The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-15
Af(ILLION
~ HudsonD 0uSl>e
CHAPTER III.-Continued.


and Uncle Miles were the only two
Of the old stock left at the roll-call
in IS, and they we're very hard
pushed after that to make both
ends meet at the manor. Peacc
and poverty came hand in hand.
MY father was the elder broth
er. The manor was his, though it
was Of no value then. My uncle
had nothing.
They both fell in love presently
with an equally penniless southern
beauty, and-she turned Miles
down.
1T was because he had nothing.
he said, and he left home on their
wedding eve, swearing that he
would make her rue the day she
had Tilted him.
"They heard no more Of him for
long time after that. They were
very happy together.
But in other ways my father
was most unlucky. Those were
dark days in the south. Year after
year went against him, and mort
gage succeeded mortgage until at
last he found himself in the direst
straits, while most of his friends
were in much the same predica-
ment.
But he made a plucky fight for
1t, till, the first year the crop show
ed promise OF paying expenses, the
mortgages were called in whole
sale, not only in his case but from
all his neighbors. That bred reg
ular panic throughout the district,
where money was tight enough al
ready, and, since there was no help
for 1t, the manor had to go. But
my father died in 1t first, of a
broken heart, not knowing that it
was his brother. Miles, who had
struck the blow which killed him.
That came out later.
II was very small boy then,
but I learned in time that my
was tuS UCSt hdtCu
man in Covington county, and why.
He had never set foot in it, either,
since he had started for San Fran
cisco, where he made his pile. How
he made 1t, have no earthly idea.
After my father was dead my
mother suffered all sorts of petty
persecution at Miles Quaintance's
hands. ! found that out too late,
O'Ferral, but give you my word
that more malignant scoundrel
It would be difficult to conceive.
And she, all the time, was sacrific-
ing herself to give me an educa-
ton. And / didn't know.
"She even managed, out of the
pittance she had to live on. to senG
me across to the School of Mines
In Paris, and, when l got home
again, heard for the first time of
the man who had made life a bur-
den to her for so long. l. wanted
to 60 west and cast accounts with
him then, but she wouldn't have
that. owed it to her to do as she
wished. and | waited.
II had not been with her for more
than a month when l had the offer
of an opening with what seemed
very brilliant prospects on the dia-
mond fields at Kimberly, in South
Africa. We talked it over. and she
thought that l should take it.
believe now that she was only anx-
ious to see me safe beyond the
sphere of my uncle's influence. She
feared for me, after what had be-
fallen my father. But she herself
would not leave the cottage at Gov
ington where she had lived, even
while l was in New York, since we
were expelled from the Manor.
She'd rather wait there, she said,
until l was ready to buy back our
home, and that wouldn't be very
long.
1T wasn't so very long either,
for ! did well in Cape Colony, but
! was too late after all. She had
been dead and buried for six weeks
before ! heard of 1t. and-that hit
me harder than anything else I've
ever had to put up with. 1t knock
ed me all out of time to think that
she'd never know | had sent home
the money--the Manor was In the
market at that time. and"
His voice shook slightly. He stop
ped. O'Ferrars eyes were intently
fixed on his own cigar.
However" Quaintance continued
steadily. 'the old homes mine at
this moment, and what she wished
is accomplished.
81 felt that I couldn't stay on in
Kimberley after that, and | didn't
care to come back to America In
the meantime. wanted to get
awayNfrom everything had known.
] didn't much care what happened
to me.
81 gathered my other assets to-
gether, and went of north, making
more money did not need by the
way. crossed the Transvaal and
Bechuanaland, and wandered on
through Central Africa, exploring