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Tho Unknown Heir, or The Contested nhcritance.
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Now many boysearly in their teens if not
before, are strongly disposed to go to sea,
but overeome the idea as they grow older.
In the ease of Richard, as you say, it
grew upon him, and it seems to me to
have been more than a mere boyish fattc'.
I think that he should not have been dis
couraged. As for Isabel, I fear that false
prido influenced you in her case. I have
little doubt but that Kelley -was of more
real worth than nine-tenths of her wealthy
suitors. Why should ho not have been
encouraged in life? It was not his fault
he was born poor. Ho could have reme
died his improvidence. I must say that
I loath American aristocracy. Did Rich
aid leave any children?"
"Yes, they are the ones referred to in
litis article," said tho old man, giving
Dudley the newspaper, and indicating tho
paragraph witli his thumb.
- Hut are you sure?" quickly asked his
nephew.
" Yes, quilo sure," replied Mr. Rennet.
"And as for my daughter Isabel, she died
about eight years ago. Shu loft a son,
John Ivolley, Junior, a worthless street
Arab. Ho is now in Boston, doing I
know not what."
' Had ho been placed under good guard
iauship instead of being loft to grow up
like a weed, ho would doubtless have
turned out far otherwise," was Dudley's
cutting reproof.
" I suppose 1 ought to have taken him
in charge at the outset," said Mr. lk'iinel
slowly, "but now it is impossible. I was
disposed to assist him for u while, but
when I found out what stuff he is com
posed of, I let him alone. I cannot take
under my roof such an outcast as ho."
' But if you cannot, there are Richard's
two sons, abundantly worthy of your re
gard.so far ajljyo know," suggested Dud.
Icy.
" Their father may have inlluenced them
against me," objected tho old man. " They
evidently have Richard's spirit. They
have made a good start in life and I fear
would turn the cold shoulder to me.
' 1 doubt that," interposed Dudley.
Richard did not apply to you for help
because you would not give him any, und
he doubtless took you at your word. I
cannot think that ho would have done
what you have just said. Those boys
seem to mo to bo of more than ordinary
material. I would look them up."
"I will think over this matter to-night,"
said his uncle.
The old man was deeply moved, as well
by tho stings of his own guilty conscience
as by tho arguments of his nephew, yet
pride was holding him back. Ho arose in
the morning, however, with a full determi
nation to amend his conduct and right
tho wrongs that he had done in tho past.
On tho same day ho started for Boston.
CHAPTER II.
A TllUNDKlt CIiAl'.
Let us now turn to Richard and Stephen
Rennot, at their homo in Now Hampshire.
As Mr. Rennet had surmised, they wore
his grandchildren. They wero now or
phans, for soon after the death of their
father at sea, their mother was injured by
an accident from which she never recov
ered. She died not long af'.or, and al
though the sailor at his deatli was receiv.
ing a very comfortable income, tho main
tenunce of his helpless widow absorbed
nearly all that ho left. Tho boys wero
then taken charge of by a friend of their
father, but tlioir misfortunes wore not yot
ended, for tho homo of their guardian was
destroyed by lire, and himself left almost
penniless.
As tho boys knew of few other places
to which tlioy would bo welcomed, and
nothing of their grandfather, tlioy pro.
forrod to shift for themselves. And ho
well did they do this, that, as vo have
seen, they went to Meredith and purchased
a small yet oomlbi table house. Richard
then took an agency for a book that had
recently been issued and canvassed More
dith and the adjoining towns, while Steph
on found employment in tho oilloo of tho
superintendent of a cotton mill. They
were honest, Intelligent and bolf-rollunt
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