The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-01-01
CHAPTER XXI,

Nonc rl2ht IN, he said. giving Ron
aid his hand. shes dying with impa
thence. She wanted to drive out t.
meet You on the road, but ] made her
wait. Did you ever hear of the lile?"
Ronald wanted TO say that he was
still in the DARK, but his host was loud
ly calling to n groom and waving his
hand towards the horse. just then oui
hero saw Mrs. Lancaster standing in
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,
cant yon guess the truth?" She wrung
his hand and stepped backward to the
door of the drawingroom 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 moment
there was blur before his sight. As
If in dream he felt her leading him
across the drawing-room to a sofa.
Il nm your mother she said, as
she drew him down to seat beside
her. "and | thank God for allowing me
to find it out before my death. have
loved you in a strange, unaccountable
way ever since ! met you. When I
heard you were in prison it almost
drove me wild. Evelyn wrote me
about your arrest, and then it was
a week before l learned Of your re-
lease. My name is Elizabeth; l gave
your father that silver tobacco-box;
and, moreover, lost you exactly where
you were taken during the war. I
am so happy. | am actually afraid my
joy will kill me-"
She began to cry silently, and in his
desire to comfort her he found him
self claspirg her hand and stroking
back The white hair from her brow.
sand | an 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, land
you are going with us. Col. Hasbrooke
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. Iasbrooke-"
ale 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
great deal about your nobility Of char
actcr aud talent. lie always listens to
me. and | 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! never
Was SO selfish-so thoughtless. I'm
going to send her to YOU"
She rose and he nervously held her
hands, fixed look on his face.
Are you sure" he faltercd, Chat
have the right to?"
His mother drew herself up to her
full height. "You are a Lancaster"
She sad, proudly.
When She had passed through the
heavy curtains obscuring room in
the rear, he sat for several minutes
fairly dazed by what had taken place.
His revcrie was disturbed by the COM
ing of Evelyn. A 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.
SIT 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 by turns
ever since Mr.. Redding went away"
at seems like dream to me- he
made answer. 81 am afraid | shall
wake and find myself back in my little
room over there on the farm"
"Mrs. 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 l must
own up to little curiosity as to what
! am legally entitled to-"
Charles Erskine," answered Evelyn.
"Mrs. Lancaster was Miss Erskine.
How do you like IL"
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 on
almost boyish look of smbarras sment
on his face.
Il am going to beg your forgiveness
for what said the last time you were
here" he said
II did not blame ysn, Col. Has
brooke" was tie reply.
But blame you," Evelyn turned
On Ronald, suddenly. "If had known !
your stupid reasons for giving me up
should never have consented--neveri
thought it was because-because YOU
thought me too great responsible
~ and n hurda, ~