The Elbert County tribune., 1916-03-31
lCOpYRioHT 1919
WG.CHAPMAN)

ly married an American girl in San
Francisco. was born there. my moth
er dying when was only baby. and
my father when was seventeen. Aft
er that came to Winnipeg and taught
for living. OF course, things we're
hard sometimes. but father had q
worse time than l. and for his sake
never could forgive grandfather for
turning him out OF doors.
Some day. Anne" my father used
to say laughlngly. "yourl go back to
France and be adopted and become
hefress of Ciichy"
Il guess the rest of them won't
leave much for me to be heiress Of"
answered usually. and the subject
dropped. Save for fluent knowledge
of French l had nothing about me to
betray the fact of my foreign extrac-
ton, and / never wished to meet any
of my fathers relatives-never! Some
times my father would speak about
the property in the strong box. 1t was
all In bonds-worthless ones, too
which had been left my father by his
mother. whose dowry had been invest
ed in the old Panama canal, that glori-
GUS enterprise that went down to ruin
twenty odd years ago, carrying with 1t
thousands of prosperous families in a
general wreck. My grandmother had
always had pathetic belief that some
day the bonds would be worth some
thing. She left them to my father,
placing them in the strong box which
she held in the vaults of Magniff 6
Co. bankers. of Paris and London.
When she was dying she sent him the
key.
well. Anne, they won't do any harm
where they are." my father would say
Some day. when we're all rich, we'll
go to Paris and take them out and sell
them for old paper"
So now l think have explained how
l came to sail for England on the
thirty-first of May, with five $100 and
to the ancestral strong box. Mary
wanted me to sew by bills into the
lining of my dress. But l felt safer
with the money in my purse, for, as
told her, I'd either have to wear the
same dress all the time or keep run
ming into my room 10 see whether 1t
had been ripped open or not. If | had
taken her advice ! should never have
had my adventure with the Man in the
Buff Boots-but that comes later.
Mary. OF course. was at the train in
tears. waiting to bid me adieu. And
who else should be there but that
odious Mr.. Spratt. who had once been
enamored of me. half hidden behind an
enormous bouquet. I've heard that
his boys call him THE Sprat," which
isn't nice name to give a professor
of civic and international law. He
pressed the eouquet into one of my
hands and then put something else in:
to the other In a mysterious and por,
tentous manner.
my volume of the Code Napoleon
Miss Ives" he said. whispering eau
tiously. THE only complete English
commentary on modern French law
I've written your name on the fiy-leaf
Don't lose 1t; you'll need it when yor
get to Paris!"
/ could not but feel affected by the
little mans Kindness in presenting mt
with copy of his epoch-making work
! introduced him to Mary, and W,
three chatted for a few moments unit
the conductor called "All aboard"
stayed day or two In Montreal. sight
seeing. and finally. owing to a last min
ute excursion to Mount Royal, neari,
missed the steamer. But just as thu
whistles blew. plunged hastily up th'
gangway. collidihg a, the top with
couple of foreign-looking men whit
stared at rue for several minutes. az
parently deeply interested.
am usually quick to form m.
judgments of people. did not lik
either of tn sse fellow-passengers at all
In very ehort time | had discovers
that they we're master and servant, o
stood in sc me such relation. The on
bore the hall-marks of wealth withou
refinement; the other was a coars
and Misunderstanding Greek or Arme
nian. as ! judged. was relieved whei
saw him betake himself to the steer
age. But judge my disgust when
discovered that had been seated mex
20 his master at the dinner table!
He did not lose any time striking
up an acquaintance with me. MAY
pass you the mustard, Miss Howard? :?
were his first words. He had evident
ly been looking me up and made mis-
take in the name. | was about to dis
Illusion him when his next word
I checked the words on my lips.
ALLOW me TO introduce myself. sine
we are to see so much of each othe
during our voyage" he continued. wit
an odious smirk. "My name is MAJ
niff-Leopold Magniff-a name tolel
ably well known in Paris and else
where"
"The--the banker?" l managed t
gasp.
"The son of the banker" he correct
ed. much gratified at my ready recof
milton. The old boys my father. w