The Washington herald., 1911-01-08
CHAPTER XXI.
Pauls Discovery.

When Clelland left the Hermitage. the
words. You are my son. Co: We're
ringing in his ears. Clifford. the man who
had tried to make "A murderer of him.
was his father. For some time his brain
seemed incapable of grasping any other
idea. Father and son. He had cove
nanted with his own father to do evil
and PaurS whole soul rose in rebellion
against the relationship. His mother had
once told him. when he stood on the
verge of manhood. not to question her
about his father; he was dead. and she
could not say anything good of him: and
Paul. seeing it panied her to talk of the
past, had ignored il She had died sudden
ly. The illness began while he was away on
brief holiday. and when he returned in
answer TO a telegram. she was uncon-
scious. and never rallied. In her few
belongings there had not been any cIew
TO his father: the locket he had taken
from her neck and put around his own
Even in his direct poverty he would not
have parted with it. That night when
he was going TO commit suicide he still
wore it. That and another photograph
of her taken when he was growing up
were his only treasures. the fotsam he
had saved when his life so nearly
Shipwrecked.
A sudden thought came to him:
Clifford. his father. had saved him
all unknowingly he had rescued his own
son-and in spite of the Infamous bar
gain. he had been good to him, save
where their wills clashed. Why had his
mother declared his father was dead?
Had she believed it? or was it a fiction
told in order to prevent undue question
ing Paul resolved he would know the
l..
mothers past had been partially lifted
and he resolved that he would know all
His father had declared that Mrs. Shen-
stone had made mischief Then he re-
membered her words to him on that even
ing that seemed long ago, You may
be here as the instrument of your fathers
vengeance" she had said. He had denied
it, Yet unknowingly he had lied. 1t was
true. he had come to Castlesteads to
work out a scheme of revenge which his
own father had conceived. 1t was a hor-
rible thought and Paul thanked God
that he had refused TO kill Judge Shen-
stone. or he would forever have held
himself morally guilty. though another's
hand had done the deed
One thing he resolved: there should not
be any more mystery. He would demand
TO know why his father hated the Shen-
stones Surely even the mischief made
by Mrs. Shenstone. that had ended in his
mother leaving her husband. did not JUS
tify such bitter hatred there must be
some other cause. His father had hinted
at IT, His father. John Clifford and he,
Paul Clelland. were father and son. BY
some subtle process his mind went back
to that night when he climbed the para
pet on London bridge: he seemed to
feel the grip on his leg. and to hear
the words. Don't throw your life away"
then again. Come down. Life holds |
something for you yet" For the first |
time Paul felt the bitterness with which |
he had regarded the relationship soften |
After all, he saved my life." he |
thought. The prophecy had been true |
Lffe had held Margaret. and with the re- |
membrance of her came the determination
to hold her. In spite of his fathers op- |
position. Whatever her mother had been |
Margaret was good as she was beautiful, |
and he would never call any other wife |
BY the time he had come to this decision
he had reached Castlesteads. and he at !
once went TO his own particular sitting |
room. Then. lighting pipe. he began to |
review matters.
One thing puzzled him: the name Of |
Jarret conveyed nothing to his father,