The Pit Town Coronet, Volume III (of 3)

s it was for the sake of collecting his ideas that he busied himself with the fire and added another toy log to the flickerin

nd from the contents of this box, I have become aware of the secret of Lucius's birth." He never took his eyes off the box f

rupted hi

my cousin, even if I had not sworn to her to do so; for she would not take my word for it, Lord Spunyarn. No hint of it has ever passed my lips. Conceive my astonishment when

d friend, still staring at t

aid with a sigh; "but he had asked me to

forgive him

se I for

forgive h

it was he wished me to

y stared at the box upon the table. "I'm glad

freely,"

When you promised to take care of Luci

Lucy would never tell me that, and I neve

you very nearl

the widow were filled with mi

that Lucius's father was--" and h

et it over-he wa

ead silence o

voice; "then I am guiltless at least of deceiving h

is face in his hands and was silent for a moment; he pulled himself together with an effort. "When I saw what the box contained, the whole ghastly secret was laid bare to me in an instant. You remember when we were in Rome, by chance, by merest chance, I saw your husband at a masked ball with a lady;

go. She opened it with difficulty; in it was a lovely miniature, not a mere photographer's likeness, of her cousin Lucy in all the pride of her girlish beauty, as a shepherdess, in powdered hair and in a Watteau costume. The face seemed to smile at her with an air of insolent triumph, that old smile of Lucy's which her cousin remembered so well in the days gone by, but which she had missed for many a long year. The painter had not forgotten to place in the ears of the shepherdess a pair of single-stone earrings; in the hand was the ordinary black silk

ick, Lord Spunyarn turned towards

right. I understand it all, but I forgave him, Lo

s all s

side. Then there was a long silence,

madam? I wish the secret had remained in the dead man's kee

dead husband, Lord Spuny

duty to your son and a duty to the old ma

th me, Lord Spunyarn,

are gone and to do justice, for justice must be done. Pit Town must know; for others, taking the lowest standpoint, may pos

s my husband's child; and with all his faults I love him; he will nev

mean socially. The

rent; he is my own son, my very son," she added bitterly, "and, if I wish it, he will give up everything for my sake and his father's; his father'

e, dear lad

s love? For I tell you, strange and unnatural as it may seem, that I love Lucius; ay, I love him, though he is poor Lucy's child and my husband's bastard. And who could help loving the poor helpless, friendless, neglected child? Yes, I acted the love at first, Lord Spunyarn, and it grew upon me till it becam

ghts, dear madam,"

et, she threatened to haunt me should I betray her. How could I answer her? It was a girl's idle jest, I know; but I did swear it, God knows how unwilli

ineteenth century, and he remembered that his mouth was closed. But was he, a good man, to stand idly by and see a great wrong done? Was

ep on it, and God give you counsel," he added in a broken voice, and then leaving the

, the two young men were walking briskly up and down the grea

ucius wh

her my father, the old man, nor any one else can keep me out of the title and the entailed property; but there may be a deuce of a long time to wait. By Jove! you know these very old men don't die, they dry up. Why, look at grandfather

Lucius; you don't mean it, you

It's a ridiculous custom, I say. Why should I have to wear black gloves in order that I may exhibit my woe by the stains on my fingers? And why should I be compelled to look like a British working man out for a holiday, and pass the greater part of my time in flicking the dust off my clothes? I've been badly treated, Geor

several years ago, you

l rid myself of him at the earliest opportunity; he must have saved a pile of money; he ought to go back to Switzerland and start an hotel. They all do, I believe, when they don't cut their master's thro

ey, Lucius; you can have anyth

spunging upon you. I may as well take the bull by the horns at once. Though, between ourselves, I don't see why my mother

t's hard on you, very hard; but I wouldn't have

ce all you wealthy fellows always give u

t this you can rely on, till you come into your own

lly mean th

an it, or I sho

y. Let's shake hands on it," and the two young fellows shook hands,

he, the valet, hang on at Walls End Castle for an indefinite period, until Lucy Warrender's son should come into the old lord's property, when he would be able to recommence the blackmailing process which he had so successfully carried out upon the young man's mother? He knew enough of the character of Lucius Haggard to feel certain that the power he would possess in such a case would be boundless. But Mr. Capt was no longer a young man; he, like his master, might die suddenly, and then the secret would die with him. That miserable anticipation filled him with horror and indignation. Should he go to the widow, inform her that he shared her secret, and, for a good round sum in ready money, sell his silence, and of course betray her as soon as he found it convenient to do so? Should he go to the old earl, and make the best bargain he could under the circumstances? He was torn by conflicting doubts.

rrender. Many a time and oft had common sense urged him to commit the contents of the little red box to the flames; but he knew too well that somehow or another his wife had become the involuntary accomplice of her cousin's fault. He had not burned t

l. Of course Lucius would do what was right, and so would George for the matter of that. Spunyarn's suggestion that Lucius Haggard should "efface himself," and so voluntarily suffer a social death, seemed to her but a brutal and inhuman method of cutting the Gordian knot. She had never again opened the little red box, since she had closed it on the occasion of her interview with her husband's executor. To

ld lord into his confidence and to break the matter to the brothers. His own evidence and that of George's mother, coupled with the contents of the box, would set the facts at rest beyond a doubt. If young Lucius were an honourable man he would not attempt to make matters worse by a useless contest in the Law Courts, but would doubtless of his own accord see the wisdom of disappearing into an honourable obscurity, while Lord Pit Town and George Haggard would, of course, provide

aggard comparat

" she said. "You were my husband's friend.

hen he proceeded to sketch the course

matter of arrangement. Of course Lucius must know all, and Pit Town. I purpose to break it to Lucius at

h. "Yes, his father's son," she repeate

ear lady. Shall I send for him

ek the youth, who in a few minutes was to

him that this formal interview with his mother and his father's executor could have but one object, namely, to announce to him that a suitable provision was to be made for the heir to the Pit Town title during the short time

re yourself for a surprise, and a grea

tion left the young fellow'

cut me off without even the proverbial shilling,

took no notice

ded, "to spare your poor mother the pain and horror of having the sad story repeated in her presence. L

air, "it can't be true. Did Hetton contract a secret mar

"and listen to what I have to tell you. This thing concerns you and your brot

e began, but Spunyarn st

m the time you were a little child, did so out of kindness; speak no ill word of

he man who calls himself the heir, I mean?" he asked fiercely, and he clenched his hands; and his eyes

brother George; he was born in wedlock, whil

don't say that

yarn nod

en hatching this infernal plot between you all these years? Can the dead man's hand strike me, even from beyond the grave? I won't

as gently as he could he broke to the indignant boy the dismal fact of his

said the boy in

ak of her, Luci

er he had listened to Spunyarn's narrative in silence. "It'll have to be proved,

you have

the proofs

ut spare your mother, Lucius; she is

my mother; why should I spare the feelings of my father'

iew that must take place, to spare your father's widow as much as possible. Dea

very flesh. "You tell me," he continued in a calmer tone, "that George Haggard is the heir, that I am but my father's base-born child. Show me the proofs of this and I'll believe it; ti

reply, but led the way

traordinary transformation that had been suddenly effected in the young man. His dead father, in an access of furious passion, seemed to sta

id with an effor

y believe it, that that wild story is a lie, a wicked lie. He tells me that you hold the proofs. Let me then see these proofs, that I may make him my humble apologies, and go out from

Mrs. Haggard in

ere. I myself can supply the few missing links in the chain of evidence. It is but natural, perhaps," he said, "and you have, as you say, a right to see these sad proofs, unhappy boy, o

ed the box; then the astonished man gave a su

his feet, and laughed a lou

x was