CHAPTER XLIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 195, 19 March 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XLIV.

MR FORESTS STORY. Mr Foreot'a statement was received with aomo surprise, but his request for a private interview was granted, and he withdrew with the directors to another room, where ho was closoted with them for a long while. When ho returned his face was white and agitated, and there were traces of tears upon his cheeks, while bia companions appeared to be moved and softened also. Whatever arguments he had used in Arthur's behalf it was plainly to be seen they had beon effectual, and that the gentlemen had consented to drop everything just where it waa. "Atthur," Mr Foreat said, addressing his nopbew, " the^o gentlemen whom you have so wronged have at last consented to stay their proceedings and allow you to go free." He was interrupted by a groan, while Arthur sank back in his chair overcome by tho reaction. " But upon one condition," his uncle continued, "that you leave the country.never to return. I have given bonds and a pledge that you shall le r we within three days. If you do not I forfeit a large amount and you will bo liable to arrest. Bat that will give you ample tima to settle eveiy thing, and now wo will return to our lodgings, where I shall have something further of importance to say to you." "Is this truo?" Arthur Aspinwall asked in " a hollow voice, lifting his haggard faco and glancing incredulously about him. Every eye that he met was full of pity ; not one in the room appeared to regard him with anything of malice or vindictiveness. "Yob, it is true," replied his uncle. Tho young man struggled to his feet. For a moment he stood irresolute, then ho said, hoarsely : " I confees I did not expect this -I know Ido not deserve it ; while, as for yon" turning hia blood-shot eyes upon Louie, "you have taken the most effectual revenge that you could have conceived. I did not beliovo you when you told me that you would uso your in fluency for me. I euppose what you have done would be called ' coals of firo. 1 nThey are such to me, and they will burn a3 long a3 1 live. I thank you, gentlemen," he added, turning to the directors, "for your clemency, i I wish I might in eorae way 9ho\v my appreciation of this unmerited favour. Uncle Albeit, I am ready now." Mr Forost sr-oke a few words in a low tone to Mr Houghton, then taking his nephew by tho srm he led him from the room, for he was groping his way as if he had been suddenly stricken with blindness Outride tho building they found waiting the carriage 'hit had brought Arthur there Entering thi?, they were driven rapidly back to Mr Forest's lodgings. Louia and hia friends remained at the office some little while longer, during which it was arranged \\v\l a notice should appear in ths Paris papers, aa aoon a3 Arthur should have left the city, stating something of the particulars of tho robbery and Louis's impiiaonment, and that the real rogue, finding himself upon the verge of arrest, had restored the missing money, and then left for parts unknown. Thus Louis's innocence would be established, he would be restored to his former position of honour and trust, and ttao affair, after tho usual nine da>s of wonder, would gradually be forgotten. This matter being settled, Louis arranged for the release of his father ; then thanking the directors for fcheir kindness, he and hia friends withdrew. When they were seated in the carriage, Mr Houghton informed thorn that Mr Forest had requested them to drive directly to hia rooms a3 soon as they wore at liberty, as he had something of vital impoitance upon which ho wished to confer with them. Arriving at his lodgings, Mr Fox-eat himself met them at the door and con ducted them at once to irs rooms. Arthur wjs nowhere visible, but they could 'iaar him moving about in his own chamber, preparing, no doubt,for hi 3 departure Mr Forest invited his gueata to be seated, saying that he had an important revelation which he wished to make before his nephew left, and he had decided to go immediately, leaving hiii to settle his billa and some other little business. He then stepped to the door and called Arthur. Ho came iv, looking pale and dejected, and sank into the nearest seat. Mr Forest then went to a travellingbag that stood upon the table, and, taking something from it, walked directly to Loui3. Ho was very mach agitated : his hands shook, his lip* twitched, and everyone regarded him with astonishment. Then came tho startling question : " My sou, can you ever be persuaded to (jive vie the name of ' Jathev ? " Hia vcico t-hook like a very old man's as ho put the query. "Mr Foreat ! Son ! Ido not understand you !" Livid ciied, starting to hi? feet and staring at tho man as if he thought him insane. He smiled sadly, and rubbed his forehead with his hand. "I do not wonder," he returned, apologetically. ' I'm a sorry blunderer ; I did not mean to blurt it out in r any such way ; but you are my eon, nevertheless," "Howc\n that be?" Louis asked, very pale and trembling visibly. "My father, Louis Murray, is at this moment lying a prisoner horo in this city." "Louis Murray is not your father," assertel Mr Forest, a ring of impatience in his voico. "Bub ho proved it— he produced a certificate of marriage with my mother ; evorything he eaid went to show that he was my i&lher," Louis objected, but growing more and more excited. 