The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-09-24

to my rescue and happily delivered me.
l happened to wear that morning the
same coat which l had worn on the
day of my interview with Rachel.
Searching for something else in one of
the pockets. l came upon a crumpled
piece of paper and, taking it out, found
Betteredge's forgotten letter in my
hand.
a letter which has nothing Of the
slightest Importance in it is not always
an easy letter to answer. Betteredge's
present effort at corresponding with
me came within this category. Mr..
Candy's assistant, otherwise Ezra .Jen-
nings, had told his master that he had
seen me, and Mr.. Candy in his turn
wanted to see me and say something to
me when l was next in the neighbour
hood of Frizinghall.
1t was Just too late to start by the
train which left London before noon
There was no alternative but to wait
nearly three hours for the departure Of
the next train. Was there anything l
could do which might usefully occupy
this interval of time?
The field of inquiry in London being
now so narrowed as only to include the
n necessity of discovering Godfrey's
address, | drove to his club.
In the hall l met with one of the
members who was an old friend Of my
cousins and who was also an ac-
%quaintance Of my own. This gentle
man. after enlightening me on the sub
ject Of Godfrey's address. told me of
two recent events in his life which
Were of some Importance in themselves.
1t appeared that Godfrey, far from
being discouraged by Rachel's with
drawal from her engagement to him,
had made matrimonial advances soon
afterward to another young lady, re-
puted to be a great heiress. His suit
had prospered, and his marriage had
been considered as a settled and GER
tain thing. But here again the engage
ment had been suddenly and unex-
pectedly broken off, owing, it was said,
on this occasion to a serious difference
of opinion between the bridegroom and
the lady's father on the question of
settlements.
AS some compensation for this Sec
ond matrimonial disaster Godfrey had
soon afterward found himself the OBJ
.iect of fond %pecuniary remembrance on
the part Of one of his many admirers.
\ rich old lady. highly respected at the
Mothers Small Clothes Conversion So
ciety and a great friend of Miss Clack's,
to whom she had left nothing but a
mourning ring, had bequeathed to the
admirable and meritorious Godfrey Il
legacy of $4,000. After receiving this
handsome addition to his own modest
pecuniary resources he had been heard
to say that he felt the necessity of get
ting a little respite from his charitable
labors and that his doctor prescribed
"a run on the continent az likely to be
productive of much future benefit to
his health"
I next arrived too late in the even
ing to be able to communicate with
Betteredge. The next morning l sent
a messenger Will a letter requesting
him to join me at the hotel at his ear
Hest convenience.
Having taken the %precaution, partly
to saw time. partly to accommodate
Betteredge, of sending my messenger
in a fly. l had a reasonable prospect,
If no delays occurred. of seeing the
old man within loco thon fu-n hc11,,c
from the time when | had sent for him.
During this interval l arranged to en-
ploy myself in opening my contem-
plated inquiry among the guests pres
ent at the birthday dinner who were
personally known to me, and who We're
easily within my reach. These We're
my relatives. the A~blewhites and Mr..
Candy. The doctor had expressed a
special wish to see me. and the doctor
lived in the next street. So to MI.
Candy l went first.
After what Retteredge had told me
l naturally anticipated finding traces
In the doctors face Of the severe i'll
ness from which he had suffered. But
l was utterly unprepared for such a
change as l saw in him when he enter
ed the room and shook hands with me,
His eyes We're dim. His hair had
turned completely gray. His face was
wien. His figure had shrunk. The
mar was a wreck, but his clothes and
his jeWelry-in cruel mockery of the
change In him-were as gay and as
gaudy as vel.
II have often thought of you, Mr..
Blake" he said, land l am heartily
glad to see you again at last. If there
Is ANYTHING can do for You. nray