The Washington times., 1910-12-15
CHAPTER XVII.
The Special Pleader.


MORRIs LATHROP and George Ire
4FI vOr stood facing each other In
the library o. the f1nancieT's mansion
The former had just entered the room
IN obedience 10 summons from tne
broker.
I came as quickly as 1 could, pater,
LathrOD said. assuming q ughtne5S o.
tone 10 disguise his anxiety
is Rita with your Trevor de
manded-
drawing-roons with Edna
That is as Il should be- the hnancfer
declared 4 am determined that she
shall know who her father IS, and
without delay But there is one thing
that must be explained first DO you
remember what YOU said in the carriage
the day that Cara was hurt? You told
me that there was q chapter IN my
history which I myself did not know
You must tell me what You meant By
that remark"
Thus definitely commanded, L.athrop
felt himself constrained to obey
Before my father died. he said, "he
told me q part Of the experience which
YOU and he had in Cuba twenty-five
years ago, and he left me a mission 70
perform he knew Of Rtta'S birth, and
he directed me TO search for her and to
md her and always 70 watch over her
as II she were my own sister He told
your separation from her and the Tea-
sons for IL He added that you were
ignorant Of the fact that she had borne
q child went to Seville. From there
/ traced your child 10 Cuba and 10 the
City Of Mexico. where I found her She
had been taken and cared for by
distant relative Of her mother-a Senior
LlOTenIe'
Yes, a scoundreI, If ever there was
one Trevor commented Go on
From him learned the whole
His version Of it, the fnancier in
fer 4
He could not speak the truth
He gave what seemed TO be proofs
Of the correctness OF his tale and there
was one statement which 7 thought
that your first wife had died only ten
years before, or fifteen years from the
present ume-that IS 70 say nearly six
years after the birth Of CarIar''
The old man raised one hand He was
smiling and unmoVed-
1T IS not true he said, calmly. Car
lotta-that was her name-died in my
arms from a wound inflicted BY the very
weapon that affected me 50 the evening
when We called upon Rita II was
thrown through the open window by
the hand Of an unknown assassin. bur.
as / believe, by IdOrnete himself, who
loved her ard had been repuIsed by
her I think the weapon was aimed az
me, but IL struck her She died instant
years, nearly, before the mother OF
Cara and Edna became my wife"
Lathrop was deeply moved
II you only knew how have SUI
Tered, he explained, fearing. that you
would some day learn this thing which
I was led to believe, fearing that Car
Ia and Edna might hear OF II II only
I had told you five years ago, pater'
You already know the reasons for
nv separation from 'RftQ'g mother
Trevor continued. you understand that
no blame Is attached 10 her She was
Jealous. that was all-uniustIv so. but
L was Llorente's work Sc left me, and
returned TO her home in S0ain- I fol
lowed her there Our interview had
7lIst commenced she had not told me OF
the child but she had thrown herself
INTO nv embrace, when the knife few
through the window and ended every
thing Now. viii YOU send nv eldest
daughter to me- VIII YOU send Rita
here2 I Wish 20 tell her who she is"
More than two hours elapsed after
p Rita entered her fathers library befor.
she come out again When she did
there was newborn happiness upon
her face which Transferred IL Dur
10 the last half hour Of the tine CarIa
and Edna also were present, and they
al came out together
Lathrop was in the drawfng-Toom
alone when CARA entered and. closed the
door.
Morris, she said, 81 have come 10
ask your forgiveness VIII You grant
it I think I shah be happy again If
1T is who need forgiveness, Carlz,"
he replied
NO. Morris. It is T. the girl insisted.
TREMENDOUSLY Let Us be Just TO our
selves and TO each other. 1 am very
happy IN the possession OF nv sister
Eita-stil happier in the knowledge
that she is TO be YOUR wife She loves
YOU much more deeply than I ever did
love you now better than 7 did then.
Nine was not real love, Morris: It was
EratiIied pride And when 7 forgot nv
self and did that horrible thing IL was
ny pride that WIS suffering, not my
love. I have never really loved 7
realize that when I look at Rita You
are 70 be my brother. and shall love