The Van Buren press., 1912-06-22

over n private matter. and should be
glad 10 have you retire answered.
"lll do nothing OF the kind" he re-
turned. sullenly.
DO as you please" | responded In
differently. After all. what | have
got TO say may interest you as well
as this woman. Sir John Tregenna
has returned. and is at present with
his supposed heir. Lady Tregenna
has told me everything from her point
of view II is my conviction that she
has been deceived. And"
II shall tell you all you want to
know, SIR" interrupted the nurse.
At these unexpected words Dayrell
turned pale. He looked at the wom'
an viciously, and made a step for.
ward. as though to strike her
stand back. you plotting hound"
I said to him savagely, and stepped
between him and the nurse. His hand
dropped, and he moved pace from
me.
Il am widow with one child said
Mrs. Hodgkins. when ! came to
nurse the lady happened to meet Mr..
Dayrell before the birth Of the child.
| He spoke to me and expressed his
disgust at the possibility of an heir
being born. When the child arrived
there were grave doubts at first as to
whether he would survive. DR.. Col
lett had to leave the house shortly
| after his birth. owing 20 ar attack
! Of illness. which later carried him
off. After his departure Mr.. Dayrell
baby was. ! told him he was in a
| bad way, but there was chance for
him to pull through, and hurried back
to attend TO him. An hour after the
child was breathing freely, and all
| danger was over. | was engaged in
attending to him, when that villain
came to the bedroom door and called
me outside. He offered to pay me
C 500 II | would act on his suggestion,
and send a message to Dr. Collett that
the child had died. ! believe that his
| first intention was TO send the living
| child away and substitute dead child
in It's place. which he was confident
| he could procure. ! needed the money
badly, and consented to his horrible
suggestion. | sent n message to tho
doctor to say that the baby had died
Almost Immediately afterward mes.
sage came to say that Or. Collett had
died suddenly, and that another physi.
clan would be sent to attend on Lady
Tregenna. On hearing this news Mr.
Dayrel completed his plot. He saw
there was now no necessity to fetch
another baby. Dr. Collects death
had slmplined matters. When Lady
Tregenna was sufficiently strong, she
was to be told that the real baby had
died and that another had been sub.
stituted In It's place.
GAS | can no longer inherit the
property said Mr.. Dayrell, the only
thing left to me to do In to make
money. | will make thousands out Of
that unlucky child. Her ladyship
will believe that he Is not her own,
and | shall blackmail her to any ex.
tent
"And so he did. He paid me, of
course, but no money was worth tho
misery | endured. saw my poor
mistress fading before my eyes; she
could not love the child that she be.
lieyed was not her own. Al last T
began to fear for her reason. oh.
what Is TO be doneT The woman
sobbed, and turned to speak to Day.
rell, but he had disappeared,
Lady Tregenna must, OF course,
know the TRUTH" | said; but the ques.
ton Ia whether Sir John Is to be In.
formed or not. think It would be
cruel to tell him. Your confession
will give immense relief to your mis-.
tress--and | believe Dayrell will con.
sent to leave the country for his own
sake. Come with me to Lady Trcgon.
ma"
We won't straight to her ladysblpB
room. ! tapped at tho door and was
admitted at once, the nurse follow.
Ing.
II have come to tell you, Lady
Tregenna," | said. that you have
been the victim Of n terrible hoax.
The child is really your own, Nurse,
tell your story"
Tho woman did so, and Lady Tre
gcnna listened with alternate shades
Of hope and fear coming and COINS
over her pale face. When Mrs. llodg'
kIns had finished her tale, the mother
laughed hysterlcally,
THANK God" she cried, II can love
tho child now; he ia really my own.
my baby
We finally agreed that II was un.
necessary Tor Sir John ever TO know
the real facts OF the case. Dnyrcll
lcft tho country forever. A TO tho
nurse, she received a months wages
In lieu OF notice, but tho romorso Of
her own conscience was the only other
punishment accorded 10 her.
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Danger 20 Surgeons.
Two notable cagos OF infection 70
a..