Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-15

0tAAAAAAN 6No6NA
Discoveries.
After Dominic Seager had paid for his
passage to Paris he had about $500 left
OF the 81 900 obtained from his arbitrary
confederate in the scene which was to
make both their fortunes. His sporting
Instincts cost him some $500 during the
voyage. so that when he at length reach
ed Paris from Cherbourg, he could not
count even $500 in his note case.
But no such commercial calculations
disturbed his complacent faith in the flu
ture II would not be long before he
could find means to mark his displeasure
with Arendsen's vulgar parsimony. All
he had to do now, he thought to him
self lying back in a rickety fiacre on
his way from the station to that hotel
which he had elected to honor with his
patronage, was to present himself at the
address given him by the San Francisco
lawyers, to-wit the Misses Winters Sc
lect pension, in the Avenue Moroccan, and
there announce to Miles Quaintances
adopted daughter that he had come thith-
er TO marry her. Soon after that there
would be millions at his disposal, not
fewer than twelve and a half of them
counting in francs, and as many more
than that as he could possibly make 1t.
IL would be strange II he could not
come to such terms with the girl as
should leave him his freedom and the
lions share OF the spoil. Then he would
either promptly divorce her, or disappear,
as she should prefer. The latter would
probably be the more simple method,
since he could in that way resume his for
mer identity and so effectually cover his
fraudulent tracks.
IL also remained to be seen whether,
once he had the money safe in hand, he
could not tax TO good purpose Arend-
sens most prosperous claim. The ran
som he had been forced to promise that
robber was altogether out of the ques-
ton Any maneuver of that sort would,
OF course, take very delicate management,
but a millionaire might accomplish much
that would be impossible to a poor man.
His estimate Of prospective profits on the
present venture had risen to 25,O00,0 600
franc when he got to the Hotel du Palais.
When he arrived IL was his firm inten-
ton to carry out his mission On the in
slant But, by the time he had changed
his clothes and otherwise refreshed him
self, dusk had come down. It would
make no oppreciabe difference If he al
lowed himself twenty-four hours liber-
ty first.
A hearty supper at Maxims induced
added cheerfulness, and, having learned
from a benevolent bystander at the bar
there that a whilhom resort of his was
resolved to just speculate few francs
al the tables on a safe and certain sys-
TEN he had evolved since his last disas-
ter in, that direction. There 1t did not
take him long to get rid Of what cash he
had with him.
II was nearly noon next day before he
awoke at his hotel, still in crumpled
evening clothes. haggard, heavy-eyed, and
suffering from an unclean taste in his
IL counted his aCEnfS
uneasily now. and found them sadly
shrunk And when. after cold bath and
light breakfast. he at length started for
the Misses Winters select pension, II was
under the strong conviction that he had
somehow been made a fool of by some
one He rang with vicious emphasis the
door bell of the prim dwelling in the
Avenue Mnrceau. and was left to kick
his heels in a stiffly furnished drawing
room for fully ten minutes, while the
Misses Winters arrayed themselves 10
receive their visitor. His tone to them
when they did appear was the reverse Of
conciliatory. 1t made the two elderly
maidens nervous.
II told that stupid girl that came
here to see Miss Quaintance," he said In
brusque, quarrelsome tone. and Miss
Sophia looked somewhat blankly at her
sister Jane. It was Miss Jane who re-
piled
Miss ouaintance is no longer with us,
Mr.. Quaintance."
THE deuce she isn'tr' gasped seager.
aghast at the grave possibilities opening
up. Then where is she?'
you have surely heard. Mr.. Quain-
lance" she said. that Miss Quaintance
returned to the United States Of America
Immediately she heard the sad news OF
/ Mr. Miles Quaintance's DEATH"
] The devil she did," he exclaimed, and
the two spinsters shrank from him of
common impulse. They neither could nor
would tolerate such freedom of speech in
their presence. They rose together and
drawn at once had not he OWNED their
reason for that step and prevented it by
means of a hasty apology.
/ Miss Quaintance left us nearly a year
ago." said Miss Jane, frigidly. I'VE had
letter from her afterwards to say she
had reached New York. She was accom-
panied by her maid, a most trustworthy
person.
And now. Mr.. Quaintance, since we
have afforded you such information as
we possess. you will perhaps kindly ex-
cuse us"
She swept toward the door, her cap
! a-tremble with indignation, and her sis
ter followed without further speech. A
photograph caught his eye as he passed
the piano, ana MS QUICK exclamation al
sight of IL caused Miss Jane to face about
on the threshold.
who's this?' seager asked. picking up
the portrait.
why. that's Miss Quaintance," she an
swered.
"Phewr' whistled Seager. Then 1 can
tell you where Miss Quaintance is. She's
in New Iork. 1 saw her there not IS
hours before started for this side. and
I didn't know who she was. Cad! Isn't
that a fierce thing TO have happened
one?
i've never seen either her or her uncle
you see" he went on. in response to their
look Of bewilderment. I've spent most
of my time abroad for many years past
and only heard Of my uncle's death while
was in Africa. I didn't even know then
that he had adop-that he had a daugh-
ter. I must see her at once, in connec-
ton with his estate, in which she, OF
course, has a large interest, but on con-
ditions which only 1 can make clear to
her. VIII you do me the very great IA
Vor to let me have this photo?"
Miss Sophia's imagination had been
fired by the hint or inheritance, and the
thought that, IL II would help the girl
they need not scruple to part with the