Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
Merrick effectually aroused
him.
"I've only one fault to find with this young man," was the observation
referred to: "that he made our acquaintance under false pretenses. When
a fairly decent fellow becomes an impostor there is usually reason for
it, and I would like Count Ferralti--or whatever his name is--to give us
that reason and make a clean breast of his deception."
Ferralti bowed, with a serious face, but looked significantly toward the
other members of the company.
"Whatever you have to say should be heard by all," declared Uncle John,
answering the look.
"Perhaps you are right, Mr. Merrick, and all present are entitled to an
explanation," answered the young man, slowly. "I may have been foolish,
but I believe I have done nothing that I need be ashamed of.
Fortunately, there is now no further reason for concealment on my part,
and in listening to my explanation I hope you will be as considerate as
possible."
They were attentive enough, by this time, and every eye was turned, not
unkindly, upon the youth who had so long been an enigma to them
all--except, perhaps, to Louise.
"I am an American by birth, and my name is Arthur Weldon."
In the pause that followed Uncle John gave a soft whistle and Patsy
laughed outright, to the undisguised indignation of Louise.
"Years ago," resumed the youth, "my father, who was a rich man, made a
trip to Sicily and, although I did not know this until recently, was
seized by brigands and imprisoned in the hidden valley we have just
left. There he fell in love with a beautiful girl who was the daughter
of the female brigand known as the Duchess of Alcanta, and who assisted
him to escape and then married him. It was a pretty romance at the time,
but when my father had taken his bride home to New York and became
immersed in the details of his business, his love grew cold and he began
to neglect his wife cruelly. He became a railway president and amassed
a great fortune, but was not so successful a husband as he was a
financier.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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