Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-24
The Daily Story
kidnapping By Martha v. Monroe.
Copyrighted 1914 by Literary
"wby do you say that ~

| expression OF your lace ! judge that
you were born for an intellectual, :.
reer How would you like to IN ;.
collegeg'
''Oh. I should Ike that above az
things But / can't. Mother has dom
everything for me up to this time ga
now that I am nearly a man | mr.,
begin the work Of taking care of her,
The host seemed TO vince at this Ana
remained quiet for time. Then &.
continued:
IF certain arrangements can h,
made which l shall propose to you
| will you go to colIege:"
This quite took Rudolf's breath
away. For one year during which his
mother was i'll she bad been obliced
! to put him In a store as errand bov
This had given the natural distagts
there was in him for business an on.
portunity to crop out The bare ide,
Of going to college filed him with d..
light
Where will the money come :rc,ay,
he asked
Il will furnish that"
Rudolf, though intent upon knowing
more, thrust back the next question
that was on his tongue and applied
himself to delicacy which the butler
served him.
When the luncheon was finished his
host led him to the library. pointed to
an easy chair, then, seating himself IN
another, said:
Rudolf, your father is not dead; he
is very much alive"
The boy started, then sat looking at
the speaker, waiting hungrily for more.
"He came to America from England
about twenty years ago. He was the
son Of a. nobleman, and in that country
they have what they call a law OF
entail, which settles the family estate
on the Oldest son. Your father was
the second son. He came to America,
met your mother, who was then
beautiful girl, fell in love with her
and married her After you were
born his father in England sent for
him to come back-without his wife
and proposition would be made to
him. He accepted the invitation. His
father told him that his older brother
had received an injury while hunting
from which he would never recover
If your father would remain in Eng
land, divorce his American wife and
marry among his peers in England he
should be put in possession of the title
and estates. Your father after much
persuasion wrote your mother of this
proposition. She consented to it and
obtained a divorce on the ground OF
desertion. Your father married again
and his wife died childless a year ago.
These are the bare facts | shall
neither try TO excuse your father nor
to condemn him. That 1 leave for
your mother TO do. will say, how
ever. that he condemns himself bit
terIy."
Where is my father now?" asked
Rudolf. wondering.
Here; am your father"
There was a pause, after which the
boy asked why he had been kidnapped
II came to America to make amends
for what l have done. Your mother
can best be made to forgive me through
the one she loves best-her son. ! de-
sired to tell you the story in my own
way and send my supplications for
to her through you. You
are free to go back to her this after
noon and ask her if she will receive
visit from me-"
Rudolf sprang to his feet. 81 will go
now; 1 am sure she will do as wish.
and I wish that she shall forgive
you"
The car was ordered, and the two
went hand in hand to the porte-cochere
There Rudolf threw his arms about
his fathers neck. kissed him and was
carried away.
When Rudolf reached home his moth
er asked him to give her a couple OF
hours of quiet thought in her room
and then she would give him her de
cision. For awhile she found it hard
TO conquer rebellious feelings against
he husband who had deserted her, but
of her early happy married
life softened her heart.
Rudolf went back with a favor
lble reply. He remained ut the house
lis father had temporarily taken dur.
ng his stay in America while his
father went for an interview which
he boy hoped and prayed might bring
family reunion During the time that
lie was left alone he was treated win
very attention by the servants, but so
,reat was his Impotence TO learn what
night be the result OF the interview
between his parents that he found no
njoyment in the luxury by which ne
vas surrounded. On the third day art
+ his fathers departure the car pulled
~ under the porte-cochere. Rudolf
an out eagerly. His father alighted'
be praiSed-handed out
is mother. Rudolf ran 10 her, ana
he caught him in her arms.
What further explanation the boy re
eived was given by his mother. me
air had just been married a seconI
ime and were to live together the
ushand and father was now Earl Oh
dgerton. and the son was heir TO the
tile and estates