CHAPTER XXIII.-Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13250, 23 August 1906, Page 6

CHAPTER XXIII.-Continued.

First, having quietly obtained all the proofs he could to piace her identity beyond the possibi&ty of dispute, he started for Spain >\ilh the infant Alma, Ms depaiture hastened by discovering that her father's family were seeking her. Their claim to her \v a s greater than his-indeed, he legally had noivu, and, hence, buried himself- in that wild spot, where, eventually, ho had to take his nephew .Ned, as partner in the scheme, for there wore things to bi, done which he could not do, having to remain, at the farm, <md which were still to prove Alma's existence and parentage. On the night of her flight, Ned had searc'heel for her in all ■directions, and, on returning to report . his ill success, and replenish his lantern, he had staitod off again, old Bandy, despite his wound, which was sfrght, accompanying him. Thus they escaped the ruin that overtook the farm, but suffered so severely in the storm thai they felt certain Alma could not possibly have survived it. •As soon as they were able, they proceeded to England, Alma's signature, or the need of it, filling Randy with rage and consternation" ; until one evening, with a grim simile, Nee had tossed the paper -over, remarking : "•Will that do?" "Randy gazed, bewildered. There was the signature, perfect. "What do you mean ? v '"Why, cEdn't I ticlach 'her to. write it ? Doesn't my writing do s-s well ?' was the answer. It's better. Alme would have written 'it firm and bole —not a "bit shaky, like a girl on hoi death-bed." ''It's— it's excellent/ cried 'Randy : then, abruptly, "but, ?T«1, it's a for gery," dropping his voice very low. j "nosh \" laughed Nod. ''Who's tc prove it? At any rate, Fin, willing to take the risfe for a hundred thou sand pounds." "So am T— so am 1," had criec Randy eagerly. "Who's t o prove it, indeed— who's to prove it V - Alma, were she KVing-, but she was doad. Lester Rao, but" he was dead too. i Were they quite sure ? Tho doubt had taken them to tin Royal Academy, when it opened, anc they had seen the picture which vhe\ knew to be Lester Rae's. Than Hiej were assured he lived. Yet. what could Rao do ? {He was not aware, oven, of Alma's name, foi she did -not know it 'herself. In whicl belief they were wrong-/ Tho next day they appeared in tin office of Messrs Johnson & Upthwaite and presented Alma's last -will am; testament, with theiir proofs of identity. Even, then, they had some difficulty ; lawyers are such very hare !>nople to convince. A clerk was 1 senl to Spain. He went to thio village Ned named, not at all nc;ar that at the inn in which Rao had stopped. There he learned of the farmv-of it* being washed away. The people had heard of people living there— the uncle and cap sin of >thts si'gnoi*— «de si gnat ing Nrd. * * All delays, all obstacles, were fiii ally surmounted. Ranidy and Ned grasped, metaphorically, the money. Then Ned had brought the unwelcome intelligence that Alma was alive, and in London, driving like a grand 'lady in a carriage. 'Account for it, they could not. But account for it they must. They must find her. They perambulated 'the "West End vmtj]. arnai-U, they saw her, and traced her home. To learn- 'about the Santluce family,, also Alma, was not difficult after that. What was to bo 'done now ? A great fear seized them. Should they ever be met by Afana, she would/surelj- know th<?m-; and, were she to inform Lester Rae— for, had they not *een him enter the house in Piccadilly ? — ve-rv^unpleasant questions would be asked* So the two men laid their heads together, and liii»-lly hit upon ia \)hxn by which th-oy trusted to eilenf.e Alma ; nay, even, if necessary, to get lor again into their power.-