Evening journal., 1909-12-15
ALEC TILTON'S FIND.
BY ESTHER vANpEvEER.

clatlonl
Alexander Tilton, a young American
OF twenty-five with an inherited for
tune estimated at from seven 10
twelve millions, after being graduated |
at college went abroad for travel. One
day whilg walking alone in the fash |
lonable residential portion Of London |
he stopped TO witness an auction Of |
household furniture In one Of the |
fashionable houses. During the sale |
he espied q iadys writing desk that |
struck his fancy. one OF those spindle
shanked affairs that our great-grand
mothers regarded very pretty and
which Que prizes for their age. Tilton
bid on the desk, aud II was knocked
down 70 him.
Among those who attended the sale
was young man who evidently took
a great interest In the proceedings.
Whenever a bookcase, a cabinet, Ia
BILE indeed, anything with even sim
gle drawer IN twas put up he ex-
amined II closely. and several articles
Of the kind he bid In. When Tilton
bought the lady's desk this man was
out OF the room. When he found that
II had been sold during his absence he
went to It's purchaser and offered him
a fine profit. Tilton didn't like the
mans looks and was suspicious Of his
reason for wanting the article, aud
when the would be purchaser offered
him a bonus OF Ei00 for his bargain he
felt sure there was some especial rea-
son why the man wanted it. AS mon
ey was no object to Tilton he would
listen 10 no offer whatever. Indeed,
fearing that he might be surreptitious-
ly deprived Of his purchase. he had
the desk packed at once and superin-
tended its removal to his hotel.
There he made a thorough examina-
ton Of It. Every drawer was empty.
He took a little hammer and tapped
all over Il to discover II there was
any compartment that was not appar-
ent. No sound indicated such space
He pulled out every drawer and turned
It upside down on the floor; then ex-
, amined the wood against which the
back Of the drawers rested when shut.
His next move was to unscrew the
} back of the desk and take 1t of. Out
fell several papers yellow with age.
All but one we're love letters. and that
was certificate Of marriage between
Reginald leighton and Eugenia Booth
What had lmpelled Tilton TO pursue
this hunt he could not explain even &c
himself. Nor could he now explain
+, what prompted him 10 start on anoth
er hunt in search Of Reginald Leighton
, and Eugenia Booth. Inquiry told hin
r that the house containing the desk ha'
Il belonged to Sir spaaord Leighton. tn
i father Of Reginald Leighton. and tina
Il Reginald had died In America. Reg
maids older brother Sir Arthur Leigh
ton, had recently died chlldless, AM
the title and estate had passed to Dig
by Moore, distant connection Of th
:, Leighton family. This Digby Moor
: was the man who wished to possess
d. the desk Eugenia Booth had beer
r. lady's companion TO Reginald and AT
a thur Leightons mother. When Reg
n inald went to America Eugenia ha'
!. left the service OF the Leighton family
Reginald being dead, Tilton's searcl
was for his wife. But as it did no
J. appear that she had ever passed unde
y the name OF Leighton he concluded
. to hunt for her as Eugenia Booth.
: After a long investigation he foun,
Z that fifteen years before she had gon
to America. Tilton took the mex
steamer for home. One OF the letter
he found IN the desk was from Reg
. maid TO Eugenia from a ranch in Ida
= no. Thither he went and discovers
that Reginald Leighton had been deal
fifteen years-that at the time Of hi
death a woman appeared who claime
to be his wife; but, having no evidenc
to prove her marriage with him, he
claims had not been admitted.
After spending much money on
staff Of assistants he employed TO in
vestigate every woman by the nam
Of Leighton living in America Tito
at last traced the widow to a wester
city. There he found her. broken 1
health, supported by a daughter, Bea
trice. a teacher in the public schools
They lived I'm a ramshackle cOttag
and IN a narrow street. When Tito
went there he was admitted by Bes
trice. He asked to see her mother an
was admitted TO a room where she sa
In an easy chair propped up with pi
lows.
Mrs. Leighton" he said, twenty
two years ago you were secretly mai
ried to Reginald Leighton"
iii -'I was" said the lady. wonder stricl
en- at this coming from a stranger.
III "Where did you put the certihcat
Of your marriageT'
III 'In Lady Leighton's desk. 1t wa
stolen from there by some Of the fan
fly who were my enemies"
"You are mistaken. II slipped dow
behind the drawer. Here it is"
III The expression on the woman's fac
as she looked upon the long lost docl
ment was indescribable. Then sh
| turned from it TO Tilton in a confuse
wonder. He told his story. When
had finished he drew his check fC
all the funds mother and daught'
would require for a trip 70 England
| establish their claim TO the Leighto
estate. With the certificate Of ma
riage and a certificate Of Beatrice
birth dated eleven months after Il
marriage they had no trouble in c
4 III f..f f,fr ~