San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-03
the family lie cal poso DIV bel5lg

to dwell most on Royals own share in the
business, and she whispered sweet words
of commentator in a low voice which
thrilled through Royal, who hal not
sought to produce this effect, and made
him more bitterly conscious than ever
what a tangle the matter had become.
Meanwhile Mrs. Hart appeared to be
mastering all the Royals, dead and alive,
who had inhabited the commonwealth
in the past or were inhabiting it in the
present, in her efforts to satisfactorily
place this new Royal.
lyon don't know his Christian name,
| SUPPOSE she observed, and then saved
him from a dilemma by answering her
self, mo, of course you wouldn't think
to inquire at a time like that, and in
such a hurry as you must have been, too.
Still, l wish l knew it. A Christian
name nearly always locates the branch.
It's apt to give an intermarriage."
After a moment of reflection, during
which she fastened this scion to every
Virginia root of the Royal tree md
plIcked it away again, she continued
N htatively:
There was a Royal who went west
wen | was a child. His name was
PlLlip, which is a family name in both
g1nders. He married Pauline Hart, q
first cousin Of my husbands, and a 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 a 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 fiftieth ami
versary of that which was to have been
Anne's own wedding day to John Hart!
l 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 wa to have crowned her own
love story with fruition. Asmuch trou-
BILE as this sentiment had already caused
him, and was likely to cause him in the
future, he had no impulse to mock at 1t.
He was too real u man to be devoid of
reverence for romance.
When they piled him still with ques-
tons he said that he did not believe that
the sick man came from the west; he
vas convinced that he must be a native
born Virginian. a whimsical thought
would obtrude itself relative to the
greatness Of their bewildermept when
they should be confronted with the ne
cessity for Transporting his identity with
that of the other John Royal, He him
self was the son of Philip Royal and
Pauline Hart.
When they reached their destination
Royal hurried them to the hotel, secured
rooms and established them comforta-
bly,. Then he left them to see after his
patient, he said, and to attend to other
matters. Mrs. Hart followed him into
the corridor to say that if 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 con-
dition.
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 interrogate
the servant. The hotel people were
aware that he had gone for the sick
mans friends. He had himself informed
the proprietor of his intention, explain
ing the inpossibility of immediate COM
munication with them by telegraph.
The ladies under his charge would be
received Is appertaining to John Royal.
At the door Of the sick room he paused
to compose his c~ountanance, and TO shake
off, il possible, the WEAKNESS which OPP
pressed him. Then he opened it and On
tered.
The shutters had been closed and
there was no fire IN the CRATE. The out
side air entered freely, but it could not
dispel the strange odors in the room;
about the place there was a look or neat
that was unmistakable; every chair
was in place, and the white covering of
the bed hung straight and smooth over
the sharp outlines of that which lay be-
meath.
Royal crossed the room and folded
back the sheet from the dead mans face.
1t was very peaceful, with all the lines of
care and pain smoothed out, and that
strange reflection of a light that never
was on land or sea touching and bright
ening the still features into a look of
youth, a look of hope. Royal replaced
the covering with a pain at his heart
which his brief acquaintance with the