The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-07-13

z
aid his hauG shes dying With impa-
thence. She wanted to drive out to
meet you on the road. but made her
wait. Did you ever hear Of the like?"
Ronald wanted to say that he was
still in the dark, but his host was loud
ly calling to a groom a1d waving his
hand towards the horse. just then our
hero saw Mrs. Lancaster standing IL
the doorway and wildly motioning
him TO approach. Leaving the lame
man to get up the steps as best he could,
Ronald assembled TO the woman, who
stood both hands outstretched, her dis
tended eyes boring into his own.
"Oh. don't you know yet?" she ques-
toned, as she read his blank face,
"can't you guess the truth ?" She wrung
bis hand and stepped backward to the
door of the drawing-room asifto draw
him away from all eyes save her own.
'Mr Redding told me-" he began,
that you might be able TO give me
some information"
Don't you see," she broke in, with
warm tenderness. Don't you feel the
truth? | am your mother!"
He found himself unable to articu-
late a word. Something seemed to
bear down on his brain; for a moment
there was blur before his sight. As
! If in a dream he felt her leading him
across the drawing-room to a sofa.
81 am your mother" she said, as
she drew him down to a seat beside
her, "and ! thank God for allowing me
to find II out before my death. have
loved you in a strange, unaccountable
way ever since l met you. When l
heard you were in prison it almost
drove me wild. Evelyn wrote me
about your arrest, and then it was
a week before learned of your re-
lease. My name is Elizabeth; / gave
your father that silver tobacco-box;
and, moreover. lost you exactly where
you were taken during the war. l
am so happy! l am actually afraid my
Joy will kill me-"
She began TO cry silently, and in his
desire &c comfort her he found him
Felf claspirg her hand and stroking
hack the white hair from her brow.
"And ! am glad you are my mother"
he said simply. you have been my
ideal woman ever since that day you
came tC see me-
They sat together for an hour, maxi
ing plans for the future.
Evelyn and are going to spend
next year abroad" she told him, and
you are going with us. Col. Ilasbrooke
says he is too old for the journey and
we shall need man"
His face clouded for the first time
during the interview.
"But Col Hasbrooke--"
"He is simply wild to call you SON
in-law." Mrs. Lancaster broke in, with
laugh. Evelyn has been almost
dead with sorrow since he separated
you. l really believe he was coming
round anyway. Yesterday he said a
great deal about your nobility of char
ecter and talent. lie always listens to
me, and l told him there was nothing
TO be done but to let you have her.
But that reminds me; she is waiting
to see you. Poor, dear child! l never
was so selfish-so thoughtess. I'm
going to send her to you"
She rose and he nervously held her
hands. a fixed look on his face.
"Are you sure" he faltered, that l
have the right toe"
His mother drew herself UP to her
full height you are Lancaster"
she SAID, proudly.
When she had passed through the
heavy curtains obscuring a room in
the rear, he sat for several minutes
fairly dazcd by what had taken place.
His rcverie was disturbed by the COM
ing of Evelyn. \ flush was on her
slightly attenuated face, and her eyes
were red and sparkled as if she had
been crying, but she came TO him with
firm, confident step, and put both
her hands in his.
at is all so wonderful" she said
simply. 81 am actually too choked up
to speak. I've been laughing, crying
and doubling the truth Of it ~ ..zrns
ever since Mr., Redding went away"
at seems like a dream to me-" he
made answer. 81 am afraid | shall
wake and find myself back in my little
room over there on the farm"
"AIrs. Lancaster told me just now
said Evelyn, that she had forgotten
to tell you your given name She
asked me to inform you, but hate
to pronounce it. | shall never call
you anything but Ronald, Will that
suit you. sir?'
They were seated side by side on
the sofa.
81 shall never want you to call me
anything else" he smiled but | must
own up to little curiosity as to what
l am legally entitled to-"
"ChaIles Erskine,' answered Evelyn
Mrs. Lancaster was a Miss Erskine
How do you like it?"
ITS not bad" he laughed; per.
haps | may grow up TO it in time"
just then Hasbrooke looked in at
the door and limped towards them. an
almost boyish look of embarrass ment