The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-01-30

Now a wealthy widower was in the
pool. who had long wished to marry
Constance, and the bidding Of the fund
had been placed in his hands. He
doubled Mephistopheles' bid. The lat
ter raised his thousand. making the
amount offered $1,000. Louis XIV. and
Mephistopheles from this point con
tinued to bid against each other til
finally the latter offered $4,000.
By this time the bidders interested
everybody; but, being masked. no one
knew who they were. Cries Of "Un
maskP' were raised, and finally, after
consultation with others who had
made up the pool. Louis XIV. raised
his mask. Mephistopheles remained
concealed. This only tended to in.
crease the excitement.
Louis XIV. was recognized az Gen
eral Bernard, who had distinguished
himself on the Confederate side dur.
ing the war he was fifty years old
well of and considered a desirable
partner for woman over twenty-five
years old. He had been spoken Of In
connection with Constance, and his
appearing in this role was received
with intense interest. Since Mephis-
topheles continued to bid the gen
eral did the same. Finally, when the
amount offered reached $4,000, after
a conference among the members OF
the pool Colonel Runlet approached
Mephistopheles and asked him who
he was.
"Incognito," replied the other.
II must request you, sir, to give some
evidence of your ability to make good
your bid in case you are accorded the
privilege for which you are contending. :
Mephistopheles thrust his hand into
a pocket Of his doublet and took out
a certified check for 100000 on bank
in the nearest city. The colonel with
drew and reported what he had seen
Then the bidding continued.
General Bernard continued to raise
his bid $1,000 at every offer. and
Mephistopheles continued to 60 thou.
sand higher. Since the latter seemed
determined to win at any cost the gen
eral kept raising him till Mephistophe-
les had bid $4,000. Then the general
nodded to the auctioneer, signifyine
that he did not care to go any further
in egging on his opponent. The amour:
he had gained for the poor was quite
enough and had not cost him accent.
Then a cry arose for Mephistopheles
to unmask.
mot without Miss Runlet's order
be said.
Constance advanced and requested
him to make himself known.
He threw OF his cape, then his doub-
let, revealing the uniform Of United
States army officer. with the silver leaf
Of lieutenant colonel on his shoulders.
Then, casting aside his mask, he stood
revealed to all as middle aged stran-
ger whom no guest recognized Con
stance gave cry Of Joy. and he took
her In his arms
Lawrence Desborough had gone north
and had become q northern man. The
Colorado gold fever at that time oc-
cupied the attention OF the nation, and.
putting his money into what miners
needed, he sailed around the Horn and
sold his stock at an enormous profit.
As a commission merchant he had ae-
cumulated capital which he invested in
mining property. When the war broke
out he volunteered in the Federal army.
Before the surrender one Of his mines
had made him very rich. As soon as
he learned Of this he came to claim his
former love.
His appearance in United States uni
form produced a cOmmotion. Many
felt bitter toward him as south
erner who had fought against the
south, but he had given $4,000 to the
poor In and about his former home.
and this tended to alleviate the preju-
dice against him.
The music struck up for the first
dance, quadrille. and Lawrence Des,
borough ano Constance Runlet danced
1t together. he displaying on his shoul
defs the insiguda of Federal officer.
the only such present.
In time he bought back the planta
ton Of his ancestors and established in
1t his parents. who were now old per
sons He married Colonel Runlet's
daughter. but since he had becom.
northernized he took her to the NOR,
active field to be found in the northern
states.