All claim surrendered in
consideration of the payment of 25,000 francs."
Mr. Royce caught up the book and glanced at the back. It was the
"Record of Adoptions."
CHAPTER XVIII
The Veil is Lifted
In a moment we were hurrying along the street, in the direction the
notary had pointed out to us. Martigny was already out of sight, and
we had need of haste. My head was in a whirl. So Frances Holladay was
not really the daughter of the dead millionaire! The thought compelled
a complete readjustment of my point of view. Of course, she was
legally his daughter; equally of course, this new development could
make no difference in my companion's feeling for her. Nothing, then,
was really changed. She must go back with us; she must take up the old
life----But I had no time to reason it all out.
We had reached the beach again, and we turned along it in the
direction of the cliffs. Far ahead, I saw a man hurrying in the same
direction--I could guess at what agony and danger to himself. The
path began to ascend, and we panted up it to the grassy down, which
seemed to stretch for miles and miles to the northward. Right before
us was a little wood, in the midst of which I caught a glimpse of a
farmhouse.
We ran toward it, through a gate, and up the path to the door. It was
closed, but we heard from within a man's excited voice--a resonant
voice which I knew well.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186