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

iidu dsceTt8lneu tne Llf06 nXeQ on the eXpc
dltion would not obige her to hurry.
1t was only when they reached the terrace
and saw Howard standing outside the house
looking toward them, that she found courage to
say:
Il hope 1t is really letters that keep you at
home to-day. not any indispositlon3"
mo, thank you, am all right" said Gerard
deliberately, land the letters are not pOeticai
fiction, for once. You will see some country In
your drive to-day more like your Welsh scenery
than is usual with us. so hope it will get the
seal OF your appreciation"
Howard was waiting for them. watch In hand
and challenged Lady Violet's punctuality to be
ready at the given time. She promised conpli-
ance, and left them with an aching heart, both
brothers turning to watch her graceful figure as
she passed into the Hail.
Do what he would, Howard could not fail to
recognize Gerard as an equal and that he felt
his brother in reality his superior was perhaps
the reason he did not oftener seek his society
and confidence. Now, however, he was just
enough provoked at Lady ViOlet's DELAY to
welcome to the nearer. That lesurely walk
along the terrace had looked more satisfactory
than it really had been.
'Shall you congratulate me, Gerard" he
asked, twlrl!ng a geranium leaf between his
fingers. to affect Indifference, ''if prove sue
cessful In that tair quarter, and present you all
with slster-in-law?"
You would certainly be in position to
merit very much cOngratulatiOn." said Gerard
coolly. "DO you think your chances then SO
good?"
''Well. perhaps it is premature as yet to talk
of them with the manner and smile that insin-
nate much, ''but grant that am not quite
hopeless"
The two men faced and eyed each other with
out hnching and a handsoner pair OF brothers
could rarely be seen, although those who once
staked their faith for the blue eyes would never
cOndescend again to the black.
"You have made a choice that would do any
man credit said Gerard whatever the result
may be. Perhaps. as you say, it would be pre-
mature yet to prophesy about that"
They parted, and Howard was soon urging
his pretty horses along the park with Lady Vio-
let at his side, while Gerard sat at his desk and
steadily wrote letter that did indeed SAVIOR less
OF fiction than of fact. Once he paused in his
writing. and while he caressed that heavy NOUS
tache of his unconsciOusly with his hand gazed
out Of the window and dreamed and hoped and
wooed and won in fancy all against his better
Judgment and conscious intention. Along
distant stretch of the road commanded by his
window the carriages went gayly on their way.
Towards tandem led the way; on the seat be-
side him was a lady Gerard bent his head over
his desk again. and wrote his letter to the end
without a second pause.
Two evenings later the family had dispersed
for the night, and when JudsOn came to barri-
cade the hall door, on the steps outside were
Gerard and Lionel, and the former, taking on
himself to fulfill that office, dismissed the old
man with kindly good night
Gerard leaned against pillar. while Lionel
measured his length in an easy attitude across
the steps. and the perfume of their cigars made
the night fragrant. The day had been unusually
warm for September, making the cool darkness
more refreshing now. and the sky was thickly
studded with stars. When earth fails. it natu-
rally draws us to look to heaven. The brothers
gaZed upward as intently as any saint or astron-
HOY 1nnly nl
shooting star-that most pathetic break in the
calm and majesty of the heayens-passed half
across the sky before them and melted into the
blue
There you 60" said Lionel not too poet
ically. vanished like my hopes luckless sutton
that | ami
q As brief perhaps but rather more bright,
imagine, than those hopes could have been at
any time" returned Gerard. Never mind
Lionel, 1t Is good sign to aim high for the first
love"
First indeed" said Lionel "Likely story
that, at twenty. l should not care 80 much if
Howard would but let her alone. | wish YOU
had gone in yourself to win her, Gerard she is
much too good for him; but you are different
and believe she likes you best of the lot Of US,
after ALL
- Rather moot point, should say" said
Gerard, 80 we will put 1t aside. if you have no
objection, for another. Lionel. has it never
struck you we are one too many here some
times?"
- AS how, for instance?" said Lionel
"Wel we thin our woods" said Gerard, tto
give fresh development to the trees that remain,
and it might be wise for us brothers to take a
hint from the notion. Three of us very often as
1t Is do the work of two, and two of one, and
the upshOt of 1t is am going away
'GCing away" exclaimed Lionel, sitting up
right In his surprise, and trying vainly to scan
his brothers face in the uncertain light, "You
OF ali people, Gerard, whom none Of us wish to
spare. What do you mean?"
you know about this expedition Of Lord AS
to Egypt" answered Gerard quietly. "He
wanted kind OF upper secretary sagacOus adj
wiser, and highly-gifted companion, so fancied
the post would suit my style of genius In
short. may as we'll tell you at once it is all ar
ranged between us. and as he is very good fel-
low and we always get on together. 1 fancy
shall enjoy the expedition exceedingly"
But Gerard" said Lionel. in a voice from
which all POPULARITY had subsidized, "they say that
expedition will stay out two or three years at
the very least"
81 know it," said Gerard, "and that is partly
the reason ain going. There Is such remon-
STRANGE in your tone, my dear boy, that it forces
me to speak more frankly. AS my health now
stands, do not believe my life is worth six
months purchase from this moment, but a COM
plete change Of some years to such climate as
Egypt might prolong my valuable life indefinite
ly, and one has even heard Of marvellous cures
efected there. 1t will be worth putting it to
the test whether to live or die, i suppose. and
either way no great harm can come of it."
mo great harm." calculated Lionel :'For
you to go away for years, taking all the bright
ness from here with one fell swoop"-hs voice
broke there for moment-'exillng Yourself
with strangers in foreign land, there to fight it
out alone with life or DEATH Gerard do YOU
want to break my hearth
And Lionel flung his unfinished cigar from him
to fall wherever 1t listed.
There is no need to draw the picture so
darkly,, said Gerard with determined cheerful
ness.
1.-The doctors, here as you know. emulate
each other in their incapacty to set me right
ana III this chance succeeds--as why should il
not!-you would grant 1t worth the trial. But
take the other alternative, and what then?
What can it matter whether we say good-by a
little sooner or little later? We are not senti-
menta!ists. Our faith and affections as brothers
need to be no tirmcr than now RELY on YOU
never to give me cause t. feel less confidence in
meeting than now in parting from you. and
think yon may rely equally on me- The rest is
not In our hands, and if our parting were to be
this night, We might go far before finding a
more fitting moment"
Not word came from Lionel for some mo-
ments Them
You are going very soon, Gerard?" said
he, while sudden mist seemed to him to OBJ
scure the brilliant throbbing OF those stars
above