Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1908 — Thw REALGATHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

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SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I.—Lord Wllfrod Vlncont Archibald Terhune are Introduced at the opening of the story, In England, tha tatter relating the tale. The pair on an eating mlaa their train and seeking recreation meet "the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff,” whose hand la much sought attar, because of her wealth. On visiting the Wyckhoff castle they are introduced to two other girls, both known as Agatha Wyckhoff. CHAPTER 11. The Inside of the castle gave every evidence of enormous wealth and every Imaginable luxury was provided. After a little Interchange of pleasantries in the spacious hall our blackhaired friend raised her voice in a stentorian shout, in answer to which a brisk, elderly lady came down the mahogany stairs and v welcomed us cordially. She was introduced as "our aunt and chaperon, Mrs. Annistead,” amid peals of laughter from the girls, although we couldn’t see any joke. We then went to our rooms, which contained everything we could possibly have desired, and when we came down to dinner the footman told us that Mrs. Annistead and the young ladies were awaiting us in the drawing room. We crossed the hall, and when the heavy curtains that separated it from the huge drawing room were lifted to admit us, we saw at least 20 girls ranging In age from 18 to 28, standing or sitting around the room In attitudes of expectancy. I found out later that there were really only six of them, but, at the time, there looked to be 20. They were all pretty, all wore evening dress, and all were talking at once; but as Vincent ahd I entered they ■topped and Mrs. Armistead came forward and presented us to the three girls we had not yet seen. The first of the new three, Agatha Fourth, as Vincent and I called her later, was tall and very fair, with wonderful blue eyes and a beautiful figure. That our bewilderment and astonishment increased when she also was presented to us as the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff may be easily understood. The next one had light-brown hair with gold lights in it and her eyes were a golden hazel. As she, too, was Introduced as the Honorable Wyckhoff I bowed mechanically, as did Vincent, not daring to trust myself to utter a word or repeat the name. Then, turning from Agatha Fifth, we met the Honorable Agatha Sixth and last, and I thought she was the prettiest of all. Delicate and small she was, but every Inch an aristocrat from her small charming head to her dainty little feet. Her eyes were dark brown, her complexion clear olive, and her hair straight and soft and Jet black. I took to her at once, though I thought she looked rather sarcastic. The Introductions over, we went in to dinner, and such a meal as that was! At one end of the table sat Mrs. Arnsistead, while I sat at the oth•r. Agatha First sat on Mrs. Arml■tead’s right, next to her sat Vincent, and next to him, Agatha Fourth—the tall, falr-halsed beauty. I have described them at length so that it is not difficult to keep them apart. Next to her. on my left, sat the plump little girl with the blue eyes, Agatha Third. Then on my right—oh, fortunate me! sat my little lady aristocrat, Agatha Sixth, and next to her Agatha Second, her unruly brown curls somewhat subdued, and looking very fetching in a costume of pink and white. I should s have thought that these girls were American bad I not had reason to believe that they were English; there was that breezy simplicity and becomingness about their gowns which seetos to be distinctly American. But I have omitted from my category Agatha Fifth, the Agatha of the hazel eyes. I will not now take time to do justice to her many charms, but shall do so later for reasons which will soon appear. Mrs. Armistead’s secretary, who came in late and slipped into the seat at Mrs. Armistead’s left, completed the number of persons at the table. She was a quiet young woman dressed in a severely simple gown of gray, and her hair, which was done very plainly, was distinctly red in • color. Mrs. Armistead introduced her to us as her secretary, Miss Marsh. The meal was well cooked and beautifully served, and by the time the salad course arrived Vincent and I had lost much of our constraint and selfoonsciousness and were talking and laughing with the best of them. The levity and freedom from the con ven'tlonalities usually observed at a dinner party, in which those girls indulged, was a bit shocking to me, al- > though it did not seem to disconcert Vincent in the least. After dinner our adventure developed its most astonishing feature. At the close of the meal the ladies | arose, and we were invited to remain and smoke some exceptionally fine cigars, but before she left the room the secretary came over to us and in a | low tone told us that, when we had I finished our smoke, Mrs. Armistead desired that we should join her fn the library to discuss business. She—the secretary—would come for us, as we would not know the way. We were amazed. Business? What business could we possibly have with Mrs. Armistead? However, we told

