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

in company with his wife. He was
seized with a sever attack of appen-
dicitis, 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
genna 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. I 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 a
former great chum of mine-Dr. Hor-
ace Collett. The latter had studied
medicine with me, but later had set
tied in London, where his brilliant tai
fl ents and American push earned him
. a place in the front rank of the British
medical fraternity. He was the Ire
gennas' family physician and was
much esteemed by them. Sir John
had been married several years, but
had no children. This fact might pos
sibly account for the gloom which &C.
c%asionally overshadowed his features,
for he owned a large property in Corn
wall bearing the name Of Tregenna
Manor, and as this was, according to
English law, strictly entailed, it would
go to a distant branch of the family
If he died without issue.
About this time a total eclipse Of
the sun was expected to take place
in Ceylon and Southern India. Hav-
ing never seen the great world of light
under these interesting circumstances,
I gladly accepted an invitation from
Tregenna to join a party of solar spec
tr%oscopists 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 I were standing on the veranda
outside one of the big hotels at Mad
ras, when he said abruptly:
II am rather worried about my wife.
Halifax"
els not Lady T%regenna in good
health?" I queried.
Nr h1~a !, - d ho Gotta ,lou,lv ord than
added with a sudden burst of conf
dence: "The truth is, Halifax, that
when I left England there was 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 I would not
have left home at such a critical time.
I expected news before now. It a
arranged that DR.. Collect was to cable
to me here. The silence makes me
rather uneasy"
He had scarcely finished speaking
when a servant appeared, bearing two
cablegrams on a salver. One was adj
dressed to Tregenna, the other to my
= self. I noticed that he changed color
as he took his from the salver. Out
of consideration for him I left the YER
anda and entered the heated room
where we had Just dined. I opened
my cablegram. It was from Collett.
written In cipher, and contained a
good deal of valuable Information re-
garding certain discoveries in medi-
cine which c~orresponded 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 IN heir to his
property, flashed painfully now before
my mental vision. The blow he was
about to receive was a cruel one I
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"
I saw there was a serious error
somewhere, but did not dare to tell
him the new I had received. His ex-
element was so great that to dash
his hopes to the ground might almost
kill him.
"You do not realize what this means
to me-" he said. IF I 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 It all
right. l am surprised, though, to find
that DR.. Collect did not send the cable.
1t vas sent by a DR.. Mason. Collect
could not have been in attendance. I
shall leave for home tomorrow. Wish
me luck, Halifax"
with all my heart" I responded.
But the thought Of the news which
lay in my own breast pocket caused
the words to stick in my throat.
when you come back to England,
you must visit me at the Manor" he
continued, land see the child for your