Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-06-07
The Heir OF 'T>regenrla
Strange Experienced in tho Life
of q Doctor.

BY A. T. E D

l made the acquaintance of Sir John
T%regenna when that well-known Brit
ish scientist was visiting New York
In company with his wife. He was
seized with a severe attack of appen-
dicttis, and 1t was to an operation
performed by me at the eleventh hour
that he owed his recovery. We grew
to be warm friends, having discovered
that we had many tastes in common:
among others, a liking for exploring
the mysteries of the skies. For Ire
gonna was a noted astronomer. and
the proud possessor Of n of the larg-
est telescopes in England.
During the following year l gave up
practise, except in cases where l was
called in consultation. l had resolved
on taking a good long rest, and paying
a promised visit to Tregenna. He and
his wife were then at their London
residence, and I was surprised and
pleased to find that Sir John num-
bered among his intimate friends u
former great chum of mine-Dr. Hor-
ace Collett.
About this time a total eclipse of
III SuD was SApcSICu W SehS Pio~N
in Ceylon and Southern India. Hav-
ing never seen the great world of light
under these interesting circumstances,
| gladly accepted an invitation from
Tregenna to join a party of solar spec
~troscopists who were starting for In
dia under his leadership. We arrived
at our destination In good time, and
had the satisfaction of witnessing a
total eclipse Of nearly six minutes du-
ration. Having made our observations
in the hill country, we Immediately
afterward started for the coast. On a
certain intensely hot night Tregenna
and l were standing on the veranda
outside one of the big hotels at Mad
ras, when he said abruptly:
"I am rather worried about my wife,
Halifax"
us not Lady Tregenna in good
health?" I queried.
II hope so," he said slowly, and hen
added with a sudden burst Of conf
dence: The truth is, Halifax, that
when I left England there vas a hope
that Lady Tregenna might present
me with an heir to the property. 1t
was imperative that I should accom-
pany this expedition, or l would not
have left home at such a critical time.
l expected news before now 1t was
arranged that DR.. Collett was to cable
to me here. The silence makes me
rather uneasy"
He had scarcely finished speaking
when a servant appeared, bearing two
--L1--~a-.- .1yN~ nrn uyo cd
dressed to Tregenna, the other to my
self. l noticed hat he changed color
as he took his from the salver. Out
of consideration for him l left the YER
anda and entered the heated room
where we had just dined. I opened
my ~cablegram. 1t was from Collect,
written in cipher, and contained a
good deal of valuable information re-
garding certain discoveries in medi-
cine which correspondent closely with
some I had made myself. But the final
news In the message startled and dis
tressed me:
your fellow-traveler, Sir John Ire
gonna, is disappointed of his hope Of
an heir. Lady Tregenna gave birth to
a boy this morning, who only lived an
hour"
Sir Johns eager face. the look in his
eyes when he spoke Of an heir to his
property, flashed painfully now before
my mental vision. The blow he was
about to receive was a cruel one. l
had Just thrust the cablegram into
my pocket, when Tregenna rushed in
to the room.
"Halifax,' he gasped excitedly. II
can scarcely contain myself, the re-
lief is so immense. I am the father
of a fine boy, and the property is
saved"
saw there was a serious error
somewhere, but did not dare to tell
him the news I had received. His ex-
element was so great thai to dash
his hopes to the ground might almost
kill him.
"You do not realize what this means
to me-" he said. "If have an enemy
in the world, it is the man who was
to have succeeded me at the Manor.
His name is Dayrell Tregenna. But
the coming of the boy makes 1t all
right. I am surprised, though, to find
that DR.. Collett did not send the cable.
was sen by a DR.. Mason. Collett
could not have been in attendance. I
leave for home tomorrow. Wish
me luck, Halifax"
with all my heart" responded.
But the thought of the news which
lay in my own breast pocket caused
the words to stick in my throat.
The next morning Tregenna sailed
for England, but it so happened that
[ did not leave India for several
months. During that time I was con-
cerned to hear that my special friend,
Collett, who had N me the
cable, had died suddenly. His
death had taken place on the very day
On which / had received the message.
We were greatly attached to each
other, and had been associated in
more thai one investigation Of inter
est. Two days before I left Calcutta
'or England 1 received the following
rom Tregenna.
Dear Halifax: am given to va
lerstand that you will be back In the
some time in June. l hope
IS soon as ever you arrive you will
straight down to Tregenna
l want to show you the boy.
He is as fine a lad as the heart IF a
'ather could desire. Dayrell Is still
the country, and sometimes visits
~