CirAPTlill XLI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 330, 2 January 1889, Page 6

CirAPTlill XLI.

(.JOU'Rr.V I.LVKX* Till, TKI H! AT L\bV. It was that poition of a Knight Templars' cios-s which old Abe Brown had given to Geoffrey when ho wai in Santo i'c the prc\ious Hinimer. lb matched E\eret's exactly, and the two fragments iouned a perfect cius-. as they lay together in Geoffrey's palm. Eveicfc glanced at it, then shot one quick, frightened look into Geoffrey's stein face. ' Where did you pet it ?' ho demanded, in husky tone?, and starling to his feet in gieat excitement. 'It was found in Bant.i Fe, where your father — where my lather lost it.' ' Your father !' cried Everet, in a startled tone. ' Yes, Everet Maplcson, you and I arc — brother* P * It is a lie /' hoarsely shouted Everet, recoiling, yet. knowing bub too well that he spoke only truth ; ' do you suppose 1 would own ' ' Slop /' commanded Geoffrey, sternly: 'do not utter words which you mayha\e bitter cause to regret later. This broken emblem, which 1 thought bo valueless when ib came into my possession, now become- 3 the stiongeso link in the chain ot evidence that pro\es my identity. Last summer 1 tiaccd this man to Xantn. Fe, and there lost his trail. There wa-j only this- paltry piece of gold, with the name William cngnnen upon it, to show that it had o\or been theic. [ belie\ed I hat my father's, uamu wa>s William Dale, for I learned that a man beating that name had li\ed in a certain mmmc: diatiicb oi Kew Mexico, where, I was told, J wis born «nd my mother had died. 1 found my old l ui>c and her hu--band, who related all they know of her hlc there, and into whose care my father had gh en me after her death. They, however, did not know his place of residence or address ; letter^, he told them, would leach him superscribed ' Lock Box 43, Santa Fe. ' At iSanta Vo I wa-. given this piece of jewellery by a man who had been postmaster there many years ago, and who leinembcred the man that lost it, but could not lecall his name. Upon it was cngia\erc * William,' which I had been told was my father's lirst name, and now I lind the other half of the cross beating that of Maplcson on it. !■> your father's name William Dole Maplcson ".'' Gcollrcy Middenlj asked, as if the thought had just come to him. 'Xo,' wn-> the curt, scornful leply, although it was e\idont that the speaker ' wab 6tiiving to conceal the agitation which Geoffrey's account had caused. ( Jcoilrey stood silently and thoughtfully observing the cvos-> that lay in his hand and the name inscribed upon it. lie no longer had any doubt about his boing ablo to the mystery ot hi& birth, thoujrh he greatly feai-ed that the solving would only servo to confirm his worst tea). •3*. 'Then,' he said, in a cold, haul tone, ' he dropped that ot Mapleson, and assumed that of Dale for purposes best known to lrimsiolf, fcr 1 know now, as well as I wish to, that your father and mine arc ono and the same person. 1 know that he must have taken a beautiful girl to the mining region of which J have spoken — that '-he lived there with him as his wife under tho name of Dale. Jle called Mr Annie. I have, seen her grave, and those who knew them both claim that ho loved her as his own life, and was broken-hearted when she died. Whether s>he had any legal claim upon him ; whether /, the child who was born to them there, can claim honourable birth and an honourable name, arc points that remain to be proved. Do you, know aught of this story ?' Geoffrey demanded of Everet, in conclusion. The young man did not reply for a moment. Ho .seemed to be considering whether it would be beat to conceal or proclaim what/ he had discovered, and denounce tho man whom he lmd so long hated as tho illegitimate son of his father. Suddenly he threw back his head in a reckless way, an evil light in his> eyes, a curl of scorn on his lips. • Yes,''ho paid, 'I, do know the story from beginning to end. I know that a girl named Annie Dale disappeared very, mysteriously from "Richmond moro than twenty years ago ; that she iled to her lover, who mob her at. Kansas City, and thon took her to that mining village among the mountains of Now Mexico, where she lived with him as his mistress, though nominally not. his wife until she died.' ' That man was William Maploson, your • father.' said Geoffrey, in a tone that was j terrible from ifca cdlmtaoss.

