Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-28
THE AMERICAN COUNTESS
By ETA w. PIERCE.

Sir Godfrey has lost his own brood,
does he begin to think kindly of poor
Mr.. Roberts boy?"
"Then you know that the baronets
sons are dead?" said Mr.. Finch.
Yes. Weeks ago, in the foreign
news Of daily paper l read that Sir
Godfrey, the man who lately made
some great conservative speech in par
lament had lost his entire family with
in six months-one son by fever and
two by drowning. Mark you, TIL that
night had never told my laddie who
or what he was. Then, for the first
time, he knew that he had blue blood
in his veins. With his dying breath
Mr.. Robert charged me to give the boy
his mothers name, and keep from him,
as long as could, all knowledge Of his
English relatives and obeyed him to
the letter. He was very bitter against
his own people, was poor Mr.. Robert,
and very anxious that Val should be
brought up in ignorance of them all and
| with no expectations whatever. Chris
tie died at the child's birth-died in
poverty and despair sir, and Mr.. Rob
ert followed her few months later;
so the lad was left to me-"
Mr.. Finch cleared his throat with a
slight cough.
"Yes. Robert Arbuckle wrote to his
mother about the death Of his wife. and
| the birth of the child. That letter was
given me to keep-also the one In
which you told her ladyship Of Roberts
death. Ten years ago I heard Of you
again from a former housekeeper st
Deepmoor Hall, to whom you sent In
formation that the lad was strong and
we'll, and that you were supporting him
by any work your hands could fnd t.
oil NO6
these bits Of intelligence guided me
straight to this city, and made your
discovery comparatively easy"
In her fierce impatience she grasped
his arm with both hands.
What do you mean by all this talk?
Speak! What brought you to America
| in search Of Val-and II"
BE calm, Affry-I have great tidings
for you. Sir Godfrey Arbuckle is dy-
ing of an incurable disease at Deep
moor Park The ancestral estate will
be your nephew's by entail-the title
will be his, and more than this, Sir
Godfrey has ackno wledged him as his
rightful heir and oequeathed to him
he wishes you to know this-all his
other possessions. He has also sent me
to find and bring you both Immediately
| to England-he Is mad to see the boy
before he dies"
Affry's hands dropped away from the
lawyers arm. Her withered face grew
colorless as death. -.
What news was this, after all her
weary years of poverty and privation!
| what news was this for the laddie she
loved so we'll! Sir Godfrey's acknowl-
edged heir-the next baronet OF the
name-her Vail The room went round
and round before her eyes.
., taI Mr. "yUhQro
your nephew Let us go to him st
once"
She rose, mechanically.
wal is q clerk in banking house
near by. Ny head is a little unsteady,
sir-you must know that this Is indeed
great news for mel never dreamed 1t
could be-never! with the baronets
strong sons betwixt my lad and the IT,
tie; and even after I knew the boys
were dead I said, and Val said. that
the chances were still against anything
of the kind Sir Godfrey was not an
old mamie might marry again and
have other sons-it was more than
likely, and ever since we have been
trying, both of US, to give no thought
to the matter, to indulge in no false
| hopes"
She was trembling so violently that
Mr.. Finch hastened to support her.
81 rejoice with you," he said, heartily,
| You have suffered and sacrificed a
great deal for the lad, doubt not and
now your reward has come. Be calm.
1t is all right. II you are able we will
go at once-I do greatly long to see
Robert Arbuckle's son."
Oh, what would Val say? That was
the first thought that came to Miss Al
| fry, even in her own excess OF JOY.
How would he receive this sudden
change of fortune? She descended the
stairs with Mr.. Finch-he gave his arm
to her as If she had been a duchess
She was no longer in his eyes the ex-
housemaid of Deepmoor Hall, but the
aunt Of It's future lord and master.
| "A bankers clerk" he murmured, as
they trotted away together; you have
managed, then to give him some sort
of an education?'
| Yes" she answered, in the public
schools-it was all could do for him.
He was a bright scholar always. the
first in his class. Look at these hands
they will tell you how / have worked
for my laddie," and she spread out her
crooked toil-knotted fingers expressive
ly.
They reached the clearinghouse Of
Sardis & Co., to find Val out upon some
errand for the house.
Jacob Phillips to whom Mr.. Finch
briefly explained his business, conduct
ed the two to an inner room to await
the young clerks return.
| Fifteen minutes passed-half an hour
/ Miss Affry was growing wild with i'm
patience, when the door suddenly open
ed, and Vals stalwart figure and heavy
face appeared on the threshold. He en-
tered briskly.
/ QnvthinR
wrong?" he began, bestowing a rather
uuizzical look upon Mr.. Finch.
| Miss Affry turned to the lawyer.
This is my nephew" was all she
could say.
| Mr.. Finch stepped forward, quickly.
His keen eyes ran over the young fell
low from head to foot, and filled with
prompt approval A true Arbuckle this
lay. Sir Godfrey's very image-red
hair, square shoulders general sugliness
and ALL
mo, nothing is wrong" he answered.
| don't mind your aunt, she Is quite up
set. l am Mr.. Finch Of London. the
family solicitor of Sir Godfrey Ar
buckle and-I have news for you!"
| Val stood looking from one to the
other, but he spoke not word.
/ Peter Finch advanced nearer and
held out his hand.
Mr. Valentine Arbuckle." said he, Il
am happy to tell you that have been
sent by your uncle, Sir Godfrey, to
bring you to England. He has acknowl-
edged you as his heir, and he prays
you to hasten to him at once. He Is
dying of hopeless malady, and we
shall be fortunate, indeed II we find
him living by the time we reach Lin
colnshire."
Ever since that birth might, when
Miss Affry mad read Of the death Of the
baronet's sons and had revealed to her
nephew his fathers tragic story, Val
had known that such an event as this
was. at least. possible-that. unless Sir
Godfrey should marry again. he might
some day inherit Deepmoor. Neverthe-
less, Mr.. Finch's news fell upon his
ears like some Arabian Nights story
as unreal and absurd.
Miss Affry flung her arms about his
neck, and told him how Sir Godfrey s
heart had been turned to his brothers
son-how Mr.. Finch's advertisement
had CHANGED to meet her eyes that af-
lternoon--how that he-Val-was no
longer a shabby clerk, with salary
Il 1. .i, ct