The Irish standard., 1900-02-03

tice that the term of his possession had
expired, leaving The income from the
estate, as deposited for him by the trus-
tees, to accumulate for the future pur-
chase.
Life actually Began to assume for him
a certain degree of serenity. He read
of the sudden death of Mrs. Raymond in
the far west, and honestly felt sorry
for her husband; but little later the
serenity was sadly and suddenly dis
turbed by confession from client
for whom he had been doing some char
ity work in the courts.
In his own rough way the fellow tried
to return the favor which Stanton had
been doing him by confessing that.
some years before, he was in charge of
the furnaces of a hotel when, late one
night, guest called him up to his room,
showed him a man helplessly drunk,
gave him $50 and a glass of brandy
and secured his services in carrying out
little joke. The joke consisted in TAX
ing the man to the engine room, COW
A4AAAA WAN oAA t1uu lluS
him generally, then taking him in a
carriage to certain address and leav-
ing him in the hands of the master of
the house, with the message that he
had been dragged out of a fight in a low
dance hall and had given that number
when asked where he should be taken.
"And you was him, an done it," the
man calculated, coming laboriously to
the end.
Not muscle of the lawyers face
moved till he had locked the door be-
hind his penitent client. Then, with his
fists clenched and crowded into his
pockets for safe keeping, he walked
slowly up and down the room.
For the first time in his life he knew
what er-hatred-meant.
If Richard Raymond had come into
his office he would have killed him.
A new sentiment had taken such en-
tire possession of him that for time
he had absolutely no control over him
self, and the only good fortune of it was
that he fully realized the fact.
He walked and walked and struggled
with himself for hours before he dared
unlock that door. At length the anger
was driven into his heart, but it only
waited-a most disagreeable compan-
ion-waited for it's victim.
Late in the fall he saw him, for the
first time, walking slowly Oh the oppo-
site side of Broadway.
With his fists clenched, his heart
throbbing, his teeth ground hard
against each other, Stanton ran across
the street.
lie was utterly unconscious of what
he even wished to do when they should
meet; but they did not meet. Ray
mond was nowhere to be seen when he
reached the pavement. lie was glad of
it afterwards.
broadway would have been a bad
place to do anything" he muttered, as
he walked away; and thcreupon he
asked himself, for the first time, what
it was that he proposed to do. 70 his
surprise he found the solution extreme.
ly difficult.
1t was still unsettled when, a few
weeks later, he walked up the stone
steps of his home late in the afternoon
to find Sam waiting at the door.
Sam had grown gray in the service
of two generations, and was more close.
ly identified with that house than the
young master, in his own estimation
at least.
His face was even whittier than his
hair as he labored through the infor
nation that an officer had invaded the
sacred library and had calmly taken
possession of everything in the name
of new heir.
"lt's only matter of form, Sam
Stanton remarked. II had forgotten it
but this is the day that my rights ex.
pire. 1 shall purchase this house, how.
ever, and everything will go on as
| usual"
He waited moment in the hall, tc
calm himself, for in spite of his prear
ranged plans there was something
either in the suddenness of the an
nouncement or the manner of it, which
disturbed him. 1t was the one spot in
the world that was dear TO him; the
one place he loved; the one corner he
held sacred. 1t was invaded by an of
fcer, another, who for the moment, al
least, had an undeniable right.
He entered the library. A man rose
and handed him legal document.
He turned to the light and opened it
One instant his eyes rested upon the
paper. Then it fell from his hands.
For a moment he stood there, motion.
less; then, leaving the paper on the
floor, he turned from the library with.
out IL word, left the house, and like q
drunken man staggered down the
street.