'That man was William Mapleson, my fathor.' voplied Eveiob, defiantly, though tho blood mounted hotly to his blow as ho said it, showing that he was nob yet quite hardened enough not to feel something of shame over the confession. ' Did he givo you the history of his exceedingly honourable life?' GcoflVcy asked, I with curling lips. 'No : I found it out for myself. I have never foil at ease with your resent) bianco to mo; ib has haunted me day and night,' IDvereb replied. ' A slight circumstance occurred to arouso my suspicions that there ■niHjhf, bo somo natural cause for it. f began Lo traco tho mystery, and followed it up ' ! until I learned tho truth — that you weic Annie Dale's child, and she was — what. 1 [ have already told you. f suppose, in point of fact, that< wo au : in a certain way, ieJalojl bo each other,' ho went on, with a disagreeable shrug. 'If, iniikr the en nunstances, you can demo any comfoib horn ib, much good may ib do you.' (Jcolh'ey grew crimson, and, for a moment, his eyes blazed wrathfully at this taunt. 1 Was jSJI" William at .Saratoga during any portion of last niuuuor ''' he asked, struggling tor null control. ' I believe lie ran up there for a few <I.t\.s when he came North to join my mother at Newport,' lOverct retinued, wondering what the question could ha\c to do with the point voder di.scnsMon. Geoihey glanced Significantly at Mr Hunties>. ' What, was his object. in registering theic as William halof ho asUod, L\erot looked up, astonished. 1 lie did not,' he Said sceptical!}. 'He did. J met him one morning in Congie^s PaiK. He accosted me by youi name, bcliexiug nioto be yom~elt,and then became gieatly agitated upon being iuionned ot ln\s mistake and told who 1 wu>. .Mv -utfneions woi o moused, iui I have always been on thy aleit to discover my pai outage, and J begged an interview with him. Jlc appointed one for ii\e o'clock at hi-, loom, number ioity live, at the United .States Hotel. L Mai punctual, but \\ hen C inquired ior tlio trenbleman who occupied room foity-h've, 1 xv.is told that he liad left at noon. i examined the lc^ister, and found his ti.unc entered a& ' Y\ llliam Dale, from kSanta Fe, New Mexico.' ' Then it must ha\c been .someone cKe,' l£xpict a-llirmcd, pciplcxed oxer the atUur and yet instinctively iceling that his father mufet Juixe been concerned iv it, though •ju.^t how he xvus at a loss to imagine. ' That xvas the tlncad by which i tuiccd him to tS'uita Fc, and from there to that mining village, where I learned the stoiy ot my birth and my mother's death ; and thi» .siory xxill have to bo bitted to tho bottom,' Geoffrey concluded, in a lesolute tone. 'Really, I do not sec what use there will bo in tailing a io\v over the a/hair,' retoi ted Exeret, with a supeieilious- glare at the young man. ' Theic arc hundreds, of men xvho haxe been rather gay and wild in then youth, and ifthoio hax-c been girls iv tho world who were foolish enough to accept their favouis, it is nobody's, business but theii own, and worse than folly to lake it oxer. Colonel William jMaple.son is a man who occupies an honourable position and bcnr.i a proud name. lie is a hightempered gentleman, too, and 3 xvarn you will brook no nonsense irom anyone.' Doctor lioyt, xvho had been an intcicsted listener thus fir during the inteivicw, turned abuiptly on hi? heel, with an expression of supreme contempt at hia speech. ' ffonourablc position — proud name, forsooth ! Vos&oses more temper than morality, 1 should |udge, if his son is a specimen ot the vaco,' he muttered, and then passed upptails to useeitaiu if all xvas going well x\ icli hi& fair patient. The haughty lieir of the house of ilapleson winced visibly beneath the .scathing words.. 'Nevertheless,' paid Geoffrey, with deliberate emphasis, in icply to what he had fiild, 'Colonel "William Maplcson w ill hax c to answer to mo, pownallu, for the wiong — if xx long there x\as — that he did my mother. Now , sir, xvc haxc had enough of this for to-night, and you ctit ;/i> ! Shall I call a carriage for \ou, or do x, on picter to walk.' 1 Kxciet burned to defy him in this, but he knew it would be useless to iCM*t the le&olutc [iiti'po'-o xl.lnchx 1 . Inch ho icud in ex'cry lino oi hi* stci u lace : so, after a moment's hesitation, ho paid ho would walk: and, xvith a Pillion scowl on bit. iacc, and wiath flaming in his heart, he lett the hou.sc and bent hia btep toxxaul the nearest hotel. ,' Neither (ieoilrcj^ nor Mr J-hin tress thought of retiiing that night, though the phy-ieinn boon after went axvay, saying (■ladyt; xvould do well enough for seveial hours-, :ind ho xvou'd come aiound in tho morning : while Mrs Hun ties'? caught, a little