The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-06-06

"'The child's nurse!-you forget
that the child is dead she returned.
"'Never mind that. Pay attention
to me- he r%ejoined, and I will give
you five hundred pounds in addition
for your help
He then proposed to her that she
should conceal the fact Of the baby's
death from me for the present. but
he would cable Sir John, in Doctor
Mason's name. that he was the father
Of a fine boy. Meanwhile, a living
child could be substituted in the dead
ones place. He knew where he could
procure a baby. The fact of Doctor
Collects death would make the certif-
cate Of birth wonderfully simple. He
would undertake that the dead child
would be disposed of without remark.
This scheme was duly carried into
effect, and when I was made ~acquaint-
ed with the true facts l knew I had
been lavishing my affection on the
baby of some stranger for over a fort
night. What my feelings were when
this revelation was made l cannot de-
scribe. Dayrell attempted to console
me.
"'Don't be a fool,' he said. You
want an heir-your husband wants an
heir. If he believes you to be the
mother Of his child, he will be con-
tent. You have the heir-and my
silence can be bought
II was too weak to resist him and
the nurse, and yielded to the dastard-
ly scheme. From that hour I have
known no peace of mind. Dayrell has
blackmailed me to a frightful extent;
I have sold nearly all my Jewels to
the man know the truth. They prom
Use secrecy only so long as I can
supply their demands. l have paid
Dayrell thousands of pounds since
the birth of the child. AS for Sir
John, he suspects nothing. He is
wrapped up in the boy, and OF late
it is with difficulty that l can get him
to return to his old interests in scien-
tif1c pursuits. I never saw anything
like his passion for the baby. On the
day my husband went to Scotland,
that wretch came to me and demand
ed two thousand pounds. l have not
the money-what am l to do?"
"You must not on any account yield
to fresh attempts at blackmail," 1
said. II confess that l cannot see
at present how to save you without
telling Sir John the truth, but l
should like to think over matters. On
the face of it, l cannot see why Day.
rell Tregenna should wish to supply
Sir John with an heir, when the
property would ONE to him, failing
issue, after your husbands DEATH"
II can explain that" said Lady
Tregenna. He and my husband are
very much the same age, but my hus.
bands is in reality a better life than
his. Dayrell is penniless, or nearly
So; he has married beneath him ana
has a large family. At intervals he
has dreadful bouts of drinking, and 1t
is altogether likely that in the natural
course Of things Sir John would out
live him. Therefore, he concocted the
scheme for the sole purpose of rails
ing ready cash"
You must have patience, and allow
me to act for you now" I said. 1T
has been my good fortune to get peo-
pie out of difficulties nearly as bad
as yours. l am glad you have had
the courage to tell me the truth. 1
will think things over and have an.
other talk with you tomorrow"
That night, to my establishment and
disgust, Dayrell Tregenna was one
of the guests at dinner. The whole
party went early to bed; I spent an
anxious and wakeful night. The next
morning when l went downstairs I
was surprised to meet none other
than Sir John himself in the hall. He
shook hands with me cordially. Hall
fax, of all people!" he cried. Eyes, I
have returned unexpectedly; the wife
does not yet know that l am In the
house, but I have just sent a message
to the nurse to bring the boy down.
At that moment the nurse appeared
with the child. He caught sight Of
his supposed father and rushed for
ward to meet him. Growing joyously.
Sir John clasped him in his arms,
and turned to me with his face shin
ing with triumph. It was Just then
that I noticed something which l had
failed to observe when l had seen the
baby a year ago. The child now bore
an unmistakable and very striking
likeness to his father-his eyes, smile
and the sturdy way he held his shout
ders were an exact replica Of Sir
John.
The instant I made this discovery
there flashed through my mind a pos
sible solution Of the mystery. Sir
John was so taken up with the baby
that he paid no affection to my move
ments. I went to the nurse.
II am anxious to have a word with
you in private" / said.
Very WE'LL" she responded, with a
slightly startled look. She walked
down the corridor and opened a side
door which led into a %shrubbery, and
I followed.
II want to ask you a straight ques-
tiOn," said. II had an interview