Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-04-12

LntAb n1h UNtil nONbiho w 0AONo' bAiN
suspicion of his companions or make
them doubt his sincerity. To them he
was the master of the situation, the
grand male creature who had just
proved possession of manhood and
puiSSance TO an unprecedented degree.
They hearkened to him graciouSly,
and treated him with the sub
Tie suggestion Of trust and de-
pendence which is spontaneous with
all womanly women. After little the
talk, inSenSibly guided by Royal, drifted
to serious things, and he told them, as
of strange and ptiful happening, of
his meeting on the train the day before
with poor young fellow, i'll unto death
and in sore trouble. He told how he
! (Royal had noticed him fainting in his
seat, and, being physician, had gone to
him to do what he could, and then had
discovered that the sick stranger had a
claim on his care, being a brother Mason.
He spoke of the interest which this dis
covery had aroused, and of how it had
deepened in view of the others courage
and patience, and how he had been
Obliged to leave him at last in the
strange hotel, without friend or kins-
man near, fighting his battle with the
grim destroyer alone. He made little
story of it, and gave it TO them as simp-
~ as he could, hoping to arouse their
interest and sympathy. And they
asked questions in hushed voices, and
were sorry in sweet imperSonal way,
as women will be over tales of sorrow.
Ibid you find out his name?" Mrs.
Hart inquired.
Royal replied in the Affirmative. That
was the reason he had troubled them
with the story, he explained, thinking
they might help him, perhaps, since
they must spend the night in the very
hotel where the sick man lay. The
nam9 was the same as theirs-Royal.
He might be a kinSman. Who should
say?"
"Might?" repeated Mrs. Hart, her in
tereSt all aname. "Why, of course, he
is a kinSman; he must be. All the
Royals are related, and Virginia is full
of them. How very strange, your meet
ing him that wayi ! wonder to which
branch of the family he can possibly
belong?'
PHYLLIS also manifested interest and
concern about this stranger cousin, rs
She dubbed him. But her mind appear
ed to dwell most on Royals own share
i'm the business, and she whispered sweet
words of commentator in Il low voice
which thrilled through Royal, who had
not sought to produce this effect, and
made him more bitterly conscious than
ever what tangle the matter had be-
come.
Meanwhile Mrs Hart appeared to be
mastering all the Royals, dead and alive,
who had Inhabited the commonwealth
i'm the past or were inhabiting it in the
present, in her efforts to satisfactorily
place this new Royal.
you don't know his Chr stian name,
| SUPPOSED" she observed, and then
saved him from dilemma by answering
herself, NO, of course you wouldn't
think to INQUIRE at time like that, and
in such a hurry as you must have been,
too. Still, wish l knew it. a Chris
tian name nearly always locates the
branch. It's apt to give an intermar-
rage"
After a moment of reflection. during
which she fastened this scion 10 every
Virginia root of the Royal tree and
plucked it away again. she continued,
meditatiyely:
There was Royal who went west
when | was child. His name was
Philip. which is a family name in both
gehders. He married Pauline Hart, a
first cousin of my husbands, and sis
ter of that very John Hart to whom
Anne Royal was engaged. | wonder if
this Young man could be Phil Royals
son, You must find out, John, because if
he should be he is doubly related to you
TWO. and also close connection of my
own. How strange and romantic IT
would be, Just think Of it, Phyllis!
| The nephew of your aunt'S old lover,
and for John to have met-nay, more,
to have befriended-him on his way to
be married to you on the iiftieth ami
yersary of that which was TO have been
Anne's own wedding day TO John Hart.
| never in my life heard anything like
! it,
Nor had Royal He had wondered
why such stress had been put on the
18th of December. He understood it
now for a woman's sentiment about the
day which was to have crowned her own
love story with fruition. As much
trouble as this sentiment had already
caused him, and was likely to cause him
in the future. he had no impulse to
mock at it. He was too real a man to
be devoid Of reverence for romance.
When they piled him still with ques-
tions he said that he did not believe
that the sick man came from the west;
he was convinced that he must be ma
tiye-born Virginiant A whimsical
thought would Obtrude itself relative to
the greatness of their bewilderment
when they should be confronted with
the necessity for tranSposing his iden'
tity with that of the other John Royal.
He himself was the son Of Philip Royal
and Pauline Hart.
When they reached their destination
ROYAL hurried them TO the hotel, Sc
cured rooms and established them com
fortablv. Then he left them to sec
after his patient, he said, and to attend
10 other matters. Mrs. Hart followed
him into the corridor TO say that II
there should be any service for the SICK
man which she could perform, he must
not fail to let her know, and both ladies
babe him send them news of the poor
fellows condition.
ROYAL walked down the corridor with
a step quickened by anxiety. He had
/ hurried the ladies' in, not daring to
make inquiries in the Office nor to in
terrogate tAe servant. The hotel peo-
ple were aware that he had gone for
The sick mans friends He had him
self informed the proprietor Of his in
tention. explaining the impossibility OF
Immediate communication with them
by telegraph. The ladies under his
charge would be received as appertain-
ing to John Royal.