He must
have thought better of this decision afterward, for he gave me a year to
decide whether or not I would obey him. At the end of that time, he
declared, I would become either a pauper or his heir, at my option.
"It was during this year that I formed the acquaintance of your niece,
Miss Merrick, and grew to love her devotedly. Louise returned my
affection, but her mother, learning of my quarrel with my father,
refused to sanction our engagement until I was acknowledged his heir. I
was forbidden her house, but naturally we met elsewhere, and when I knew
she was going to Europe with you, sir, who had never seen me, we hit
upon what we thought was a happy and innocent plan to avoid the long
separation. I decided to go to Europe also, and without you or your
other nieces suspecting, my identity, attach myself to your party and
enjoy the society of Louise while she remained abroad. So I followed
you on the next ship and met you at Sorrento, where I introduced myself
as Count Ferralti--a name we had agreed I should assume before we parted
in America.
"The rest of my story you know. My father was killed in an accident on
his own railroad, and I received the news while we were prisoners of the
brigand, whom I discovered to be my uncle, but who had no mercy upon me
because of the relationship. To-night, on my return here, I found a
letter from my father's attorney, forwarded from my bankers in Paris.
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