Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-10-05
CHAPTER XIV

hlEHL LIZ lue GIN sat sllellt, Sedi-
* ing before her with sweet.
somber eyes. Then, "In the
- very beginning" she told him,
with conscious laugh-"this sounds
story bookish, KNOWN the very
beginning George Burgoyne Calendar,
an American, married his cousin q
dozen times removed and an English.
woman, Alice Burgoyne Hallam."
"Hallam"
"Wait. please" She sat up. bending
forward and frowning down upon her
interlacing gloved fingers. She was
finding it difficult to say what she
must. Kirkwood, watching hungrily
the fair dropping head. the fawless
profile clear and radiant against the
night blackened window, saw hot sig
nails of shame burning on her cheek
and throat and forehead.
But never mind" he began awk-
wardly.
NO." she told him. with decision.
"Please let me go on" She continued,
stumbling, trusting to his sympathy to
| bridge the gaps in her narrative. my
| father-there was trouble of some sort
at all events, he disappeared when
was baby. My mother-died. was
reared in the home Of my great-uncle,
Colonel George Burgoyne of the In
dian army. retired. My mother had
been his favorite niece, they say.
presume that was why he cared for
me. l grew up in his home in Corn
wall 1t was my home, just as he was
my father in everything but fact.
"a year ago he died, leaving me
everything town house in Frog
nall street, his estate in Cornwall.
Everything was willed to me on condi-
ton that l must never live with my
father nor in any way contribute to
his support. If disobeyed, the entire
estate without reserve was to go to his
nearest of kin. Colonel Burgoyne was
unmarried and had no children"
The girl paused. lifting to Kirk
woods face her eyes. clear, fearless,
truthful. 81 never was given to un-
derstand that there was anybody who
might have inherited other than my
SELF" she declared.
II see"
Last week l received letter, signed
with my fathers name, begging me to
appoint an interview with him in Lon
don. l did so-guess how gladly!
was alone in the world, and he my
father, whom l had never thought to
see. We met at his hotel. the Pless
| In MT 1 10 nd wi
him; said that he was growing old
and lonely and needed a daughters
love and care. He told me that he
had made fortune in America and
was amply able to provide for us both
AS for my Inheritance. he persuaded
me that it was by right the property
Of Frederick Halam, Mrs. Hallam's
son."
~ have met the young gentleman
interpolated Kirkwood.
Ills name was new to me. but my
father assured me that he was tn,
next of kin mentioned in Colonel Bur
goyne's will and convinced me that
had no real right to the property
After all, he was my father. agreed
could not bear the thought of wrong
; ing anybody. was to give up every
thing but my mothers jewels. l
seems-my father said-I don't-I can
believe it now
She choked out little, dry sob. I
, was some time before she seemed abb
to continue.
II was told that my greatuncle'
collection of jewels had been my moth
. er's property. He had in life pas
sion for collecting jewels, and it ha
been his whim to carry them with hir
wherever he went. When he died i
Frognall street they were in the SAT
by the head of his bed. l, in my grie1
at first forgot them and then after
ward carelessly put off removing then
"To come back to my father. nigh
before last we were to call on Mr.!
Hallam. 1t was to be our last nigh
in England. We We're to sail for tn
continent on the private yacht of
friend of my fathers the next mor1
ing. This is what was told and b.
lieved, you understand.
"That night Mrs. Hallam was dinin
at another table at Pless, it seems
did not then know her. When leaN
ing she put note on our table by m
fathers elbow. I was astonished b.
yond words. He seemed much ag
tated, told me that he was Gale
away on urgent business, matter {
life and death, and begged me to G
alone to Frognall street. get the jew
els and meet him at Mrs. Hallam
later. wasn't altogether fool, Il
l began dimly to suspect then thu
something was wrong. but l was
fool. for l consented to do as he d.
: sired. You understand know
/ 81 do. indeed" replied Kirkwoc
grimly. 81 understand a lot of thing
now that l didn't five minutes ag
Please let me think
But the time he took for deliber
ton was short. He had hoped to fir
way to spare her by sparlng Gale
dar, but momentarily he was becor
ing more impressed with the fulfill,
of dealing with her save in terms
candor-merciful, though they mig
seem harsh.
II must tell you" he said, that yc
have been outrageouslNmisled. swi
= died and deceived. have heard fro
= your fathers own lips that Mrs. Hs
lam was to pay him $4,000 for kee
+ ing you out of England and losing "
/ your inheritance. I'm inclined to que
{ ton. furthermore, the association tn
these jewels were your mother