The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1916-08-05

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referred. Taking II from his porte
monnaie. he handed 1t to her.
For some time her eyes We're bent
upon 1t. while the Americans were
bent upon her. Evidently there was
something In this bit OF yellow paper
torn in half. that moved her profound
~. She handed 1t back to him with
out remark. but lie noticed II slight
tremor of her hand us she did ~. Tres
emily, evidently nervlng herself TO
something. she asked:
mfr. Chenoworth. do you intend to
look up your ancestry while III Eng
land?"
She awaited his reply with suppress
ed emotion.
THAT is my intention" he replied
But don't know where to begin"
There was no reply to this. Later
Miss Smithson reappeared. and the
two young persons went out into the
grounds together.
Chenoworth was to return to London
the next morning. Whit was his sur
prise before going to bed to be nsked
by Mrs. Smithson to remain longer.
He replied that nothing stood in the
way of his doing so, and his departure
was deferred. Mrs. Smithson's treat
ment of him seemed to be undergoing
a change, though she did not seem to
have made up her mind with regard
to his attentions to her daughter. On
the second day after her interview
with him during which he had showed
her the fragment she asked him to let
her see 1t again. He did SO. and she
asked him II he would object to giving
with her request.
The next day Mrs. Smithson an
nounced that she must go to London to
do some shopping. She charged her
daughter to take good care Of the guest
during her absence, which was entirely
unnecessary. for 1t was evident that
Miss Gladys was as much enamOred
The lovers were in seventh heaven
during the mothers absence. which
lasted several days.
Chenoworth was puzzled. Why did
Mrs. Smithson leave him with her
daughter during this interval? Why
had she changed in her treatment Of
him? There was no explanation. On
her return the mystery deepened. She
would not hear of Chenoworth's de-
parture. saying that she was planning
some social functions at which she de.
sired his presence.
Chenoworth was beside himself. His
attentions to Gladys were very notice
nble. and her mother was encouraging
them. She had no information con-
corning his standing in America nor
as to his income. which. 1t was evident
from his careful expenditures. was not
large. Why, then. was she giving him
every opportunity to win her daughter
when that daughter might make a
very advantageous match7-
ChenOworth was anxious to hunt up
the records Of his ancestry. and he
realized that to do this he must go to
London. Gladys had told him that
he had better go to an office of her.
aldry. But whenever he proposed to
depart Mrs. Smithson objected. and
he deferred his going.
And SO 1t was that Chenoworth kept
putting of his departure until one
evening. while out on the terrace with
Gladys. under the moonlight, he told
her that he loved her, but he knew
that owing to his limited means mar
riage with her was impossible.
Then they conferred together upon
what Mrs. Smithson meant by encour-
aging this match, but as neither of
them knew they simply wondered. 1t
was finally agreed between them that
Chenoworth should learn what was in
store for them by asking for Gladys
hand.
He approached Mr.. Smithson with
doubt and fear. He was given to un-
derstand that If he was acceptable to
the daughter he would be acceptable
to the parents. This thrilled him, and
he went to Gladys with the good news
at once. At subsequent interview
he gave Mr.. Smithson statement Of
his financial affairs. to which the gen.
tleman listened with respectful atten-
ton. but made no comment. II Cheno-
worth's mind had not been, taken up
with love. curiosity would have come
in to claim its share Of attention.
Chenoworth did not leave the manor
house till he departed on his wedding
journey. When he returned he was
saluted by his mother.in.law and every
one else as Sir James. When the first
excitement attending the couples re-
turn had worn of Chenoworth was in
formed Of what had been going on
during his courtship.
Mrs. Smithson had inherited her es-
tate through the female branch of
Chenoworths. She was aware that
the heir to the title had two centuries
before disappeared In America. On
receipt of copy of Chenoworth's frag-
ment she had taken 1t to herald Of
flee in London. and they had given her
the following reading of 1t when COM
plete: