Evening star., 1901-05-18
ev Anfhony Hope
Copyright, 1900, BY A. n. Hawkins.)


Copyright, lOV, oJ
SYNOPSIS of Preceding Chapters.
Adelaide wife of Sir Randolph Edge of Blent Hall
eloped with Capt Fitzhubert Sir Randolph
died in Russia presumably in time for Lazy
Edge and Fitzhubert to marry and SO ihaAo
their son Harry legitimate. They learn iate,'
however that the date of Sir Randoiph ue"
has been given incorrectly and hairy Is n
the rightful heir. They keep the matter secre''
and eventually Mrs Fitzhubert succeeds to tne
barnnv of Tristram Of Blent and resides Win
Harry at Blent Hail. Unknown TO Laos tiis
tram Mrle Zabriska and Mr. Jenkinson Neeiu
are also In possession of the secret, ana Mhe-
Zabriska with her uncle, Maj Duplay, comes |
TO reside at Merrion Lodge near Blent Hail
Harry learns from his mother that he Is not the
rirhtfuI heir to Blent. but they determine to noio
the title for him at any cost To further MS
cause he decides marry jamie lTer. heiress |
of FairhoIme but finds two rivals In Bob Broad |
lev and Mai pupIay The latter learns of his
unfortunate, birth from Nina Zabrska He In
forms him that he intends to tell lver ana they
ouarreI Harry winning in brisk tussle. Neeld
becomes the guest of liver at Fairholme. Nina
Zabriska meets Neeld and they form a compact
to protect Harrys interests and maintain Sc
crecv LADY Tristram dies after extracting
from her son promise that Cecily Gainshor-
oush. rightful heircSs Of Blent. shall be invited
to the funeral. CeciIy and her father come TO
Blcnt bat Harry fails to receive them. Later
he suddenly upon CecIIy III tHe SHiuei
and realizes that she Is Tristram. the image
of his mother The engagement Of Harry and
jamie. Iver is announced. and Duplay announces
his determination to expose the false position
of his future son-in-law to liver. Harry uncon-
sciously fails in love with Cecily. and, with
out telling her this, acknowledges that he is
not the legal heir but she is Lady Tristram OF
BIent Then he steals away from Blent by
night stopping to advise Bob Broadley to WOO
and win jamie. He goes TO London where po-
Iitical friends of his mother interest themselves
in his case. Cecily, unhappy in her new pos
sessions follows him to beg him TO take back
Blent.
The Imp sat up straight and stared
81 shall wire to our house; the maids
there. and she'll have things ready.
What are you going to town for?
..To see this Lord Southend- You must
come with me-
az? oh, 1 can't possibly. And your
father
He must stay here. You must come.
Run back and pack bag; you won't want
much 1 shall go just as L am With
gesture she indicated the plain black frock
she wore "Oh, L can't be bothered with
packing, What does that matter? III call
for you in the carriage at T. We mustn't
miss the train
Nina gasped. This was Tristram. indeed
Il just feel 1 must go. If anything's done
at ALL it'll be done in London, not here.
How long do you mean to stay?
Il can't possibly tell. Till something's
done. Go now, Nina. or you'll be too late"
''Oh. I'm not coming. The whole things
absurd What can you do? And, anyhow,
it's not my business
Very well l shall go alone. Only
thought you were interested In Harry-ano
! thought you were my friend
She threw herself into chair. She was
in Addie Tristram's attitude. But l sup
pose l haven't got any friends she con-
cluded not in a distressed fashion, Dut with
a pensive. submissive little smile.
you're perfectly adorable cried Nina,
running across to her. And I'll go with
you to Jericho, if you like She caught
Cecily's hands in hers and kissed her Cheek.
The scene was transformed in an instant.
that also was the Tristram way. Cecily
sprang up. laughing gaily, even dancing
step or two as she wrung Mina's hands
.'Hurrah, Marchons! En- avantr she
cried ''Oh. well do something, Nina!
Don't YOU hate sitting Still?'
.CeciIy. are you-are you in love with
Harry
..Oh. hope not: hope not" she laughed
gaiIy. Because he must hate me so. And
are you. Nina? Oh, | hope not that, too.
Come to London, To seek our fortunes in
London. oh. YOU tiresome old Blent, how
glad / am TO leave you!
But your father
We'll do things quite nicely Nina. dear
We won't distress father. Well leave
note for him. Nina. I'm sure Addie Iris
tram used just to leave a note whenever
she ran away, Well sleep in London to-
night"
suddenly Nina understood better why
Harry had surrendered Blent. and under
stood, too. as her mind flew back Why
Addie Tristram had made men do what
they had done.
'.Oh. yes, you tiresome old Blent"' cried
Cecily. shaking her fair hair toward the
open window. How could a girl think she
was going to live on river scenes and bic
a-brac?" She laughed in airy scorn. You
must grow more amusing If I'm to come
back to you" she threatened
River scenes and bric-a-brac, Nina was
surprised that Blent did not on the instant
punish the blasphemy by a revengeful
earthquake or an overwhelming flood. Ce-
cily caught her by the arm. a burlesque ap-
prehension screwing her face up into fan
tasticaly ugly mask.
1T was the Gainsborough in me-" she
whispered. "Gainsboroughs can live On
curiosi But I can't. Nina, I can't I'm a
Tristram, not a Gainsborough. No more
could Harry in the end, no more could
Harry"
Nina was painting.
But. what are we going to do?' she cried
in q last protest of common sense.
"Oh, / don't know: but something-some-
thing-something,' was the not very COM
nonsense answer she received
1t was not the moment Tor common sense.
Nina scOrned the thing. and flung 1t from
her She would have none of it-she who
stood between beautiful Addie there on the
wall and laughing Cecily here in the win
dow. feeling by a strange and welcome il
lusion that though there were two visible
shapes. there was but one heart, one spirit
in the two.
Were you like this before you came to
Rlent?''
sudden quiet fell on Cecily. She paused
before she answered:
NO not till / came to Blent." With a
laugh she fell on her knees. please for
give me what l said about the river and
the bric-a-brac, dear, darling Blent"
CHAPTER XVIII.
ConspiratOrs and a Crux.
Lord Southend was devoted to his wife