A Wonderful Secret, or Marion Marlowe's Discovery — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

24 such grounds—but I never could—it has al- ways been a mystery.” Marion’s hand rested-a little more heavily upon the gentleman’s arm as he spoke, and she suddenly looked up into his face with almost radiant features. “I can explain your interest, if you will let me, Captain Hobart,” she whispered eagerly. “Bert reminded you of some one, but you did not know who. It was just so with the lawyer. Bert reminded him of some one, and he suddenly discovered that the some one was his brother. Now, perhaps, if you think ‘hard you will be able to place Bert. Oh, Mr. Canfield, I must say more! I must ask you a question! Did you, yourself, look like Bert when you were seventeen years old, and when you lived on a farm with your brother, Alberto Hobart ?” The ‘deed was done, and Marion held her breath, while Miss Allyn and the doctor leaned forward to see what would happen. Captain Canfield turned very pale and then a flush spread over his face. In an instant it seemed as if he had experienced a revela- tion. ‘Alberto Hobart, my brother! seen him?” he asked, slowly. Marion put her handkerchief to her lips and a sharp cough followed. The next instant Dunlap Hobart and his brother were confronting each other. Marion and Miss Allyn wept silently while the two gentlemen embraced; then, in as few words as possible, the lawyer told the story of Bert’s birth and incarceration in the poor farm, after which he waited for his brother to recover from his emotion. Captain Canfield was a strong man, but he bowed his head for awhile. When he raised it, he made his explanation as brief as pos- sible, | . “IT married several years after I was adopted,” he said, softly, “and, during the second year of our married life, my foster- father died, and I was obliged to go abroad to look after his interests. My wife under- stood, and was willing that I should go, but, after my departure, cruel stories were told her of my falseness, and when I returned she had vanished from our home, and, al- though I have sowght the wide world over, I have found no trace of her. When I first saw Bert, a clerk in a grocery store, I was wonderfully attracted to him, and;.as soon as he told me he was an orphan, I hastened to adopt him.” The gentleman grew calmer as he spoke, and the others gathered around him. When the reaction came they would be forced to leave him alone, but, while there Have you MY QUEEN. was time, Marion determined to offer all the consolation possible. - ee “Oh, I whispered, clasping her hands together; ‘Bert loves you with all his heart, and he will be delighted! Oh, our day of sorrow has had a happy ending!” “Tt will have a sorrowful ending for some one,” muttered. the lawyer, qfickly. ‘Matt Jenkins is beyond our reach, but that ras- cally judge must suffer, and every official in that county must answer for his actions! I shall go back to Hickorytown at once, Dun- lap, and it is for you to say what shall be done in the matter.” _ Captain Hobart lifted his head to reply just as the door flew open. With a whoop am so glad he is your son!” she of joy, Bert came flying into the apartment, — and the next moment he was kissing and - hugging both Miss Allyn and Marion. Miss Ellis, his sweetheart, was just behind him, and, for a moment, every one was too bewildered to plan the next movement. “We will call carriages and go straight to” my home,” said Captain Canfield, whose eyes had hardly wandered from Bert’s face. “This is not the place to talk over our se- crets. Come, my friends, let us go where we can consult together.” He put his hand upon Bert’s shoulder as _he spoke, and the young man looked. up at him proudly. “Yes, we'll go home, father, and talk things over,” he said, with a happy smile. “T’ve been so busy bragging about the modits operandi of my escape from the hay- seed constable, yesterday, that I haven't had time to do any thinking yet! Say, you ought to have seen how he gobbled my wad! He said he hadn’t-seen so much money in his whole term of service, and I faney he made tracks pretty lively, after I left him at the depot! Now, the next thing on the pro- eramme is to queer that old judge, and then kick the planks out from under Matt Jen- kins; but—Jimminy Christmas! What is the matter with you all? Have [ run up against a snag anywhere in my elopement? Out with it, Marion! oyster.” (Once more the captain’s hand rested heay- ily upon his shoulder, and the genial voice. said, in tones of unusual eagerness: “Never mind all that, now. my boy. There is a great deal to be told about the revelations of yesterday.” | ’ You're as glum as an 5 - Come home, i Bert closed his lips after a glance at his _ companions, and, with his father’s arm in — his, he led the way to the carriages, ~ : When the story was told him, he was en-» tirely overcome, but, in the love of his father _ he found ample compensation, ow (¢ | com <S oOmicboo