Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-07

would serve TO meet his present needs.
But the duke" declared that he could
wait a few days longer. At the end OF
that time. when his friend insisted on
furnishing what he needed. Mr. Gard,
ner drew note for $500 and handed
ii to the former to get 1t cashed.
But | don't need so much" said
Morton.
AS You like" replied Gardner
We'll. since you insist upon it" said
the Englishman. perhaps we had bet
ter make it thousand. and when my
draft comes I'll indorse 1t over to you
just as 1t stands
Notwithstanding that $1,000 was no
great matter to Gardner. he was rath-
er taken aback at stranger accept
ing so large loan from him. Morton
cashed the note and said he would go
and put 1t into bank He was max
ing for a railway station when whom
should he meet face to face but LoriS.
ton.
Hello. Mortonr
Morton replied to the salute by turn
ing pale and stammering reason for
his being there. Just as If Loriston had
asked the question. His former en-
ployer. whom he had left so suddenly.
grew suspicious.
Have you found a position here?"
asked Loriston.
No my lord"
Loriston looked at him critically,
then said:
Come with me to my hotel / wish
to talk with you"
Morton was in hole He should
have avoided one OF Americas great
cities which LoriSton was sure to visit
and. If they met. would surely expose
any game Morton might be playing
In LOristOn's room nj his hotel, after
considerable cross questioning Morton
agreed that If I.Oriston would permit
him TO undo what he had done with
out prosecution he would make a clean
breast of il. Loriston promised, and
Morton. laying the money he had just
/ obtained on table before Loriston.
told the whole story.
There was lying dormant I'm Loriston
| a spirit OF adventure he had inherited
from an ancestor who had fought UNI
der the sultan Of Turkey. sailed under
the great Drake and. having been ship
wrecked in the Pacific ocean. had been
made king OF one of the islands there.
/ Loriston asked Morton to accompany
him to the office OF Mr. Gardner
which he had Just left. and introduce
him as his secretary just arrived from
England with his fl 900 and return
the money That was all Morton was
to do EXCEPT 10 20 on playing his game
| without making any more loanS-nnd
treat LoriSton as his secretary.
or course this return of funds So
quickly placed MOrtOn's pretentions on
a firm footing. and. since the secreta-
ry. Mr.. Arhuckle. appeared to he gen
tlemanly fellow. the duke was asked
TO bring him to the house When Mr.
Gardner informed his wife Of this un-
doubted proof of the formers genuine
ness she exclaimed: II told YOU 50!
Just as If don't know breeding when
] see it, And when Mr.. Arbuckle APP
peared at the house with his CHEZ
Miss Margaret declared that the secre-
tary was more like duke than the
duke himself.
Holding term in state prison over
! Morton. LOriStOn found is easy to Keep
him up 10 his part The earl found
in Margaret Gardner one whose intel
lectual endowments and soundness of
Judgment gave him n clearer insight
into American methods than he had
derived from men whose opinions were
greatly respected This induced an i'll
timacy which. throwing the duke ont
in the cold produced contention In the
Gardner family. Mr.. Gardeners brow
lowered, while Mrs. Gardner stOrmed.
Then one day the duke took his de-
parture. leaving his secretary to fol
low him. Mrs. Gardeners chagrin
brought on a it of sickness. and She
took to her bed Then the secretary
departed, but in n few weeks reappear-
ed One morning. Margaret finding
her father and mother together, SAID
to them:
That man Morton isn't a duke or
/ marquis He isn't an earl or n knight.
He is swinder This Mr. Arbuckle
. is John ArbuckIe. Earl of LoriSton. and
| he has asked me to be- his wife"
For heavens sake" cried Mrs. Gard
ner. "has the child gone daft"
What nonsense" exclaimed the
IatHeT- II Morton HdH been SW'n-
der would he have returned me the
r $1,000 he borrowed Of me-"
? HE was going to a train with it,"
replied Margaret. when he met Lord
t LoristOn. with whom he had come
: from England AZ secretary Lord T.or-
e iston forced him to return the money
q and Introduce him as his secretary.
All this have known for some time"
D Neither Mr. nor Mrs Gardner wOuid
D believe the story until Ioriston mad
= proved IL by evidence not to be dis
: puted When tse earl returned to Eng
o land he took their daughter with him
He asked no settlements. but sinre
: Gardner was very rich and much pleas
cd with the outcome he came down
D with plenty TO set the earldOm GU II
frm fnsn"ial f0unda;iou
, March z IN american