The Argosy, Vol. 65

# Colonel Fane's Secret by Sydney Hopkes

This serial installment depicts the death of Colonel Fane and its aftermath. Chapter X shows Vera's anxiety when her punctual father fails to return to their London lodgings for dinner. After an agonizing night, she learns he suffered a seizure at a hotel and died at the hospital. Upon examining his desk, Vera discovers a sealed letter revealing astonishing family secrets: her mother was the daughter of Lord Seagrove and was miraculously revived after apparent death. The Colonel married her in secret, and they lived abroad before settling in Jersey. Vera learns she has aristocratic connections through her uncle, the current Lord Seagrove, and her cousin, the Hon. Tom Colborne. Chapter XI shows Vera resolving never to claim this relationship unless necessity forces her, while confronting her precarious financial situation following her father's death.