sleep upon the lounge in hei daughtci'sj room, They tat togcthei until morning, reviewing (!coli'iey'.s lile and lading j)lan& tor futmo action. When morning dawned it broke upon a maddened, t >et, withal, upon ;i tliankful liousehold. HadJcncd bccair-00l tlieteiriblo ending of I'll Iho l)ii^ht hopes xxhich they lrid ehcii-hcd on'j a icw huui» proxioiio ; bub thankful because (U.idxs awoke once iiiou' heisoll, and that no haim had beiailcn ( leotf, as> they had feaied, durmy liis long ab?ence from home. But (iladycs xvas xcry sad, and could not refer to the ex'cnt^ of the night befoie xub out becoming greatly acitatcd : but her long ieat had gix r en her s-treugth and nicne of self-cont rol, while she had been g-teatiy comfoitcd upon being told that she need never look upon Eveict Maplcson's face again unless she chose, and ihnt an appeal to the law would soon tree her from thchatciul tic that bound her to him. She neatly broke flown again, hoxvexei , when Geoffrey went to her, late in the day, and clung to him almost 'hysterically ; but ho spoke "cheerfully and tried to eomfotb her with blighter hopes for the inline, althoughhis own hearfcwas terribly bin dencd by the groat sorrow that had fallen so like a thunderbult upon them both. 'Oh ! Geofl", 1 Gladys burst iorth at one time during tho interview, ' must all Brooklyn and Nexv York ring with this dreadful story '( • No, my darling. Uncle August and 1 have been considering that matter, and w o think that no one, ,sa\ T o those* of u=3 xvho already know the truth, need learn anything of it. 1 am surprised that your father and mother xycVc enabled (,0 act discreetly during all the confusion last night — not even a scrx\anb su&pectb anything wrong as yet,' Geoilicy &aid, reassuringly. ' But xvill he keep still about it f Gladys asked, xvith a shiver of aversion, as her mind reverted to Eveiot Mapleson. ' I think he will be very glad to, dear — at leas-t for the present,' Geollrcy said, confidently, ' until he finds out just what steps ioe in bond to tako. Ifc xvould bo rath or mortifying to him to have his, villainy discovered, and become a target for everybody to shoot at, because he failed to gefc possession of the bride ho had strained cvciy nerve to win. while we shall do our utmost as soon as I return. 5 ' ' Roburn ! Whore aro you going V *Ah ! has nob Aunt Alice told you ! I am going South immediately, to try to get at tho truth regarding my birth.' Ho then told her something of the roviolations of last night, and she "was greatly

astonished and shocked to lcavn of his relation to tiie man who had so injured them both. 1 Brothers, Geoff ! just to think of it,' sho cried, wonderingly. Ho smiled somewhat; bitterly. * 1 fear if what he Fays is true, that the house of Mapleson, will not own me either as u son or a brother. However, 1 wish to j know tho truth, whatever it is, and thon just as soon as 1 return Aye will try to have that wretched fraud of last night rectified.' ' Can it bo done without publicity, Geoffrey ? ' Gladys asked, anxiously. ' Yes, I believe that it can be arranged so that very low will e\er be any wiser fur what has happened.' This was ono of tho things that Mr Huntress and Geoffrey had calked ot the night before, and the cvenU ot the next tow days confirmed them in tho belie I that ull scandal might bo avoided. 0 he next morning I\Jr Huntress went to the hotol where Eveict Maplcson had been ■iccustomod to stop, but ho w.is not lo be found there. J[o had left nearly two weekd previous — tho day after lie had met Gladys at the opc-i'a — they discovered later, Alterward they learned that Jie had hidrion himself in a littlo town a few inilr-5 out of the city, and there matured his plans, and hhed bib accomplice to assist in hi~> miserable plot on the tnening vi the nodding. Upon leading the Huntress mansion, alter his interview with Geoffrey, and tho discovery thaf he knew so much ol his hi.-tory, lie had stolen away to the nearest hotol, whei©, after thinking everything rjuietly over, ho began to realise that he could never com no! CUaclyf- to acknowledge hcisclfas his wife: he believed too, that the com I? would, upon learning tho facts annul the maniagc. * Oh ' if J had only kept still, and got her away before the deception was discovered, my tiiuiiipb would have been complete, find now J have lost every tiling,' he groaned in impotent wiath ; and yet he was furious at Geofiipy tint lie vowed he would make a desperate fight against a divorce, if lor nothing but to keep the lo\eis apart. 