The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1911-05-19


pealed to Bullivants in the forlorn
hope that you will be able to at once
clear up the mystery and expose the
beggar."
Il am familiar only with the bare
facts as they have appeared in the
newspapers" l explained, 80 with
your lordship's permission / will put
few queries. First, has this--er-
pseudo viscount put in his claim
legally?"
"Oh, yes, counfound him!" was the
answer. He's engaged counsel of
the very best, though where he got
the money | can't see for the life of
yers have muddled over the thing.
OF course, | admit nothing-one look
at the fellow would convince any fair
minded man that he originally came
out of the gutter. But unless we can
show him up there's nothing to pre-
vent the case coming to trial, and
That means a terrible expense, to say
nothing of the scandal"
| nodded Are you alone In your
skepticism?" I inquired
why, Mr.. Callister. there's the
rub" answered Ashley Unfortunate
ly my aunt, the dowager, who's al
most in her dotage, saw the rascal
first and Immediately hailed him as
her long-lost Lionel There's no
manner of doubt that he's got what
the Yankees call a fine line of talk;
he knows or processes to remember
things about our family history which
! myself never knew or have forgot
ten. Then, too some of the older
servants profess to recognize him as
their Master Lionel so l fancy he
feels pretty secure. Nevertheless |
outsider"
'Why?'I inquired.
How do you tell the difference be-
tween a gentleman and cad?" coun-
tered Ashley. by a hundred tricks
of voice and manner that with us are
INFORM"
How does he account for his long
absence?' was my next question.
Says he Travelled all over the
world, sailoring, goldmining, sheep
growing, prospecting. and | don't know
what. Explains his roughness by the
fact that he's been deprived of polite
society all these years. But tell me
this; If you'd ever spoken French like
a native would you have totally for
gotten it? Or would you have learned
to drop your HIS? Or forgotten to
use good English? Or the proper
use of knife and fork, handkerchief
and napkin?"
shook my head Doesn't seem pos
sible," l admitted.
We'll. it's by such things | test
him. He says he's forgotten his
French, his English, and his good
manners because all these years he's
been mixed with riff-raff. Now, |
don't remember my cousin Lionel
l was too young. But we've got his
portrait, and while this bounder does
look something like Lionel might look
after 20 years of roughing it, I'm
morally certain that he's a cheat and
an impostor."
Where is he now?" l inquired
Viscount Ashley gave an embar-
raised laugh.
ITO tell you the truth" he said,
I've got him bottled up down at Fair
lie Castle"
At this he noted my surprise, for he
went on apologetically: You see. /
want to avoid as much fuss as pos
&c ho
his side, he's got us hip and thigh.
She had him over at the dower-house
in the next county, where she cried
over him till the fellow cursed her
and told her to shut up. So, to stop
the rural talk and to get him under
my own eye, invited him over to the
castle But l can't keep him there.
you know. He frightens my wife half
to DEATH
While the viscount was speaking /
had determined to try and solve the
mystery.
Are you going down to Fairlie to-
night?" l inquired. consulting my
watch.
THAT was my intention" said
Ashley, unless"
Then I'll ask you to put me up for
a day or two. I'd like to study this
bounder of yours at close range"
by George! Callister, that's no end
good of YOU" exclaimed my client
Wen just have time to make the
6:10 at Paddington and be home be-
fore dark" Fairlie Castle, it should
be explained was charmingly situated
in the Thames valley about an hours
run from London
may as well confess that my first
glance at Lionel Ashley, as he called
himself, was a disappointment-fro
our standpoint For, although he
showed all the signs of hard living.
he was no worse looking than many
man knocking about London town.
He was sober. and had shown the
grace to dress for dinner. But he
wore his evening clothes like a rail-
road navy and the instant he opened
his mouth to talk the Illusion van
ished. The tone, the accent. the nm