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

and a narrow circle that have owned him and
Claimed his services, and is he less great for
that ]"
The Egyptian expedition had indeed hurried
forward Its movements. In few days Gerard
reappeared to take leave, and the occasion was
marked oy that regret and hurry, banking Of
desire and impotence of speech, that seem in
separable to partings that strike deeply
IL was remarked by all that Gerard looked
worn and white: but he said it was only from
the overwork Incident to this forced march on
Lord As part.
And Lady Violet was aware She had never
realized what misery meant until to-day. Not
WORD OF Glanirwon; OF moonlight memories in
the past or meetings in the future. He was
going. and even simplest words of sympathy
were frozen on her lips. He was gone. and she
had only hurried forth at the last the things she
cared least to say. Time and the hour tortured
her until the solace of night was gained. Then.
sleepless and despairing she gagged again and
again the bitter result of a time that had prom
ised SO fairly. Lionel would undertake I'M
possible things Tor my sake" she murmured.
Howard surely wants me to be his wife; Ger
ard goes away without word. to die in dist
ant country
And next day. in good truth. Howard laid
himself and his prospects, figuratively speaking
at her feet. and never had the magnificent one
through all his prosperous career been more
taken aback than BY the very distinct refusal he
met with from Lady Violet
SO time went on, and before six months were
over, Gerard, true to his presentiment was
struggling for life with the disease that how
ever often bafiied before, seemed doomed to con-
Quer now
The result from the first seemed hopeless: his
hold on life was almost gone, and though he
the doctors had predicted they said it was bnt
the last grip of vitality so remarkably strong in
some constitutions, and that recovery was all
but impossible.
-, When the patient still lived on, they modified
this opinion to certain extent - He might
lingeT for WHILE" they said: and 80 far their
sagaclty was Justified by the event. But the
uttie while grew into long while, and Gerard
mad made unquestonable advances toward re-
Covery.
The solons around him were puzzled; they
were, indeed, wholly out of their reckoning:
out, TO 90 them Justice, they were even yet more
picased, for Gerard, at home and abroad, and
Ill or well, had the mysterious gift of winning
hearts The tenderest care was lavished on him
10y the strange attendants round, and by his
friend Lord A.
When at length he rose from that sick bed. it
was with very uncertain hold on any earthly
iuture ana 1t seemed scarcely worth while to
traverse the weary stages of convalescence with
the enemy still SO near With many back
sliding, with many checks, the stages we're. how
ever, Travelled, until Gerard was at last as we'll
as he had been when leaving England. And
tnen what was this that the doctors began to
hlnt ABOUT, and at last so openly predict-this
that his own opinion began to confirm in a res
olute way that was indeed new?
They began, these good men. with smiles. in
stantly qualified by warning shakes Of the head,
TO say that, with care, with fair trial of the
benefits of the Egyptian climate. and their own
most sklllful treatment. Gerard might yet live
TO DE older than any of Them and enjoy health
Tar better than he had known before Gerard
himself, who had SO often faced death calmly
could not quickly trust his voice to thank those
tnat brought him now the message of life-life
with its renewed hopes and possibilities, its
WONDERFUL God-given opportunities. Its glamour
and its 10y. There are some natures and these
not the least noble, whom JOY breaks down as
lIl-lortune never yet had power to do. who will
meet the one With undauptcd courage and calm
front, the other with bowed knee and with head
abased.
Gerard's own heart knew best why he valued
TINS boon OF life so highly, but he was slow to
believe in its possession. and the doctors had no
difficulty in persuadng him to lengthen his
stay IN Egypt as long as prudence required.
Until their unanimous voices had again and
again ratified that hope that they had given
him, until prudence itself had no further pre-
cautions to urge, Gerard remained In Egypt,
then, fleet as greyhound released from the
SIPS he took his way nOrthWard and home
ward
Not much was changed there One sister
had married. Ted was Otter-huntinp in Wales
Lioners coveted moustache had come He had
managed to get away from his work to meet
his favOrite brother on his landing and bear him
back in triumph to Dangerfed Park; and that
reunion, so little hoped for, left nothing on Lio-
nefs side to be desired; little on Gerards either.
only that his desire now was to go forward
his home was only hating pace, and no Ion
ger goal. Such changes are the inevitable
work of years, but large natures such as his do
not torsake the old for the new. but rather ex-
pand themselves until they take in both alike
no Of
rings. They talked together again under the
stars. Gerard and Lionel, with undated conf
dence and brighter hopes, and they spoke Of
Lady Violet kneller. Lionel had not a little to
tell OF trif1es connected with that be for
gotten visit long ago. In spite of his moustache
his face was as bOyish and sunshiny as ever;
but, for all that, Lionel was shrewd observer
and drew his conclusions sometimes with re-
markable nicely. There was not much. per-
haps, that was notable in what he said, for
Lionel had tact and Gerard listened almost In
silence and with little comment
only when the two brothers stood side by side
On the hall steps, before parting for the night
said Gerard to LiOnel 81 am going tomorrow
down to Wales, to look for Ted and the otter
hounds. 1t was chiefly for that express purpose
came back to England"
Il hope you will find them. then, with all nv
heart, said Lionel; and both laughed signif-
cantly and knew they were speaking in para
bles well understood.
1>CAC uaS Ddluy WdS d uVClC Der
turbed at Gerard's intentions, and thought it
great folly on his part to expose his newly-re-
covered health to the risks consequent on otter
hunting; but Gerard assured her that he would
observe every caution, and kept his word, since,
though he went down to Wales that afternoon
Ted and the Otter-hounds beheld him not
Lady Violet had not married In the wears that
had passed since his departure. She had tried
to forget certain fine face with its military set
of head and heavy moustache, since she found
it barred the way against all fresh interestsaHd
loves that came near her. She had tried to be
resigned to the expected news Of a death in a
far country with which her life would have no
ostensible connection but in neither effort did
she meet with much success-With low little
indeed she only realized when Gerard DANDY
walked once more at her size through the river
mists and under the deer haunted oaks of Clan
irWOn.
What he told her there what he asked and
what she ansH cred. need not be specified here
Herne the Hunter heard it perhaps and the
river gods and Pan-but they keep such secrets
safely and only hint at them i'll the sweet muir
muir of water and rustic of bough down i'm
Wales. Anyhow. Gerard and Violet were mar
ried after avery brief engagement, and somehow
no one who knew the bridegroom ever insinuated
that interested motives had led him to seek for
fha hn,,,l 81 h., b,,;r or