Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-06-03
| He sees a big pile Of money coming into

He sees a big pile of money coming fntc
the family through this marriage, anc
would be loath to believe it was not so
And then. what can l say?-nothing, but
that Pegram and his invalid clerk chang
ed their lodgings surprisingly often
II will own, Jack, | would infinitely
prefer to thoroughly expose the Pegrams
l am pretty well convinced, In my own
mind, that the old man they took away
from Rydland is not the old man they
brought back, the old man you saw but
we certainly cannot prove this as yet
That Jack Phillimore should be On his
way to Rydland by an early train the
next morning was not much to be Won
dered at. Between his passion for his
cousin, and his firm belief that she was
about to sacrifice herself to an impostor
whom she despised, Jack was wound UP
to pitch Of nervous excitement which
made it a relief to do anything. Denun'
citation Of the Pegrams, father and SON
was the only thing that seemed to clearly
point itself out to him, and that he could
deliver that with considerable energy and
fgurative establishment he entertained nc
doubt. He walked up the street towards
Pegram & Sons Office, he muttered TO
himself, 'Be cool, Jack, my boy, be cool
cutting If you like, but be COOL
He gave his card as he entered the
office, and was speedily ushered into the
presence of Mr.. Pegram. The old man
ously to Jack.
"Some relation, I presume, OF Lord
Lakington's, Mr.. Phillimore; and, under
the present circumstances, | am only too
delighted to see you. l trust you Will
dine with us to-night!'
Jack Phillimore was taken most thor
oughly aback. He had fully expected to
be received as an enemy endeavorlng to
pry into the secrets of Pegram 4 Son
instad of which he was welcomed as one
of the family.
Yes, l am nephew Of Lord Iaking'
tons: | am afraid when you hear what
l have to say that you will not feel dis
posed to be so friendly towards me. Has
it never occurred to you, Mr.. Pegram
that the proposed marriage between your
son and my cousin is hardly suitableF
May l ask" replied the old lawyer
dryly, "if you are speaking on behalf OF
his lordship?
Not exactly am speaking as one OF
the family. AS next heir to the title,
should imagine have some right to ex-
press an opinion on the subject. And l
tell you." continued Jack, that no man
of the world could have two opinions
about it. l am not for one moment i'm
49, ros,,ooto cilitv nf vouY fa m
ily, Mr. Pegram, but you must be aware
that you are not exactly of the class with
whom the Phillimores are wont to marry
Lord Lakington and Miss Beatrice
appear to differ with you upon this
point
Don't mention my cousins name," ex-
claimed Jack sharply; "some undue In
fluence has been brought to bear upon her
or else. feel assured, she would never
have given her assent to such union. }
know the whole story of the Great Ton
tine and how you have taken advantage
of your share in it to make this infam
GUS arrangement with my uncle. Bea-
trice is being sacrificed blindly that you
may share this big lottery between you.
You will allow me to remark, in the
first place, that you can not possibly even
know who my nominee IS.
"There you are wrong; it is your old
clerk, Mr.. Krabbe."
81 decline to admit for one moment that
YOU are right" rejoined Pegram; but
admitting that Mr.. Krabbe is my nominee,
may I ask you to point out where the
fraud exists?'
81 don't believe that old mummy | saw
was Mr.. Krabbe a Bit returned Jack
furiously.
And I don't believe, for one moment,
that YOU are Lieutenant Phillimore of
the Royal Navy" rejoined the old law
yer coolly; land am at this instant de-
hating whether | shall send for a consta-
BILE and give you in charge as suspicious
character. Now, mark me, my man, If
YOU are to be found in Rydland to-mor-
row morning I'll give you in charge, as
| sure as you stand there; and you won't
find it quite so easy to find bail down
here. l am thinking
VERY WELL" replied Jack, in a voice
which shook with passion. "It is war,
then, without quarter, between us; you
| NAV rest assured, you insolent old petit
fogger, that neither shall this marriage
ever take place, nor another shilling of
the 'Tontine' find it's way into your ava
ricious old fingers" With which strong
and personal, but hardly cool and cutting,
climax, Phillimore took his departure.
(To be continued.)