the secretary that we would be happy to join her mistress in the library in about 20 minutes, although, as I said, we hadn’t the wildest idea what we could possibly have to discuss with her. When the secretary withdrew Vincent burst into a flood of excited conjecture. "Are we in a girls’ boarding school, or a lunatic asylum, or what?” he demanded. “I don’t know what to make ot it. it it san asylum then I’m distinctly for lunatics! They’re the most attractive lot I’ve ever seen, but if they’re all sisters why didn’t Papa and Mamma Wyckhoff find different names for ’em? Six Agatbas, and all ‘the honorable’ at that! It’s absurd! But it doesn’t seem to bother them* they call each other ‘Ag,’ and ‘Aggie,’ and ‘Agatha’ just as if it were Rose, or Gwen, or Maud! What do you suppose it all means? My head’s in a whirl!” "My dear fellow,’’ I said, "I have a presentiment that we shall find out what it all means when we join Mrs. Armistead in the library.” And we did. As I have said, my intuitions seldom fail me. The library was a little room at some distance from the dining hall. It was beautifully furnished, like the rest of the house, and a big fireplace took up one side of the room. Before it was a massive armchair, worn and old, as if the barons of Wyckhoff for ages back had sat in it On the large table were some legal-looking papers, and as we entered Mrs. Armistead arose and placed her hgnd upon them. The secretary closed the door and took up her position beside her mistress, while we stood before them? ill at ease and expecting we knew not what. "Gentlemen," began Mrs. Armistead with great gravity, “I am right, am I not, in presuming, that you are candidates for the hand of the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff?’’ Yes, that’s just what she said: “Candidates for the hand of the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff.” It took my breath away, and before I had time to speak and set her right I heard Vincent calmly assuring her that we were candidates! As he had thus rashly committed himself I couldn’t go back on him, so I let him make all the other answers that were necessary. “Then you wish to hear the will?" continued Mrs. Armistead, and Vincent assented. "Read the will,” said Mrs. Armistead to the secretary, and the young lady in gray picked up one of the legal-looking papers. “This is to certify," she began, and read to the finish, while I held my breath, for, when I had heard the whole of that extraordinary document, T was filled with amazement and curl-

osity, not mnmixed with a certain excitement. In brief, the provisions ot this remarkable will ran thus: Fletcher Boyd, stepfather of the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff, had left her his entire fortune of about 120,000,000, provided that she obey the conditions of his will; Should she disregard them the whole sum was to go to the endowment of a Presbyterian hospital at New Bedford, Mass., his native town. The will then went on to say that, wishing to protect the girl, who was not yet 21 years of age, from fortune-hun-ters, her stepfather desired her, at the completion of her education, to secure not less than three, nor more than six, girls from 18 to 23 years of age, each bearing the name of Agatha, who would be willing to live with the Honorable Agatha at her castle in Shropshire near Wye, England, for two years; in return for which they were each to receive a generous monthly stipend, enjoy luxurious lodgings and rich fare, and to live a life of idleness, with ample entertainment. It was further directed that, before the girls left for England, some English lady of rank or position be secured to dwell at Castle Wyckhoff in the capacity of chaperon, in conaideration of a handsome salary, this la<fy to be, preferably, Mrs. Armistead, sister of the real Honorable Agathh’s For the first year after Mr. Boyd’s death the Honorable Agatha was to observe mourniag by not going to London festivities; but during this time she was to b£ permitted to amuse herself and friends by entertaining at the castle any young men of whom the chaperon might approve. Mrs. Armistead (should she be the chaperon secured) was likewise Charged to keep the castle supplied with guests, the best young men that England could boast, as her large acquaintance permitted her to do. Each visitor in the role of suitor for the hand of the Honorable Agatha was limited to six weeks' stay at the castle, as Mr. Boyd considered that length of time sufficient toy him to find out whether he loved any of the Agathas or not and the suitor was not to make his declaration until the very last day of the six weeks allotted him, and,

