The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-12-03


travagant beyond his means and nee
lecting his studies. he becomes deeply
in debt and is '~plucked" In his degree
examination though many a fellow 10
has despised for dullness or crushsa
In debate passes with honors.
Unselfsh, he would leave the gayezH
party to go and SIT with a sick frien1
and yet. selfish. he forces his motheR
to pinch herself to keep him In college
and he accepts L.aura's savings to pr
his debts. He fees "Oxbrldge" In die
grace, though later he tries again ana
passes his exams with fair credit
Coming home from college, Pen. nQus
a young man Of good figure, medluEa
height, blue eyes and auburn whIskeEas
finds Laura grown from the simple
little girl, into ataHs slim, handsome
young lady with large gray eyes, long
black lashes, pale.fare with rose 4inga
In her cheeks which Pushes easily Ints
a deep blush. f'Gp ~ s
Now comes on the scene Sir Francis
Clayering Bart, who OPENS Ciavetine
Park, which has long beencf6sed. The
papers a feweyearg before. announced
his marriage with the"rithe widow O.
the late ]. Amory.: esquire, fromaIn1fa-
HE brings Lady Cfaveriig, her dhugll-
tor. Miss Blanche Aihory, "a young
lady, and bis sen and Heir, little sfank
Cavering. Blanche has fair nan.
dark eyebrows, long black Iashes.
yelling brown eyes. slim figure, sman
feet, and constant smiles showing
sweet pearly teeth and deep dlmpIes.
Sir Francis himself is a weak crea-
ture, a gambler, fond Of low company
and rapidly wasting his wife's prop
erfy with constant demands on her
generosity. Lady Clavering. a good
kind soul, illlterate and numbering tho
kings English, Is hardly more for
tunate In her second marriage than In
her first with the sailor and convict
Am0ry.
~Shadowing the Claverings Is a mys-
terious Colonel Altamont, with !
strange influence over Sir Francis and
power to get money from him,
Pen becomes enamored of Blanche.
writes her love poems, and meanwhile
she leads him on only to drop him
again for anyone with better pros
poets. When thus dropped, Pen offers
himself to Laura, but In a half-hearted
way. Laura replies, "When next You
offer yourself, do not say as you have
done to me, I have nc heart-I do nos
love you; but / am ready to marry yoz
because my mother wishes for the
match" After Laura's refusal, Pen
tires Of the country and goes to LON
don to study law. He settles In
chambers at the Lamb Court Temple
and makes a friend of and rooms with
George Warrington, an older graduate
of '0~xbridge." In London Pen leads
a life not of study, but of joviality,
though not of vice. He is too lofty to
stoop to vulgar intrigue. When re-
duced to his last few pounds, Pen. By
Warrington's help, gets a poem ac-
cepted In a magazine, is given books
to review, becomes a contributor 10
the new Pail Mall Gazette, writes tho
popular novel walter Lorraine" ana
becomes well of and well known. HIS
uncle is proud of him, gets him invf-
tations to dine in high society. ana
introduces him, among other celebri~
ties. to the great duke of Wellington.
One night, the mysterious Colonel
Altamont, half drunk, forces his way
into the Clavering dining room In Lon
don and Major Pendennis recognizes
him as an Indian acquaintance. Soon
after this, he urges Pen to marry for :
money, saying, 1T Is as easy to get
a rich wife as a poor one" and \
courages him to court Miss Blanche
Amory. Somehow the major per-
spades Sir Francis to give up his seat
In parliament In favor Of Pen and to
arrange for a large dowry for Miss
Blanche. Finally, In lieu Of any better
prospect, she accepts Pen.
The secret of Colonel Altamont's In
fuence over Sir Francis becomes pub
lie property and reaches PENS ears.
for Altamont Is none other than
Amory, the husband of Lady Clayer~
ing. He was reported to have died,
but In reality is alive. This makes
the Clavering marriage invalid END
Miss Amory heir to the fortune In
stead Of young Frank. Pen then re-
fuses to benefit by the fortune or to
take the seat in parliament and writes
Blanche he Is still willing to marry
her though he admits he does not love
her deeply. Later. when he calls, he
finds his old schoolmate Foker. rich
through his fathers death, now In
stalled In Miss Blanche's affections
Still. the fair Blanche ~conidentiaIly
confesses to Pen that she would prefer
him II he could lay aside his absurd !
scruples.p This he refuses to do, %
the Foker and Amory wedding Is ar.
ranged.
Then Pen, freed from this MERGE
nary alliance. finds bis heart all the
while was really devoted to Laura. 50
he proposes to her in earnest and this
time Is accepted Foker In turn finds
by accident the secret Of Amory's sur
vival and what Is worse. that Blanche
knew and yet concealed 1t from him.
Fer shfo faak - a 4. ro.-~.