The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-10
A Secret
BY DONALD CHAMBERLIN

II am, | replied. surprised, for |
had no knowledge of the man what
ever.
IF you will call on me at my office
you will hear something which you
may or may not consider to your ad-
vantage. But warn you to say moth
ing about this meeting until you have
heard what have to say"
Handing me card with his name,
Francis Doyle. and his address on it.
he turned away and was soon lost In
the crowd
was naturally much disconnected.
| walked about aimlessly for an hour.
| then went to the address given me-
To-day you come into an Inheritance
of S30000O." he said to me.
| WHAT"
He repeated
You dol't mean it,
But have something else to tell you
that you may not wish to hear"
paled and waited
you are not the son of either of
your parents nor the brother of your
supposed brothers and sisters"
This was indeed blow. | dearly
loved all of those he had mentioned
| had no heart to ask him TO proceed,
but he did.
when your supposed father and
mother were first married no children
were born to them. This was great
disappointment to your father especial
ly. Friction came between them. and
they separated. In time your suppos
| ed mother, believing that the birth OF
a child would bring back her husband.
took you from your mother when you
were born and wrote him that child
had been born to her and him He re
turned to her. and reconciliation was
established.
"Those whom you have considered
your brothers and sisters came on. the
real children of Mr. and Mrs Stirling
Only Mrs Stirling knows that you are
not her son Your own mother was OF
good family who made a runaway
match with your father He was un
able to take care of her and died. TIM
cause of his death being his poverty
You were born shortly after his death
and at that time 1t occurred to Mrs
Stirling to offer an adopted son to ne
husband instead of a real one.
"Your own mother placed with
law firm record of your birth an
Ia the persons who had adopted YOU
That was twenty-one years ago wa
- then clerk in the employ OF the MI
and am now the firm myself. Cousins
vours who would have inherited ce
tain property have died. and you al
the heir. It has become my duty
notify YOU Of your Inheritance. IN
has involved giving you the other i
formation concerning your blrth.
Won accept the fortune the secret mu
come out. for your supposed rath
must necessarily know whence can
vour fortune. What change this mi
make in the present relations petwe'
husband and wife 1t is Impossible
tell ,
ne He had given me the situation IN
nutshell. was like weather vahe
N a changing wind-two air currents u
putting for the mastery. On the -
side there was the possession OF Soo
600 on the other the revelation OF
= secret that would give my dear mot,
pain-I could not at once cohsiuer
Heo os not nv mother-make troupie
tween her and father and make kho
to nv brothers and sisters that "
Of a different family
But all this was not in complete p
session of my mind The shock l
received on learning that ! uiu
"A really belong to those loved was
narmost dreaded the first meet
with them all after the informatio
had received. | should certainly
away the fact that there was So
thing on my mind. and doubtless III,
or would suspect what 1t was. !"
a life she must have leo. dreauins
wavs that her secret would come OF
aA"s "Well." said the attorney
sume YOU will take time 10 reco
from the information have gwen
and devise some means OF soitei
n the blow to Mr.. Stirling!
81 will think over what Is best q
. 80 In tho nremises." replied,
let you know" sow :,
left him different man from
nod heen when | entered MS OF
Going to a telephone. | caiiea up
ho,ne and Informed the househoid
was going somewhere Win u
and conld not tell just when "
no ot home. How | wished coui
.sshs n father or mother for adVice'
hoing Obliged to settle SO lmporta
: motter without any one TO Col
I With was. to say the least. trying.
Tho next day went home. fo'
otbers it was the same nome II az
{ had been but an invisible gull
4 come between them ana hs
welcomed me: mother kissed 'he
her wonted affection. :
rho same afternoon | gave III
. o,s;on n the attorney. My fo'
vent into a hospital. the name Q
donor being kept secret ! slsn
~ of napers and departed some
relieved. The evening l spen. a.
**Ss irving to analyze the madness :
r. was not FOR the loss OF io'
hut for the knowledge that nad
~ to me. -. n
~ does not know that am aware e,
IN and she shall never know. W
sna same happy family. butt
that LAWYER could have got ,lo
Ql natrimcny without my Rno"'oue