of course, was limited to one proposal. In the event of any of the young men proposing to any of the Agathas who was not the stepdaughter of Mr. Boyd, the will permitted her to marry him, if she desired, but with the distinct unde.rstandiner that she was not the Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff. In that case Mrs. Armistead was to secure another Agatha, and the girl who desired to marry was to receive a dowry amounting to the full sum of the monthly stipends which she would have received had she remained at the castle for the entire two years. The same provision for her companions was made in the event of the real Agatha’s marriage before the expiration of the time. If any young man proposed to the real Agatha, ignorant of her identity, and she accepted him, she was directed by the will to produce and wear upon the third finger of her left hand the betrothal ring of her mother’s family, a gold ring set with a big cross of emeralds, as proof of her identity as the real Agatha. Mrs. Armistead and all the girls were to be bound by oath not to reveal the identity of the real Agatha, and each of the latter was tn he likewise addressed as

the "Honorable Agatha Wyckhoff,” by suitors and servants, in order to preserve the secret Thia condition could be carried out without fear of recognition by the servant*, as the real Agatha had not been in England since her early childhood. Thus her identity could be easily concealed, and, by this means, if any proposal of marriage were’ made to her it would be from a man whose motives were not mercenary, but purely those of natural affection, which was the stepfather’s object in making the will. \ The will closed with the appointment of executors and trustees and then came the witnesses, the date, and the place of residence. "Then we can stay tn thus bully old place for six weeks,” said Vincent. “Hooray!” He’s such a kid! The secretary smiled at his enthusiasm, and Vincent must have thought her smile very attractive, because he drew aside and began to talk to her in low tones, while I discussed the will with Mrs. Armistead, who seemed perfectly willing to impart whatever information we desired. It was just like Vincent to begin a flirtation with the secretary, just as if there were not six handsome girls of his own station in the castle. But anything feminine will do for him as long as she has a sweet smile or soulful eyes, or some other equally trivial attraction. He'd flirt with Mrs. Armistead herself, I’m sure, if that estimable dame, begging her pardon, would give him a chance. “I am delighted, Mr. Terhune,” said Mrs. Armistead, after we had seated ourselves in the library, “that you and Lord Wilfred have decided to stay with us, and I think it would be well to put off our other visitors who were j to come to us for this six weeks. Ido not believe in having more than two or three young men at once. The time is so very short.” *lt would give us a better chance," I agreed, and she turned toward the secretary, who was evidently in the secret. “My dear,” she said, "as these gentlemen are going to remain with us for six weeks, I think it would be as well If we put off the Percivale brothers Uli the six weeks after that. Will you wire them this evening to that effect?"

