The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-02-06
The
|.RiverShan
Heir
He Stood Between a Title
and a Rascal
By ETHEL HOLMES

When the Earl of Riversham died his
entailed estate fell to his oldest son,
Ralph. He left his second son, Martin,
a house with the ground on which it
stood contiguous to the family manor
house. Ralph married late In life a
woman near his own age, and It was
not supposed his wife would bear him
an heir. But, contrary to expectation,
son was born to her several years
after her marriage.
Martin Riversham, who had expected
to come in for the entailed estate at
his brothers death, was greatly disap-
pointed at the birth Of an heir to it.
There was still one hope for him-the
child was delicate, and there was a
chance that he would not grow to man.
hood. If he died there was but slight
chances Of Lady Riyersham having an
other.
-Four years passed, and little Richard
Riversham still lived, though he was
very delicate. He was kept indoors by
his parents, and Martin, who was much
interested to know of his condition,
seldom caught sight of him, for when
ever be was taken out 1t was In close
carriage.
Martin RiVersham was family black
sheep, and after many efforts to get
him to leave the dissolute life he led
his brother felt constrained to forbid
him his house. Martin had seldom oc-
cupied the house left him on the prop
erty adjoining the estate Of his brother.
but after little Richards birth he went
there in order to watch the child who
alone would stand between him and
the title and estate in case Of the
earl's death. From a window in his
house Martin could see the family
mansion something like half a mile
away, and with strong glass he could
get pretty fair view of what was
going on there
One day he was walking on the road
when he saw carriage coming which
he recognized as belonging to his broth
err. When it passed him he saw that 1t
contained Lady Riversham, her son
Richard and dog, the dog being pet
Of Richard, to whom he was devoted.
Lady Riyersham sbuddarod d Sha
passed her brotber-in.Iaw h,,+ IL diS
not notice her, his eyes being fixed on
the boy, who, he noticed, was very pale
and thin.
A few DAVIS after this Martin while
watching the manor house saw ov,-
dences of a DOMINATION On the nart 80
It's occupants. Servants were rr,pn,no
about, and there was every evidence
that something dreadful had hannanad
Martin took it all in fiji ouiet cama
again: then. LAYING aside his 0,oss 10
said to himself:
II believe the bow is deadv
That night he noticed lights in tho
manor house later than usuall think.
ing, under cover of the darkness to
learn something by a nearer view no
left his house and. entering his broth.
er's grounds, stole near enough to the
house to see anything that could he
seen from the outside.
Suddenly rear door was opened
and by the light within Martin saw q.
servant, bearing an oblong box. issue
from the house, followed by the earl
and another servant, the latter carry
ing a spade and a lantern. The tho
made their way to little patch of
ground short distance from the man
or house set apart for a family GENE.
terry. Martin followed as near as he
could without being detected and saw
the lackey with the spade dig grave,
and he was about to place the box in
it when suddenly Lady Riversham ap-
peared on the scene
There was some conversation be-
tween her and the earl but before
Martin could steal close enough TO
hear what was said the party returned
to the house, taking the bog with them.
Martin returned to his home. con-
graduating himself that he had been
In the nick Of time for what he had
seen. An explanation of this night
scene was as plain to him as the sun
in the heavens. Little Richard had
died, and his father In order TO con.
ceal his death. had taken his body tol
the family cemetery when no one was
about to see the internent. A live
child was to be substituted for the
dead one.
But there was one unfortunate oc-
currence connected with the affair. I'll
the body had been inferred in the
seme'ery martin couiu nave nau II ex-
-a- - %.o - "oulu n@se Deen very
e eas.. ~ nlln - eApose .nls ila s,
s.ep' - up,1.o - - nis hnnel'
. 40 l"us NY g sn' - lono" Ivy
- ~ ~ 90 pa1e ~ .Ae anse VI
p 49,. 80 easAy -. eAl'a,neu - nau -,
s.i1u - ne 'uat .ne 10y snouiu
nos Oe :. AA. 49, "neie naalsan eouiu
t 49, -. -. ~ 1u ~ 80 ? lna,
.n.s "1u1u q ai. SINCE ne eouiu compel
- s.s = ~ :" :" ~ pl0uu'e "na' 'ne'
',u Du1 20,
inst what 70 do n tba nren,sas Evon
;f R,cbord nos daod ~ S...1 rro,,1d -
IN nossass;on ~ tba as+a+o and t;t1o
co lono es ho I;vad p,+ ,f nov u,a,o
substituted for tba Iaoitinata ba,r
Martin ebon1d 0at nossession of +bo
reouired nroof Of Ricbard,s daatb
when 4 was ohtainab,a nm co,,,.ts
were NOT likely 70 serve him until . |
nro+ondaa hoir 1o,d olo,rn - tba ~
har5tanca and nv that limo - mia,
no foo late
There was evidently very weak |
point for the earl and countess in the
fact that two iaekeys possessed their
secret Martin wondered why they
had trusted any one but themselves.
There were several explanations.
First, these lackeys might be paid