Evening star., 1901-04-20

the loss of that shilling We're not forgotten.
In the afternoon of that day Duplay went
down to Fairholme.
Mr.. Neeld was still at Fairholme; he had
been pressed to stay, and needed little press
ing; in fact, in default of the pressure he
would probably have taken lodgings in the
town He could not go away; he had seen
Addie TriStram buried and her son walking
behind the coffin. clad in his new dignity.
His mind was full of the situation. Yet he
had shrunk from discussing it further with
NINA Zaorlska: The family anxiety about
JAMES love affair had been all round him;
now he suspected strongly that some issue
was being decided upon. He ought to
speak, to break his word to Nina and speak
or he ought to go.
Mind you say n0thing-not hing-noth-
ing. That sentence had reached him on
the reverse side Of an invitation to take tea
at Merrion-a vague some-day when-youre-
passing sort of invitation, in Neelds eyes
plainly and clearly a preteXt for writing
and an opportunity for conveying the
urgent little scrawl on the other side. 1t
arrived at midday; in the afternoon Duplay
had come and was now alone with Iver.
The outward calm of the gray-haired old
gentleman who sat on the lawn at Fair
holme, holding weekly review upside
down, with index to the alarming and
disturbing questions which were agitating
him within.
Iver came out and sat down beside him
without speaking. Neeld hastily restored
his paper to position more beftting his
dignity and became apparently absorbed in
an article on "Shyness in Elephants" the
subject was treated with a wealth Of Illus
tration and in a vein Of introspective
philosophy exceedingly instructive. But it
was all wasted on Mr.. Neeld He was
waiting for liver: no man could be SO
silent unless he had something important
to say or to leave unsaid. And liver was
not even smoking the cigar which he al
ways smoked after tea. Neeld could bear
1t no longer; he got up and was about to
move away.
"StOp Neeld Do Won mind oJttinv dou,p
again for a moment?"
Neeld could do nothing but comply. The
review fell on the ground by him, and he
ceased to struggle with the elephants.
Il want to ask your opinion
business man. and"
play? What do you think of hIm?'
live always found him very agree
able"
Yes. so have I. And I've always thought
him honest, haven't you?"
Neeld admitted that he had no reason to
1mpugn the majors character.
And suppose he's sane," liver pursued
But he's just been telling me the most
ment: He laid his hand on Neeld's knee.
Neeld, Duplay came and told me that
Harry Tristram has title to the peerage
or to Blent. I'm not going to trouble you
Harry was born before, not after the mar
riage of his parents. Duplay says Nina
knows all about It, and will give us in
formation that will make the proof easy
That's a tolerably startling story, eh?
Ones prepared for something where Lady
Tristram was involved. but this"
1t was fortunate that he did not glance at
Neeld. Neeld had tried to appear startled
but had succeeded only in looking supreme
ly miserable. But Iver's eyes were gazing
straight in front of him, under broWs that
frowned heavily.
Now. what want to do" he resumed,
land I'm sure you won't refuse me- ia this:
I'm inclined to dismiss the whole thing as
blunder. l believe Duplay's honest but I
think certain facts in his own position
have led him to be too ready to believe a
mere yarn But I've consented to see
Nina. and hear what she has to saw. And
l said l should bring you as a witness.
go to Merrion lodge tomorrow for this pur-
pose, and I shall rely on you to accompany
me-" With that the cigar made its appear
ance. Iver lit 1T, and lay back in his chair.
frowning still In perplexity and yexation'
He had not asked his friends opinion but
his services 1t was characteristic of him
not to notice this fact. And the fact did
nothing to relieve Neeld's piteous embar-
raSsment.
II knew It all along::" he might say that.
.tI know nothing about It," he might act
that. Or he might temporize for q little
while. This was what he did.
"It would make q great difference II this
were truep' His voice shook, but Iver was
absorbed.
AN enormous difference" said Iyer.
Uady Trtstram herself had once said the
same) Il marry my daughter to Lord
Tristram OF Blent or toto whom7 You'll
call that snobbishneas, or some people
would. ! say It's not snohbish IN JUS -naR