The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-07-21

Dr.. Lee. standing closer to the colo
MI, sprang at once 70 the aid OF his
friend and with Ill his skill sought to
revive the stricken man.
Down. the hail to the great open
doorway Matt Harding bore his strug- \
Cling. si-enced wife. The bank notes
in his bosom, the price of the sale Of
his own flesh and blood. rustled as he
struggled with the frenzied, half stran- /
gled Hagar BY the sheer force of
his brutal strength the gypsy dragged /
the woman TO the little copse where |
their meager camp was pitched Here
he bound her with ropes To the seat OF
the van. gagged her with his neck
kerchief. hitched his horses and drove
off toward the dawn.
In the library the ministrations of
Dr. Lee had revived Colonel Stanley.
Brace yourself-' the doctor whisper
ed. Remember, your heart will not
stand much of this"'
81 am all right now" said Colonel
Stanley. mOistening his lips. You.
doOtor. will certify that this is male
child born heir to the Stanley estates.
and / will attest that he is my son.
| heir at my death 10 the diamond from
| the sky and also heir to the earldOm
| of Stanley at the death of the present
earl"
The English lawyer fumbled in his
| green bag and produced the already
| drawn up document of attestatiOn-
With q firm hand, but giving the colo
| mel a sad but searching glance as he
/ sfe hn a =
/ physician I'm attendance at the birth
The colonel signed as father OF "Ar-
| thur Stanley I'd of Stanley hall, Vir-
| ginia." And then 1t was the turn or
Judge Stanley to sign as next Of kin
| For a minute he faltered, look OF bit
4 ter hatred on his saturnine counte-
| nance, and then he affixed his sigma
ture and threw down the pen with
bitter curse for what he did 4 mock
ing smile played upon the face of Colo
mel Stanley. For one brief moment he
forgot the flower face of the beloved
dead woman upstairs. For one brief
moment he forgot the girl child born
of their deep love, whose birthright
had been taken away in the fulfillment
of his hate for his disappointed and
chagrined kinsman.
a few brief and stilted farewells and
perfunctory congratulations ensued be
tween the still embarrassed English
lawyer, Marmaduke Smythe, and the
colonel and the doctor. There was
some evil brooding in the air, and the
aura of hate was felt by the English
man of law.
1T is only n veneer OF civilization
} that thinly covers these crude Yankees
I'm these wild parts" said the English
lawyer to himself as he awkwardly
mounted his horse I'm the moonlight
outside Stanley hall and rode down the
darkened lanes behind the gloomy
judge. 'They jolly well would toma-
hawk and burn each other at the stake
if they had opportunity" he added to
himself. II shall start back to London
tomorrow If can and deuced glad
|, of it,
Uneventfully three years went Their
round. The supposititiOus heir nj
Stanley hall grew TO be n sturdy little
: boy of handsome appearance. but OF
violent and ungovernable temper ever
: rs n child.
On the little girl. Esther, reared II
secrecy I'm closed chamber I'm tn
great house and ministered to only b.
the silent and faithful Nanny Lucy
the colonel Iavished ana ouupOured tin
great and growing love and affection
Of his invaded and aging years. FO
already the hand Of death was plaiI
upon him and every day he rode to tn
cross upon the grave Of his dead wifi
lnd prayed that he might see her fac
to face and be forgiven in the grea
tenderness Of the love they had born
each other in life. for the wrong n
had done their child.
The fear Of the colonel that the viii
gypsy blood in the putative heir NIGH
bring him to courses that would dis
grace the Stanley namC preyed upO
he colonel
And 50 the colonel drew MP docU
nent. which ne securely sealed an
nlaccl among his papers Upon tn
outside be superscribed it, ITO b
| opened in case my son. Arthur star
ley 81. ever does anything TO disGrIc
the Stanley name" This document h
left by his viii in the care OF Dr. Her
ry Lee, should the physician surviv
him. as his executor. Then, too, th
4 colonel realized that he could not lon
hope to rear his beloved little daugl
ter like n flower in the dark secret
at Stanley hall. He was arrangin
with the kindly old widOwer frien