The Southern herald., 1911-05-05

pealed 10 Bulliyants in the fOrlOrn
hope that you win be able to al once
clear up the mystery and expose the
beggar"
Il am familiar only with the bare
facts as they have appeared in the
newspapers" I explained. so with
your lordship's permission I will put
a few queries. First. has this-er-
pseudo yiscOunt 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
me, and they and our old family law
yers have muddled over the thing
OF course. l 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
skeptieism?" l inquired.
why. Mr.. CalAster, 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 fine line of talk;
he knows or processes to remember
things about our family history which
l myself never knew or have forgot
ten Then, too, some of the older
servants profess to recognize him as
their Master Lionel so | fancy he
feels pretty secure. Nevertheless l
am certain he's an impostor, rank
outsider"
"Why?"I inquired.
How do you tell the difference be-
tween a gentleman and a cad?" coun-
tered Ashley. by a hundred tricks
of voice and manner that with us are
inborn."
How does he account for his long
absence?" was my next question.
Says he travelled all over the
world, sailoring, gold-mining, sheep
growing prospecting, and l 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
native would you have totally for
gotten it? Or would you have learned
to drop your Hs2 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," | admitted.
well, 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
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
rassed 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
sible. AS long as the dowager's or
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 hel
and told her to shut up So, to stoI
the rural talk and to get him under
! my own eye, invited him over to the
castle But can't keep him there
r you know. He frightens my wife hall
+ 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" sai(
Ashley, unless"
y Then I'll ask you to put me up fol
a day or two. I'd like to study thii
? bounder of yours at close range"
. by George! Callister, that's no ent
| good Of you" exclaimed my client
"Well just have time to make tn,
; $40 at Paddington and be home be
fore dark" Fairlie Castle, 1t shoul,
be explained was charmingly situatet
, In the Thames valley about an hour
/ run from London.
: l may as well confess that my frs
, glance at Lionel Ashley, as he callet
+ himself, was disappointment-fron
+ our standpoint. For, although h
5 showed all the signs of hard livine
: he was no worse looking than man
a man knocking about London towr
= He was sober, and had shown tn
D grace to dress for dinner. But h
I wore his evening clothes like a raj
: road navy and the instant he opene
/ his mouth to talk the illusion var