41 That was all a deception, my boy j a plot, evidently, to further purposesjof hia own, In the first place the man's name is not Louia Murray at all ; he only took that name because a Louis Murray and an Annie Burgees had been married on the, date corresponding with that engraven upon your mother's wedding-ring. His real name is John Hicks !" Louis looked bewildered. "SitdowD," continued Mr Fore3t, "and let me tell you all about it. I have done a good deal of travelling and hard work during the last few weeke. I have been to America—" , ' "To America!" exchimed the Houghtons, astonished. " Yes. I was almost convinced before I left that Louis was my aon. I had seen the ring he wears, and— there were other proofs of which I will speak later. As I said, I went to America. I found Mr

Allen, your lawyer friend, aDd learned your whole story, and after telling him mine and my suspicion, h8 bent all his energies to aid me in finding the proofs I desired. I found Mary Jones, too, and felt more than ever convinced, after talking with her, that the delicate woman who died in her house was my wife. " But all doubts regarding your connection with the man Murray were removed when we found his accomplice, Black, and he betrayed the whole plot to us. Murray, or Hicks, had played him false- getting possession of a sum of money belonging to thorn both, and disappearing very mysteriously—that was probably when he came here to Paris. " Black was so sore over it that he was willing to tell ub everything. He said there were a gang of them leagued together in the gambling business; they had spotted you— thought you an unusually smart and promising fellow, and laid the plot to get you into their power and make you usoful in their business. Hicks had found out some things regarding your hiatory, worming a good deal out of Mary Jones, and had overheard a conversation between you and farmer Brown in Mr Allens office one day, and then hunted the city registers over for some one named Annie who had been married the same date as your mother. The rest was easy enough — to forge a certificate, and, with the facts they had gathered, together with what they invented, claim you as Murray's son " " Well," Louis observed, with a deep sigh, as if a heavy load had suddenly been removed from his heart, "I can now account for tho feeliDg of aversion that I always entertained for that man, and which I have always blamed myself for as being so unnatural.'' "And how have you been impressed by me?" Mr Forest asked, turning towards him with a wistful look. " I have been drawn toward you from the first, sir ; but I cannot realise that it is my good fortune to really belong to you," Louis answered, with emotion, as he stretched out his hand to him. The man grasped it warmly, and for a moment could not speak, "Do you remember the evening you showed me the ring you wear ?" he asked at length. " Perfectly ; and I recall now something strange in your manner upon reading the date upon the inside." " You also told me something about a volume of Tennyson's poem, and a verse written upon the flyleaf, and signed ' A.,' " pursued Mr Forest. " Yes, sir." " Can you repeat thoae lines ?" Louia immediately recited those simple words, and was surprised to see the tears start into the eyes of his companion. " I gave that little book of poems to your mother ; I wrote those lines on a blank leaf," ho said. " Your mother's maideu name was Annie Dunbar ; she was my idoliped wife, and we bad agreed that if we ever should be so fortunate as to have a son we would call him Louis Dunbar Forest." " Can it be possible ? " exclaimed Mr Houghton. " What a history you have, Louie !" Arthur Aspinall turned toward the group, and looking helplessly into Louis's face, said : ' I have known it for a long time." "You!" cried his uncle, sharply; "how did you know it ?" "Itia no matter how ; but I did, 5 ' he replied, dropping his head upon his breast again. " There is only one way in which you could have found it out," retorted Mr Forest ; " and if you have resorted t3 auch means to gain your knowledge, you are more of a knave and burglar than I have yet believed you. Confess now - you have been overhauling my cheat; ytu have found my wife's picture, you recognised Louie's resemblance to it, and you have seen our marriage certificate." " I have seen them— yes." "Humph! that, perhaps, was another reanon why you wanted to get this young man out of your path ; you knew if