"Certainly,” replied Miss Marsh, "I Will see to it immediately, Mrs. Armistead.” At this a thought struck me and I turned to Vincent. “And you had better wire the good people at Darner's farm,” I said, “to Inform them of our change of plan." “Indeed you must,” said Mrs. Arm- . istead, “and, by the way, Mr. Terhune, I if you and Lord Vincent wish, I can provide you with a copy of the will— I it is difficult, I think, to remember all Its conditions.” "Perhaps that’s a good idea,” I answered. ‘lt is certainly an extraordi- ' nary document; and what an extraordinary man this Fletcher Boyd must have been, Mrs. Armistead, to conceive such a plan as that.” Mrs. Armistead laughed. *T think he was,” she said. “I saw my brother-in-law only once in my life, but that was enough to impress me with the strength of the man’s character and his eccentricity. He was intensely American —what they call a ’self-made man* over there, I imagine—and it was his determination that his stepdaughter, the Honorable Agatha, in spite of her English birth, should be educated in America. To this her mother agreed, on condition that she should be allowed to bring her daughter out in England and that she should make that country her home when her schooling had been completed. Accordingly, when Lady Wyckhoff died, the child being about 11 years old, Fletcher Boyd promised his wife to carry out her wishes in that respect A few years later he began the work of building up this old castle of Wyckhoff and putting in every modern convenience, as you see, so that it should be ready for his daughter to live in temporarily, before he established her in London with some good lady to oversee her presentation into society, according to her mother’s ideas.” This was a long speech for the good Mrs. Armistead, and she paused for breath. "I see,” I commented. “He made a ▼ery excellent job of it. Then, as I* understand it, his daughter has never been in England since her early childhood?" “No,” said Mrs. Armistead. “Poor child, it’s practically all new to her. But I mustn’t pity her! The way she and those friends of hers take hold of things passes my understanding." “And where did she find so many attractive girls, each bearing the Christian name of Agatha?” I inquired. “It is an unusual name, and lAhould have thought that part of the wfßdifflcult to fulfill.” "They’re all Americans," replied the accommodating lady—“even my secretary. She was at my niece’s boarding school, apd by my arrangement chaperoned the party of girls on their trip over. When I tnet her she setemed such a bright, capable little thing I engaged her at once for my secretary, as my eyes are bad. As for the Agathas, one of them roomed with’my niece at school, another she met while visiting her friends in holiday time, another she became acquainted with quite by accident on the train, and the others camo in answer to an advertises ment” “Wonderful that so many girls could be found who were all so attractive," I said again. v "They are attractive, aren’t they?” she assented; “and their frocks are pretty, too. I made them get colored things to wear this second year of mourning fgr my brother-in-law. I do so hate to see young girls wearing black, and every article they put on comes from New York city.” "I thought as much," I said. "I thought they seemed more like American than English, girls. *And how

long has your niece been her*?” I asked the last question because I was afraid the conversation was going to stop And I felt that in another moment Mrs. Armistead might inadvertently drop a hint as to the identity of the real Agatha. It was very exciting. “Nearly a year. This is the last six weeks of the second year of mourning, and the first of the two years she is to spend with her girl companions at the castle. You know my brother-in-law disapproved of girls ‘coming out,* as they call it, and placing themselves on the marriage market He’d rather have the young men come to see them in their own homes, so he put off my niece’s presentation as long as he could, hoping she’d be married before that time, I think.” “And have you entertained many young men as yet?” “liy dear man! I should think we had, nearly two dozen at least. And they were too funny, unobtrusively trying to discover which was the girl with the money, although that is really against the spirit of the whole thing, as it is contrary to the object of the will.” At this point I grew rather thoughtful. "Dear, dear!”-she went on, “how cautiously they did go about 'their courtships! They were all after the money, I fear. This is a mercenary world! All girls have received offers, but none of them has accepted." "What hard-hearted misses they must be!” I exclaimed. “Are they all like that in America, I wonder?” And I couldn’t help thinking of that girl I met last summer. “I don’t know, I’m sure," replied Mrs. Armistead. “It’s not like English girls. They’re always ready and willing to marry off whenever their mammas have provided eligible partis for them. But I can understand it in this case. No one of the Agathas is more than 22 years old, and it’s great fun for them, this care-free life at Castle Wyckhoff. They have everything they can possibly want that money can buy—not one of them has ever been in England before, and they are all devoted friends. What wonder that the charm and novelty of their somewhat unusual life have not yet worn off. Really it isn’t strange to .me that no one of them has been able to make up her mind to leave the enchanted castle—though, to b* tire, I think that young Murray Brancepeth very nearly carried off one of our Agathas. She seems to fancy him, and between ourselves I think he’ll win her yet" "And if he does he’ll win the twenty millions with her, I suppose?” I said this coolly, in a matter-of-fact tone, and waited for her denial or acquiescence, successfully concealing my interest in the reply. But she gave me neither; she began to say something, but checked herself suddenly and looked at me admiringly. “You’re a clever man,” she said, instead, “but you can’t get any information out of me. Lota of them have tried, but ft's no use. Besides, it Isn’t fair. I (To be continued.)

AGATHA SECOND.