The herald., 1898-04-24

| He glanced at her face; her eyes had
opened with look of wonder in Them
such as would appear on awakening in
strange room.
She was now breathing regularly as
child, and the flush of returning con-
scousness was stealing into her cheeks
He released her hand, and rose be-
| fore she had become sufficiently
aroused to realize her surroundings.
At length, after her eyes--like those
of one recovering from an illness-had
wandered several times round the
room, without comment, resting on and
then returning again and again to some
familiar object which afforded a clue
to lost memory, she said, in low,
weak voice:
Where am T? Who are these peo-
pie? Where have I been?"
Her mother was bending over her.
"You have been ill, darling, that is ALL
she said. You are better now, how
ever, but you must keep quiet"
After a moment Ethel said: THE
| light is so strong, draw the blinds,
please. I am so sleepy. Cover me with
something, for 1 am chilly. Why ever
have I on this dress in the morning.
she suddenly exclaimed; but before her
mother could think of an answer, her
eyelids had closed, and she had fallen
peacefully asleep.
1t was about three o'clock when Mr..
Valance reached the art and Letters"
in Pail Mall, and the newsboys were
already coming westward from Fleet
street and the Strand with the earlier
editions of the evening papers.
In the smoking room there was moth
ing but hand-shakes and congratula-
tions from all sides, for he was a par
ticularly popular member.
In one of the chairs near a window,
Mr.. Valance espied Hillield, who
started up with a flush of pleasure up
on his face.
He had his arm still in a sling. but
he had been able to get his coat on
properly; and he laughingly bemoaned
the sling as an awful nuisance, worn
more as gentle reminder not to use
his arm than anything else.
I'm very glad to see you, Hillfield,"
said Mr.. Valance. '"The message
brought back was that you were much
better but 1 had no idea you'd be out
and about again so soon"
"Oh, it wasn't much. thank you, sir,
mere flesh cut. But let me say how
awfully pleased I was to hear the news
from Mr.. Manvers."
Yes, it's a great relief" responded
the other; mo one could regret more
than we all do that unfortunate affair.
1t will be a very long time before any
of us forget it,
Hillfield muttered something rather
awkwardly about mot mentioning it,"
and returned to the subject of Ethel's s
recovery.
II hear Grant had a great deal to do
with it," he said.
Mr.. Valance replied, looking at him
all the while: Yes, everything to do
with it,
AS Grant had nothing to do the next
afternoon of an important nature, he
decided during lunch to call at the
Vallances before going to the Par
nassus" or art and Letters" for din
ner.
mo, I won't come in," he remarked
to Johns, who opened the door. II only
came round to ask how Miss Valance
was. How is she?"
Much better, sir thank you. But
beggin' your pardon, Mr.. Grant, I was
nearly forgettir' to tell you that if you
should call was to say that Mr.. Val
lance wanted to see you pertcler, very
perticler, I may say. SIR
VERY we'll, Johns,' said Grant "I'll
come in
When Grant entered the library Mr..
Valance was seated in deep arm
chair which nearly hid him.
He was fine handsome man, with
gray eyes, which were keen and bright
but also kind in expression. His hair
was turning gray, and it suited his
clean-shaven, intellectual face better
even than formerly when it was jet
black. His brow was singularly smooth
for one who had hard-worked an active
brain; he was tall and upright, except
for a slight dropping of the shoulders
a students stoop.
Mr.. Valance had always liked the
young scientist, which--considering the
latter was beginning to realize that he
loved Ethel Valance better than fame
or fortune, or indeed anything else
was fortunate.
When the two men were seated CON-
fortably opposite one another, the elder
remarked:
II thought you'd look in, or I should
have sent down to your rooms. 1
wanted to tell you how deeply grateful
both Of us are for all you have done
When q man has an only daughter,
and she a good and-yes, 1 don't see
why I shouldn't say it-clever and
beautiful one, he has a very tender
place in his heart for her. We owe a
great deal to you. and fear our thanks
yesterday were very fragmentary and
inadequate. But you will understand
that neither my wife nor myself were
quite ourselves; the removal of the
strain proved a somewhat bewildering
relief
Grant was representative just then,
and the hot blood struggled into his
face. He simply said
You make far too much of what
was able to do, Mr.. Valance; besides,
after all, it was done in a blind, unsat-
sfactory sort of way, the mere appli-
cation of knowledge acquired in a
dream, adding with laugh) if
thanks are due to any one, surely the
visionary woman of my hallucination,
or trance, is the person to receive
them"
You're too modest" replied Mr.. Val
lance, smiling, but, fortunately, you
that point; least of all Ethel and my
wife"
The mention of Ethels gratitude
somehow struck chill to his heart,
for in that very gratitude his over
keen sense of honor saw a barrier to
his happiness. In a minute he had rea-