The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-15
Copyright. 1914. by the
LuBIk MANUFACTURING COMPANY

return to thank you and ask you to
accept my love and share the for
rune
trance of James. followed by youth
ful lout whom Cecil recognized as
stable boy from the Red Lion inn. sit.
uated half mile from Croftiaigh's
gates.
"He has a note. my lord. which he
says is To be given into your lord
ships own hand and no other" James
explained. with Il slight sniff of disap-
proval.
Very WELL" Cecil said and gave the
boy coin in exchange for the letter
he had so zealously guarded. lndiffer.
emily he tore open the envelope
Lord Cecil-I have discovered that 1 had
no legal right TO sell you the Golden
Hope The mine belongs TO an orphan
Elizabeth Lee On her behalf / appea
to your honesty "a restore the property
| will at once refund the $1,000 which you
paid me will call tomorrow
GEORGE CARSON.
For once Ia his life the brave. pa.
tiont soul Of Lord Cecil became weary
and disheartened. and his kindly face
seemed suddenly older Slowly he tore
into tiny fragments the letter he might
not now send TO the Sitte girl In the
far of west, and made his way from
the house which seemed to have sud
denly fallen into glooming silence
and to be bowed beneath the weight of
its centuries.
Cecil walked slowly. seeing nothing
of the hawthorne hedges that kept
the quiet lane prisoner between walls
of white blossom. And then. as though
his thoughts had drawn her across the
thousands of miles of land and sea.
Betty stood before him
"You.." h- cried with joyous amaze.
ment. and though shy. her smile was
frankly happy.
They >trolled on through the pleas
ant ieldS together He did not ask
how or why she was there. That she
was was sufficient The years seemed
% slip from -because no other wo.
man had ever filled his heart At last
he spoke as though against his will.
Il WIS coming back To- America 10
tell You | loved you Now the fortune
| thought | had won is no longer mine.
and ! cannot ask you TO share the
mean poverty | must endure"
He turned away. striving desperately
10 attain that International bIankness
Of expression with which he was wont
TO mask his heart The girl looked Mt
him with IN almost fierce tenderness.
and. rising. placed her hands upon his
shoulders forcing him to look into her
eyes
Il love yon.' she said simply. will
you not marry me Today =
A glow of daZed happiness spread
over him. hui be struggled against the
impulse to take her into his arms.
DO you realize. Betty" lie said
that | am no longer young-a man
unframed to amy work: that | will be
desperately poar- must try to begin
life all over again in some new. hard
IandT'
as though in This were the answer IL
all things
May God forgive me If ! do wrong,
but. oh. little giri. love yon sor' he
cried and, with reckless happiness.
took her in his arms
Three hours later. across the Scot
tish border. they We're married by the
Killed blacksmith parson nj Gretna
he al
as the pair motored away.
When. in the soft twilight. they
again drew near Croftlai-h and the
Red Lion inn. Betty motioned for the
machine In which they had made their
momentous journey 10 he stopped.
We will Keep our marriage secret
dear. for Il little while. BETTY said
u wish II 50 Now. kiss me. and let
me go unit! alt things are ciear-my
husband
Next day Mr. George Carson
Monte" mad seemed tn him scarcely
to hnrmnnize With the staid English
atmosphere presented himself al
Croftlaigh and was at once conducted
TO the library. Mr. Carson was ner
vous. and the bullying manner with
which he attempted to cover this fact
whted before the impersonal blank
ness Of the gentleman whom Cecil de-
scrbed as a court official called In as
4 witness and the lazy condescension
Of Lord Cecil himself.
There is nothing to discuss" Cecil
said YEARLY. IF you have brought
the s25.000 deliver 1t to this gentle
man. and will give yon an order for
the mine stock
For an instant Carson hesitated. then
banded to the official thick packet of
notes. From Cecil Carson received
sheet OF paper. which he grasped with
cleaning eyes. fhe document read:
Brownelowe & Co. Ltd. Bankers. Lon
don:
Gentlemen-Upon proof OF her Identity
and title thereto. you will deliver TO Elig-
abeth Lee. personally. all stock of Gold
en- Hope" mine held In my name
HENRY. LORD CECIL.
Into Carson's eyes came 3 glare OF
baff1ed rage. and from uis lips poured
fierce protests.
His lOrdship's action ia quite. cor
rect" the official said coIdty. land
you. my man. are most lucky that mis-
Iordship does not cnre TO prosecute you
for fraud. do not doubt the courts
Of New York would act with vigor."