The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-08-07

she put 1t away. plnn1ng TO IT de
scription of the boy. including mention
Of the moles.
They gave him name-Francis-
and adopted him for their son, though
not legally. for they were poor persons
and had no property to leave him. As
soon as be grew old enough to show
any bent he displayed strong inclina-
ton to work with tools on wood, max
ing small articles. which he managed
to sell in order to get money, which a
child always finds needful. When he
was fifteen years old he had become
quite expert at this kind of work. He
became dissatisfied with the quiet life
be was leading. and one morning he
was missing without leaving any
word
The way Frank had come to be left
at the Longmans was this: In the same
town lived gentleman named Fletch-
er. A daughter, Phoebe, eighteen
years Of age, fell in love with young
man named Reynolds. who was not
acceptable to the girls parents. Phoebe
married Reynolds clandestinely. Be
fore the marriage was admitted he left
for parts unknown. Then. it being dis
covered that Phoebe would become a
mother. her parents concluded to keep
the whole matter secret. put away the
child as soon as born and take their
daughter abroad on plea of ill health.
Before the child was born Mr.. Fetch
er died, his demise being FASTENED by
his trouble concerning his daughter.
When the boy came Mrs. Fletcher,
who had heard of the I.ongmans and
their desire for a child. sent one in her
confidence with the baby to their house.
who, finding the front door unlocked.
set the basket in the hall. A few
weeks later Mrs. Fletcher sailed for
Europe with the mother. who. retain
ing her maiden name, was supposed to
be an unmarried woman.
1t was Mrs. Fletcher's intention to
send Daniel and Mary Longman from
time to time money to pay for the
care of the child, and the grandmother
had promised her daughter that on
her return from Europe she would find
way to get the boy back and bring
him up in their home. But the young
mother died abroad. and Mrs. Fletcher
remained there some time after her
daughters death
On Mrs. Fletcher'S return she was
met by lawsuit on the part of a
brother of her late husband, Thomas
Fletcher. who claimed that under the
will of their father. his brother having
left no heirs. he Thomas, succeeded to
| the bulk Of the estate. Mrs. Fletcher
| would have produced the founding
but for the scandal and condemnation
of her conduct which were sure to
follow the act. SO she fought the case
as owner of her husbands property
as his widow. holding the boy In re-
serve In case the suit went against
her
During the period when the case was
In court she was much in need Of
ready money for legal expenses and
sent nothing to the LongmanS for her
grandchild's use. The case was decided
against her several times. but she al
ways appealed from the decisions. At
last, worn out by disappointment and
anxiety, she fell Ill and. realizing that
she was about to die, informed her
lawyers of her grandson's existence
She died soon after making the con-
fession.
The question of the ownership now
turned upon Frank Longman, or, to
give him his real name, Frank Reyn-
OldS.
AS the adopted son Of the Long
mans he was of no especial impor-
lance, but as the heir to valuable es-
tate he was of great deal of impor-
lance, for he was keeping his uncle
Thomas Fletcher. out of the property
The latter saw at once that his best
chance to secure it was to prove his
nephew dead. He put detectives to
work on the case. who found stains Of
blood on clothing that Frank had left
behind when he went away. This was
really of no Importance. because the