I discovered his relationship to me, your chances of becoming my heir were extremely small. You have played your cards pretty well, Arthur ; but it was all in a wrong cause. If you had been honest and manly, and lent ua your aid, you might, even now, have shared with Louie. " Let me toll my story," Mr Forest resumed, leaning back in his chair beside Louie and laying his hand fondly upon his shoulder. " When I was a young man about your age I was returning upon a certain occasion fruin New York to Boston with my mother. We went by boat, for she could not onduro the fatigue ot travel ling by rail, and we wero just about to land, when I met with an adventure. The tickets wore being collected ; I had jusb given up mine and was passing down stairs after my mother, when my attention was attracted by some little excitement bohind me. The officer collecting tickets was talking in a loud, irritattd voic3 to somo one, and a crowd was rapidly gathoring about him. I went back a step or two, my curosity aroused, and heard a timid voice declare : " 'Indeed, sir, I purchased a ticket and pnt it safely into my pocket-book, but that and all my money have been stolen.' " ' That is an old and worn-out stcry, miss ; it has been tried altogether too often, and it won't go down vatb me,' retorted the man, sarcastically. " ' But it is true, sir, in this case,' persisted the other voice, with a sort of calm I dignity that iinpreesed me. I put my purse under my pillow, and when I awoke this morning it was gone.' " Have you any baggage ?' demanded the officer, in a hard tone. "'Nothing but this, and a very small trunk containing what little clothing I have,' and she held up a small hand satchel, and, upon opening it, as he requested her to do, I saw it cantained only a few articles of toilet, Borne handkerchiefs, etc. "I had managed to get nearer by this time, and I Baw a young girl of perhaps seventeen. She was the loveliest ctfeatureI had ever seen. Her face was a perfect oval ; her complexion a delicate pink and white. She had dark brovrn hair, which fell over her shapely forehead in bewitching waves, and she had large, dark, liquid eye?, tho expression of which might have softened a heart of Btone. Her mouth was small, her lips intensely red, though now they were trembling with anxiety and nervous ness. "Have you any friends with you ?" the man. asked her. "' No.sir ; I am travelling alone,' she returned, dropping her lovely eyes, and colouring slightly, " ' Hump 1' was the response to this, but the man's eyes were fastened upon her with a look that made me long to strike him to the floor, while he Beemed to be considering some question. «• Suddenly his manner changed. 11 • Well, well,' be said, insinuatingly, *I guess we can manago it for you ; go over yonder and Bit down until I get through here,"then I will attend to your case. - "I advanced boldly to her side, as ho eaid thip, and remarked, abruptly : 14 ' The lady need not be detained or troubled further about the loss j it is a vwy easy matter to pay the fare over again,'

" I turned to her, handing her my card,., and asked : " ' Will you allow me to do this for you 2' Then my mother, who is travelling with me, will be glad to lend you her protection and any other aid that you may :ieed during the remainder of your journey, that ia if you are going on to Boston.' . "She glanced from the card into my face, such a grateful, lelieved look out of her magnificent eyes, that I lost my heart to her on the spot. " { You are very kind, Mr Foreßt,' she said with graceful dignity, • and I accept, . with thanks, your timely offer.' " The officer gave me an ugly look as I. took out my puree and paid her fare ; but, of couiee, he could not do otherwise than take it ; and then I walked away with the beautiful girl on my arm, feeling as if I had, rescued a lamb from the jawa of a wolf. I led her directly to my mother, to whom I introduced her, she having told me her name waa Miss Dunbar, and explained toher the circumebances of our meeting. She • gladly befriended her, and was soon deeply interested in her, while the girl, giving her coufidence at once, told her something of: her history. Her mother, she said, had* died when she was very young— so young; that she scarcely remembe ed her. Her.father was a Scotchman, a man of literary tastes and habits, and having applied himself too closely to his studies impaired his health, and died only two years previous. She had no relatives to care for her, so she had cast her lot with some good people whos were coming to mt country, believing that America was a land of gold and plenty, and? they would soon make an independent fortune there. Of course they wei c bitterly disappointed, and after a year of weary toil, during which they they had not ceasedto bewail ever having left their own • Bonnie • Scotland,' they returned to their old home,, promising themselves never to wander, again." (To bo Continued J