The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-09-11

There Is sutton with fortune dou-
bic yours. But shudder at the idea Of
her marrying him."
Ralph Hethrington made no reply to
this proposition. He was thinking of
winning Lucy Arden as the man to
whom she had engaged herself. He
shrank from the deception. On the
other hand, by perpetrating the decep-
ton she would be Lady Medowcroft
and he would be enabled to bestow
upon her the fortune he had made in
America. What If he refused2 No
one could tell. But Ralph feared that
she would decline the title and the
wealth, possibly on conscientious scru-
pies, possibly because she would not
marry man she did not love, for he
had not seen her since she was twelve
years old.
Naturally this dying request had a
serious effect on the man to whom it
was spoken. 1t was heightened by one
consideration of which the man who
made 1t was ignorant Ralph Hethring.
ton had carried with him to America
a vision Of his child friend, Lucy Ar
den, and 1t had grown into a dream
that some day he might return to Eng
land and the boy and girl friendship
might be replaced by the love of a
man and woman.
Singular that plan for the realiza-
ton of this dream had been provided
for him by the very man who, had he
lived, would have stood In his way.
Ralph was stupe1ed He knew not
what to think about this strange fate
that had overtaken him. Had Alan not
made the request that he should per-
senate him Ralph might go home and
quite possibly the plan be worked out,
Ralph maintaining his own identity.
AS it was, he felt that the request com
pltcated matters. But he shrank from
not carrying 1t out, In Difference to his
cousins wishes.
What Ralph finally did when he was
returned to England, retired from the
army, was to 60 to his cousins par
ents and say nothing as to his iden-
tity till they had shown whether or not
they regarded him as their son. The
father greeted him as such; the mother
probably would not have done 80 had
not her sight begun to suffer from old
age.
Hethrington put of making a final
decision as to whether be should per-
senate himself or his cousin till he had
met Lucy Arden. Lucy was sitting
on the porch as he came up the
walk.
At sight of him she arose to run. to
meet him. but pausedr In the advanc-
ing figure she saY at which remind
ed her Of her boy aend of years agone.
Was it In the walk? Was It II 1.-THE way
he carried his head7 Was it pc
culiar way he had of swinging the arm
that was left him? No matter; he was
not Alan Hethrington, but Ralph Heth-
ripgton.
The figure advanced to the steps and
looked up at her inquiringly.
"Ralphp' she said.
"Lucyl You know meT
"Yes. you are Ralph Hethrington
grown l see that you have come from
the war. Do you briggs news Of your
cousin Alan7"
"Yes; he is deadS
A SILVER ran through the girls fg-
ure. Presently Ralph spoke again, in
a low tone
ALAN wished to spare those who
loved him from mourning him. He
asked me to personate him. l have
already done so to his father and moth
er."
There was q long silence, during
which the soldier assembled the steps
and sank ON to bench. Presently
Lucy said to him:
DO not set his parents right In this
matter for the present. Did Alan say
anything about me3s
"Yes: he told me the relationship be-
tween you and him"
did heidi he ask you-to person
ate him to mef
"He did," was the almost inaudible
reply.
A faint color appeared in the girls
cheek.
The soldier of the empty sleeve is
now Lord Medowcroft, though he
was known as Alan to his uncle and
aunt till they died. near together,
few months ago. He married Lucy
-.