15ut until they should take some decisive step he icsohed to keep still and out of bight., for he also was far too pi oud to caie to become tho subject of a scandal. it occasioned no surprise among the fiicnds of the Huntress family when they learned that 'young Mrs limitless' had not been able lo sail tor Em ope, and that the trip was to be postponed for at least another month — pos«ibly until spring. Her physician prohibited all callers and oxcitement, gi\ing as a reason that her strength had been overtaxed, and she had baicly escaped nervous prostration. , People did not wonder at this : it appeaicd ■very reasonable, for they knew the season had been very gay, that the young couple had been in great demand, and .ill this, together with the excitement and care of pieparing for a wedding, was enough to wear out any young girl. So Oladys and her mother remained quietly at home, hedged about with these icslrielions,, while Gcollrey and Mr Huntress went South. Mr Huntress had insisted upon accompanying the young man, for hu was determined that full justice should be done the boy whom he hadreaiedand loved as his own son. 1 f Colonel Mapleson had wronged his mother he should at least tell the story kindly and courteously to her child ; if he had inherited anything irow her it would be his business to see that he had his right 1 -. This was not an easy thing to accomplish, for the night promised to be very dark, the roads were muddy, and the weather unusually cold for that genial climate. Bui by ottering a generous sum, for he was anxious to have the ordeal before them over as soon as possible, Mr Huntress succeeded in getting- a man to take them to their destination. It was seven o'clock when they at last reached the home ot the proud .Southerner, and tho two men alighted betore the door w ith gia\c face*, and nerves that were none too --toady, in contemplation of the intei■\iew butoie them. ' Ye**, ?ah, Ma»sa Maplcson's. home, sah,' the du*ky skinned servant replied to Mr llunties.s'*' inquiiy, and then obsequiously led the way thiough the magnificent hall, which dhided the stiitely mansion through the eentio, to a spacious and richly furnibbed library at its lower end. 'A. I), Huntress and son,' Mr Huntress wrote on a caid, and handed it to the servant to bo given to his master, and then they sat down to await his coming. Fi\e minutes later- -though it seemed as many hour^ to those impatient men — Colonel Mapleson appeared in the doorway, opposite August Huntress. ITc way a tall, rather sjuuc man, with a finely-shaped head pioudly poised above a pah- of military-looking shoulders, a massive brow, surmounted by a wealth of irongrey hair, regular, handsome, yet rather haughty featuics, a keen, eagle-glancing blue eye, and an eneigetie manner. GeoiiVcy recognised him instantly. It was tho same man whom he had met in Congicss Patk at Saratoga. * Ah ! Mr liunticss,' lemarked the gentleman, courteously, as his visitor aiosc to greet him ; f glad to sec you, sir — glad to see you.' Then Copying Ceofl'rey, whom, ha\insr been seated on his right and a littlo back of him as he entered, he had not at first seen, ho stalled, Ins face lighted with pleasure, and he went towards him with out-stretched hand, oxclaiming, heartily : 'Holloa! Everet ! where on earth did yon diop from ? 1 supposed you still in New York having a gay time.' Mr Huntress came forwaid at this .saying : ' You have made a slight mistake, sir this young man is my sou by adoption— Mr Geoffrey Dale Huntress-.' Colonel Mapleson recoiled, an ashen pallor overspreading his face at these words, a look of fear followed by one of dismay, then of conviction, springing into his eyes, which weie fastened upon that familiar yet strange face. Then he staggered toward a chair, sank heavily into it, his head dropping upon his breast, while he murmured in a tone of awo mingled with agony : ' 'At last !at last it has come !' | There was an awkward silence after that, during which the man appeared to be | absorbed in thought. Air Huntress broko it at last by remarking in a grave- tone : 'I told you, Colonol Mapleson, that this is my son by adoption ; wo have recently learned that he is your son by the more sacred tie of blood, and our errand here tonight is to learn how much or — how Ultlc that may mean.' The man sat suddenly erect as his guest concluded this speech, and looked almost imperial as he bonfc his keen, Hashing eye j full upon August Hunt* ess, a firm purpose j written on his face, and a look, also, which plainly told that ho had never yet turned his back upon danger, trouble, or an enemy, and never would. { You Jtail learn that, sir,' he said in a clear, proud tone ; ' Annie Bale teas my lawjid wife, and he — ' extending a hand that trcmblod visibly toward Geoffrey — l in our son /' ( To 6c Uoniinimd, )