The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-05-06

What is his business? Did he say?"
"Says he's come all the way from
New Zealand on purpose to speak to
you
He was shown In.
l. "Sir Anthony Elliot, presume?" he
queried.
EYES," said Tony. Twill you take
chair? am rather pressed for time"
"The business will not take me long
to explain" he said. I'm fact, it can
be told in two sentences. am here to
inform you that you have no more
right to the name you bear than l
have. Your father was a carpenter.
and he sold you to Mrs. Elliot for a
| five pound note"
There was a moment Of silence.
Tony's cigarette went out. He threw
it into the crate.
"You make a very strange asser-
tion," he said slowly. "Will you kind
ly explain yourselfT
with pleasure replied Crosse.
"Your reputed father died year after
he married. quarreled with his father
and became sheep farmer in New
Zealand. / was his next neighbor and
knew all about him. Three weeks lat
er his only child died too.
"Then Mrs. Elliot adopted a work
ingman's baby and left the place. |
didn't understand her motive at the
time. | comprehended when l learned
that the late Mrs. Elliot had hated
hoy hoY in Iox ha hnl
ed he had set the old baronet against
her husband and herself.
"Her desire for revenge was so in
tense that on the death of her own
child she determined to substitute an
other that the man she hated should
not fall heir to the title and wealth"
Crosse handed him two papers. you
can have a hundred more proofs If
you like to go out to Queensland" he
added briefly.
"And your object in travelling thou
sands Of miles on a matter which does
not concern you? l presume you have
a motiveT
Certainly" said Crosse calmly. 81
am a poor man and no longer young.
want comfort and security for my
old age Give me $500 year for life
and you can enjoy your fortune in
peace and marry your fine lady. I'll
hold my tongue"
Great beads Of perspiration stood on
Tony's brow. His head swan. Then
the carpenters son pulled himself to-
gether, threw his head up and peremp-
torily ordered Crosse out Of his rooms.
But when he was alone a cry Of pas
sion and despair rose from the bottom
Of his soul.
He wrote to Marion that important
business would detain him in town for
few days and cabled to globe trot-
ting friend.
The answer to his message came,
and that afternoon at dusk she greet
ed him in the great hall of the old
country mansion.
I'VE shall have an hour or two
alone. But how white you are. Tony
she added quickly. There is some
thing wrong. What Is it?"
You shall know directly. Marion"
He took her left hand in both his own
and looked at the flashing hoop Of dia-
monds he had placed there. Il have
something to tell you-something that
will change the current Of our lives
But before tell you l should like to
be with you just for half an hour to
enjoy the sight Of your face. the sound
OF your voice. My sweetheart. want
to live for little while before the
darkness falls. May II"
Il don't know what it all means. but
Of course I'm ready to do whatever
you wish. Tony" There was a pause
presently, and she touched his sleeve.
TONY. your luggage? Didn't you
bring anyT"
mo-" he said slowly. II am not 60
ing to stay. You will understand when
the clock strikes"
"Wil it never strike. TonyT The
clock answered the question for itself.
Lady Marion Allardyce," he said.
II give you back your freedom. Re
Gently learned that I have no right
to the name bear. Today the news
was verified by cable 1t is sufficient
for you to know that my father was a
carpenter in colonial village and that
my name is not Sir Anthony Elliot at
all. but just Anthony Brown"
'Is that all?" she cried. us that
all? You frightened me to death.
could not imagine what terrible thing
had happened"
You don't seem to understand" he
said. I'm a pauper. a nobody. a-a-
I'm Anthony Brown"
well. are you any the less gentle
man by instinct and education? Are
you any the less the man l love. the
man Of all others whom have chosen
to love. honor and obey till die?
Would you refuse to marry me If my
history were similar to yours? OF
course you would not Oh. Tony"
she added. breaking into happy smiles,