Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-08-05
nore a marquis than I ann"

earth didn't this Harry nerne get up
and say so? Why has he remained
gamekeeper, or whatever he is, and
let this man walk about with his
title and estates?"
Mr.. Pollard shook his head.
HE did not know it. I concluded
that must be the reason. His mother
sacrificed her good name, concealed
her marriage from him and the world,
permitted herself to be regarded as
the last marquis mistress and her
son illegitimate, so that her lover, her
husband, might retrieve the family
fortunes by marrying a rich heiress."
Tits incredible." gasped Sin
clair, and Marie Werner almost echoed
the words.
Nothing is stranger than the
truth" said Mr.. Pollard, duly. Some
women are capable of such selr-sacrt-
fee. There have been many cases on
record; Bessie Richards is one of
them, but she sacrificed herself in
vain"
'How's that?" demanded Mr.. Sin
clair.
Mr.. Pollard put his hand to his
brow
Nothing could save a Merle" he
said. They have got the gamblers
faint in their blood. The last mar
Quis did with his wife's money what he
had done with his own. Spent, gam
bled, flung it away! He had to sell
the COURT"
The Court! This placer ex-
claimed Sinclair. hurriedly.
Marie Werner held her breath. She
knew what was coming, but she want
ed to hear every word of it.
Yes, this place. He sold it TO Mr..
Darracourt, who had held some small
property here, whose name was con-
nected with the place, and he was
anxious to get the principal estate. He
bought it"
"But-but-" queried Sinclair, "how
could this Lord Merle sell it? Wasn't
it entailed?"
yes; he cut off the entail with
the consent of that man there, his
SON"
But he wasn't his son-at least, not
his heir, and-and therefore the mar
quis had no right to sell it,"
mo" said Mr.. Pollard, and
CHASTITY smile lit up his cadeverous
face. mo he ought to have got per
mission of Harry Herne, the, real
heir"
But he didn't" said Sinclair,
''and therefore the Court, and all the
property, the land and the farms,
don't belong to Miss Darracourt at, all
but to Harry Herne!"
He grew so excited by the thought
that he sprang up, and Marie Werner
crOuched still lower.
Mr.. Pollard laughed a dry, harshy
spectral laugh that sounded like the
autumn wind among the trees.
Exactly he assented quietly. "The
last marquis sold what was not his
to sell, therefore this girl, this Miss
Darracourt, hold what does not belong
to her, but to Harry Herne, as you
call rim, but as I call him-the Mar
quis cf Merle
Sinclair sat with his head in his
hands, his small black eyes half
closed. He was thinking the case out.
1t seemed too wonderful. too go0d to
10 be true.
Does any one besides you know all
t2is?' he asked, aznxioUsGy
Il -I-r 7
for a moment,
NO" he said, YEARLY: no? The
oEcurreG long ag0t This
Harry HerGsa must be a man by this
time. Bessie Richards, that is, theI
real rarchtoness mast have died still
keeping her secret; the marquis can
have told no one. No, it is i secret to
all but me-and-yCsa" he added.
Sinclair tresDbled in his excit ement
and eagPrness-
f'LooE here he said, in q hurried
whisper; you must keep r. Z secret;
do you hear?"
7 Hgar'' assenta9 M Pollard
duly.
You MUSTN'T tell amy ONE It its,
too good to be- cried on the house
tops! There-there's a fortune in it,
The old man stared at him yacantly
then he smiled weariIE
Fortune, What is money to me? Il
want none of it, No. il is the knov3- !
grand kn0wIege; that is
enough FIR me! To feel as they roll |
past me IN sneir carriages. scattering
the mud over ngy coat-these great I
ones of the eartF-to feel that II
know theic. secrets, that is enough! 81
and he stretched cut MS thin, wasted |
hands and shoogs them feebly in the
night air.
Sinclair nodded sookhfngly, as if he
were quite convinced that the knowl4..
edge was sufficient.
Yes, pest" he said, you are quite
right! We'd better go now; It's gets
ting late, and we must catch tfle lasa
train Ceme ONT" and he drew the Old
mans arm through his and led him
away, with a careful tenderness that
was quite f11fa1 and touching.
Marie Werner waited until they had
gone ont OF sight. then rose from, her
hiding place, and leaned against the
sea-
The Importance OF the revelation
overwhelmed her. She fslt dizzy and
hnu-S1So-aS Harry un-0o +ha -aAb