The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-04-25

all come back. At the time I thought
the letter of this man who called him
self Philip de Mountford nothing but
huinbu6. So did Mr.. Warren. and yet
he and | talked it ove and discussed
1T between us for ever so long. 1t all
sounded 50 strange. Uncle Arthur-so
this man said who called himself Philip
de Mountford-had married in Martini
que q half-caste girl named Adeline
Petit, who was this same Philips mo-
Their. He declares that he has all
the understandable certificates or
whatever they are called-to prove
every word he says. He did not want
to trouble his uncle much, only now
that his mother was dead, he felt all
alone in the world and longed for the
companionshlp and affection Of his own
Eith n kin. All he wanted he said,
was friendship. Then he went on to
say that of course he did not expect
his lordship to take his word for all
this. he only asked for an opportu-
nifty to show his dear uncle al the pa
pers and other proofs which he held
that he was in real and sober truth
the only legitimate son Of Mr.. Arthur
dc Mountford, own brother to his lord
ship"
How old Is his man-this Philip de
Mountford-supposed to be?"
Wei. he said in that first letter
that the marriage took place in the
parish church CT st. Pierre in Mar
tinique on the 2Sth of August. 1881;
that he himself was born the following
year n christcned in the same church
under the name Of Philip Arthur. and
registered as tho son Of Mr.. Arthur
Collingwood de Mountford, of Ford's
Mount. in the count of Northampton,
England. and of Adeline de Mountford,
nee. Petit. his wife"
"Twonty-four years ago." said.
Louisa thoughtfully, land he only
claims kinship with Lord Radclyffe
nCW?'
That's just" rejoined Luke. where
the curious part of the story comes IL.
This Philip de Mountford-I a:a.t
know how else to call him-said in lis
first letter that his mother never knew
that Mr.. Arthur de Mountford was
anything more than a private English
gentleman travelling either for profit or
pleasure. but in any case not possessed
or either wealth or social position. Be-
tween YOU and me-. dear, I suppose tina
this Adeline Petit was just a half-caste
girl, without much knowledge Of what
goes on in the world and why sho
should have married Uncle Arthur I
ant think
IF she did marry him. you mean"
IF she did marry him. as you say"
said Luke with a singular want Of con-
Viction. which Louisa was not slow to
remark.
You him that this young mans
story Is true, them"
II don't know what to think and
that's the truth"
Tell me more" said Louisa sim
ply.
well this Philips story goes on to
say that his father-Uncle Ar%thur-ap-
parently soo:. tired Of his exotic wife,
for 1t seems that two years after the
marriage he left Martinique and never
returned to 1t to the day Of his DEATH
Pardon" said Louisa in her priM
little way, my interrupting you; but
have any Of you-LOrd Radcliffe I
mean. or any of your friends-any re,,-
objection Of your Uncle Arthur living
at Martinique for awhile? TWO a
seems q long time"
LAS a matter Of fact. Uncle Arthur
was a bit OF a wastrel you know. He
would study for anything. He
passed into the navy-very well. too,
b~elieve-but he threw it all up almost
as soon as he got his commission. and
started roaming about the world. I
do know for a fact that once his peo-
pie had no news Of him for about three
or four years. and then he turned up
one fine day as II he had only beer
absent for a weeks shooting"
when was that?"
II cant tell you exactly. I was only
a tiny Kid at the time, not more than
< years old, ! should say. Yes, / dc
remember now. l come to think Of It,
that Uncle Arthur was home the
Christmas after m third birthday. I
have a distinct recollection of my dad
telling me that Uncle Arthur was one
Of my presents from Father Christmas,
and Of my thinking what a rotten pres
nnf II was Vnfnr m ", tho
all Of us children were rather fright
ened of him. and we used to have great
discussions as to where this uncle came
from. The Christmas present theory
was soon exploded, because OF some
difficulty about Uncle Arthur not hav-
ing been actually found in a stocking.
and his being too big anyway to be
hidden In one. so we fell back on Jim's
suggestion that he was the man in the
moon come down for a holiday"
You" n said, had your third
birthday in 1888"
Yes
That was the year, then. that YOUR
Uncle Arthur came home from his wan
Aerings about the world. during which,
he had never given any news Of him.
self or his doings to any member Of his
family.
by Jove. Lou, what a splendid ex-
amining magistrate you'd make" was
k unSophiSticated comment on
Louisa's las remark
But she trowned a little at this show
of levity. and continued quietly:
And your uncle. according TO this
so called Philip de Mountford. was
married in 1881 in Martinique. his son
was born In 1882. and he left Martini
ique In 1888, never to return"
Hang it all. LOU" exclaimed the
Young man. almost roughly. that is all
Gurmise."