merely to pass the time away, for the
days hung heavy on his hands, and
there was no one In the room at the
moment with whom he was on speak.
ing terms.
He did not anticipate for a second
that he would find anything in the pa
per that would be OF the smallest in
terest to himself. Mondays newspa-
pers were nearly always dull, and since
there were no race meetings on it was
not likely that a man of his type
would discover anything that was
worth reading.
Yet on the very first page he dis
covered a paragraph which held him
spellbound. Ii was headed:
Tragedy in Cornwall.
Clergyman Stabbed on a Lonely Moor.
Remarkable Story"
The local reporter who had tele-
graphed the news had evidently done
his best with the materials at his dis
posal. Most of the facts, so far as
they were known, were succinctly
stated, but many things Of Importance
had not then come to light, hence the
story lacked balance and complete
ness.
Sufficient, however, was told not on
ly to interest Lord Richard, but to fill
him with the keenest anxiety.
Some few weeks previously a Mr..
Evans from Exeter had called to see
him, and had laid before him a pro-
posal which promised great things IL
only 1t could be successfully carried
out. Up to the present nothing had
come of it, but IL the story in the pa
per was true 1t seemed not unlikely
that at an early date Mr.. Evans would
call on him again. If he failed TO do
so he foresaw complications-perhaps
the destruction Of some fondly cher.
ished hopes.
Lord Richard was the youngest son
of the marques of Fowey, and as he
became a member Of the proud house
of Grovely he had cultivated expen-
sive tastes, though on a very narrow
income, with the result that he was
in a state of chronic impecuniosity.
Lord Richard had been called to the
bar in his early life. though, Of course.
he had never practiced, his knowledge
of law being an exceedingly limited
quantity. while his capacity for Work
was ever more limited still.
His eldest brother had recently sue
,ceeded to the title and the estates,
with the result that Lord Richard
found himself In a worse pecuniary
position than during his fathers life
time. Tie old man had been fairly
generous; the elder brother was not
afflicted with any weakness in that
direction.
The major portion OF Lord Richards
income was derived from chairman
ships and directorships. Banks and
Insurance societies, and even railway
companies, are much given to engag-
ing lords as figure heads. while an
honest penny may be turned occasion
ally by appearing as directors of new
Lord Richards name often found its
way into print in this connection. !
Such directorships entailed no labor,
while the pay was always welcome.
For many years he had cherished a
5ague though secret hope that Provi-
lence would interpose on his behalf
With respect to the estate OF his late
Edward. Edward was an old
If brother and q dabbler on the stock
xchange. Many years previously he
Iad deemed it prudent to leave Eng
and for good. He had been chairman
I q mining syndicate that had not
urnsed cat well, and though he was
i no way to blame for the failure of
he company he took the matter to