Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-11

I commanding OF mlen. HOWARD the maRnlll-
cent was further endowed with good address
and welcomed Lady Violet with some empresse-
| ment. In lively and agreeable manner the talk
/ flowed on. and few ladies would have been In
! sensible to the concern displayed by such a
handsome man as Howard for the due enjoy
/ ment of his guests
what. had they not gone to the polo match
! at @. nor taken her yet to Ivy Cross Abbey,
| the great lion of the neghborhoOd? Why. what
/ had they all been about? The last omission
must be rectifed forthwith aud what day should
! they choose for iti'
Where are you off to, Gerard?" said his sister
! Ethel. You must be tired after your walk
| and tea will be out directly"
None for me. thanks" said Gerard. 81 have
got to be at the stables for half an hour or So
and he strOed off i'm that direction.
Quite two hours later he was returning along
the strawberries when he was met and joined by
Lionel, a fair young picture to look on fresh as
morning itself, and without suspicion on his
estly coveted to see there. The brothers walked
on in silence for few moments, and then Ge-
rard said:
''Prithee, why so mute. young lover?"
" As well mute as anything else" returned
Lionel. land think the world is just the most
disgusting. disappointing piece Of humbug that
ever was
(Which. being interpreted, MEANS" said
Gerard. "'And Ahab the King, slept with his
| fathers. and Ahaziah, his son, reigned in his
stead"
Exactly So" said Lionel, smiling. "and l
dare say should not care much only that How
ard always ,ciH come King AhaZiah 80 awfully
| strong. 1t rifles fellow So
well, my son." said Gerard "as far as your
chances in the desired quarter are concerned
fancy 1t does not matter much whether he is here
or not. and it is always well to face the inevi-
table"
"Oh. / amnOt saying my chances were hopeful,
and for that matter" he added grandly, lit IL
an open question whether | should have cared
to tie myself down SO early"
Here came dersive laugh from his brother
which he had some difficulty in not joining.
But what say is, who was to think of How
ard turning up just now? We have had an aw-
fully jolly time OF it, and none of us wanted a
Change, not she or any one, said Lionel dis
carding nominatiye," land it will all 90 to the
dogs now. When fellow says he is in Scotland
shooting grouse, why cannot he stag there, and
behanged to him.
What brought him down." said Gerard
"Did you hear?'
''He said he came as soon as he heard Lady
Violet settled to stay on said Lionel; docs he
think 10 one is fit to entertain her but him
self: She has done very well without him, it
strikes me-"
ard is looking out for, remarked Gerard coolly.
1T Is not impossible you may have her as sis
ter-in-aw, If that will please you. You had bet
ter bear it in mind. and as for Howard he has
only acted very naturally, and much as you or
might have done in his place There GOES the
dressing gong. We are just in time Cheer up.
Lionel, my boy, all is not over yet"
Gerard" said Lionel, throwing an impul-
sive hand on his brothers shoulder as they
turned into the house. 'Il be hanged if do
not think you are the best fellow i'm the world.
You make me friends with myself and every one
else when would defy the Archbishop of Can
terbury to do it otherwise. Here JudSOn." to
the butler in the hall. officiating at the gong,
stop that old tOm-tOm of yours this minute. or
Ill" and as finish to the sentence he threa-
tened the man with his cricketing cap. just
taken OFF and now rolled into bail.
For all reply. JudsOn bestowed on him a
fatherly smile of indulgence, and looked affec-
tionately after the two fine young men as they
mounted the staircase. for, while he believed
greatly in all the house of Dandy, Gerard and
Lionel were his especial fayOrites.
Hard it is to stay the fleeting perfume OF q
violet. and not less difficult to keep an atmos-
phefe serene into which a disturbing element
has entered. 1t was even as Lionel had feared
and Lady Vic ct kneler's visit did not go on as
brightly nor give such universal satisfaction as
before the arrival of Howard. 1t came about as
naturally as water finding its own level. Almost
insensby. and on the very first evening, the
large party that had usually stayed long and
late around the piano deserted first by
one. and then another, until only Lady Violet
and Howard were left there in possession. So
IL W as III Walking. ui1SIi1g-eSeTNCUlE1 Itat De-
fell on the next day and the next. 1t seemed
to Howard only in the right and natural order
OF things that the best of everything should be
the undisputed, aye, and the undivided portion
of Howard Dandy, Esquire, and that with
second fddles and half loaves his brothers
should be more than content.
Gerard had quickly OWNED that Towards
eagerness to return home ere Lady ViOlet's
visit should progress further held meaning
within it, and the hours were not slow In con-
frming his opinion. Whatever was going for
ward Ivy Cross Abbey or tennis, or dance
Howards place was ever at Lady Violets side,
and his most dazzling gifts and graces displayed
for her edificatiOn.
1t is not easy to decline the attentions Of
host, and lover has trump card put into his
hand when he wooes in that capacity. Courtesy
laid its trammels on Lady Violet and made her
Towards companion in drag or dance OF din
ner, when choice would have led her far a-feld
and it was the less easy to escape from the trap
gathering round her that, from force Of family
traditions or other causes no one of the other
brothers came forward to interfere with How
ards right. There was one who feared not
Howard one iOta, and felt that power within
him that justifes courage and arms for any
combat. but Gerard was deferred by other mo-
tives from seeking Lady Violet's preference for
himself.
That malady which had haunted all his pre-
viOus career stood now like barrier between
him and the path that inclination would have
made him follow. Even now, and, as 1t seemed
to him. accelerated by Towards return. some
premonitOry symptoms he had learned well to
understand were warning him that another
struggle for life might not unlikely be at hand
whose issue no one could foresee The slight
estimation In which he held his own powers Of
attraction made him singularly blind to the dan
ger he ran while cOnceang his own love- of
cruelty wOunding that Of another; and 80, as
the days went on, he retrained more and more
from Joining in what was going forward, or
seeking Lady Violet as he had done at first
One day. at luncheon an expedition for the
afternoon was being discussed. and difficulty
arose to find seats in the carriages for all the
party.
Put me out of your calculations said &C.
rard; that will simplify matters. l must stay
at home to-day"
"Ah. that will set it all straight" said How
ard Il suppose you have been OVERRIDING your
self, Gerard, and are seedy again. So YOU are
quite right, old fellow, to stay where you
are
IL have letters to see to-" replied Gerard,
going on with his task of balancing biscuits
with great nicely on his settlers nose: but one
at the table noticed with yearning at her
heart not easily endured that there was I'M
wonted pallor to-day in Gerard's face. His
speech she observed was not frequent, for all
that he kept up his usual bantering tone toward
Lionel and others. and he stroled away out