Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-15
CHAPTER Xxx.
Finale,


'rhe earl dead.. murmured Beatrice. in
a tone Of awe. Death! That was no part
of Lorelie's design" And. after a brief
pause. she added, TT is the judgment of
God"
Awestruck by the terrible ending of the
play, the whispering guests began hur-
ried departure. Idris, however. at Cod
frey's suggestion, remained behind.
The body of Olav Ravengar, unlawful
Earl of Ormsby. was carried to the cham
Der usually assigned to the lying -in-state
OF the dead lords of RavenhalI.
Having attended to this duty, Ivar.
passing through the entrance hall, sud-
denly caught sight of Idris In conversa-
ton with Godfrey.
For moment he stared superciliousIy
at his rival.
'Impostor" he muttered, with affected
indignation. John! Roger!' he contin-
ued, addressing two tall footmen who
stood near. put this fellow outside the
park gates"
Perhaps" said Godfrey, quietly. "as
your title is at present in question. 1t will
be we'll to wait till it be legally ascer-
tanned whether you have the right to give
WAR scowled. first at the speaker. then
at the throng of mute and immovable
servants, who showed little disposition
to acknowledge his authority.
His mind reverted to Lorelie the author
OF this, his downfall; had she chosen to
Keep his secret he might have retained
ms usurped rank. She should suffer for
this, she at least was his If RayenhaII
were not and he would exercise his author
lty by applying horsewhip to her shout
ders 1t would be pleasure to hear her
screams! Yes; he would do it, though his
father were lying dead in the house. There
was an additional pleasure In the thought
that by subjecting Lorelie to indignity and
Illumination he would be notifying Idris.
Where Is Lady Walden?" he demanded
turning upon one of the servants. Il must"
he continued. with an ugly smile at Idris.
Il must have a word with her."
Your wife-she repudates the title OF
Lady Walden-is now at Wave Crest" re-
state that you will never see her again"
1ndeed?' sneered Ivar, haughtily She
shall return A wifes place is by her hus-
bands side"
THAT sentiment comes with an i'll grace
from an adulterer who once offered his
Wife poison to drink responded Godfrey.
war grew white to the very lips
What do you mean?' he muttered. 20, 1
see! Some wild accusation of Lorelie's
Honorable gentlemen. We are," he contInu-
ed. with an assumption of dignity that sat
somewhat awkwardly upon him Honorable
gentlemen, to corrupt a wife, and use her
as tool against her husband! This stage.
play of tonight. this hypnotizing of my IA
Tiers mind, this forcing him to utter what
ever you wish. has been very finely arrang-
IL
deprive me of my rights You shall hear
what my solicitor has to say on the matter.
1t is one thing to claim an estate. and an
other to make good the claim"
Quite So" replied Godfrey who acted ne
spokesman for Idrs. since the latter was
too bewildered by the novelty and strange
ness of his position to say anything: quite
SO: And therefore we have invited your
solicitor to an interview with us tomorrow
morning al 10 o'clock in the library, when /
trust you viii be present for we shall offer
you abundant proofs of our position
On the following morning Ivar repaired
TO the library, where he found the late earrs
solicitor in company with Idris and God
frey.
Var was we'll aware that Idris was the
rightfui heir of RavenhaH. His only hope
was that the other might find 1t impossible
to prove the legitimacy of his title. Rut in
this he was quickly doomed to disappoint-
ment.,
With face that grew darker and darker
he listened to the evidence that had been
accumulated by the joint labors of Lorelie
and Beatrice The prior and secret mar
rage of the old earl, Uren Ravengar with
the village maiden, Agnes Marville; the birth
legitimate fiiatfon to the latter were all
clearly set forth.
The lawyer was at first disposed to be
skepticaL but became fully convinced in the
end.
Il fear 1t is of no use to dispute the evil
dence,' he whispered to Ivar. Contest the
claim and you are sure to lose. Better an
peal to the generosity of your new-found
cousin and heir, and try to come to some
monetary arrangement with him.
lvar sat for few minutes in moody ST.
lence. Then, looking up and scowling at
ldris he muttered:
IF I've got to give up RavenhalI 7 NAV
as well go at once. / won't be beholden to
that fellow for a roof
Surely you will remain till your fathers
funeral shall have taken placer" said Idris.
late viscount savagely. What good
shall 1 do myself by waiting for
1t? VIII it bring the governor back to life?
III not stay here to be pitied. and jeered
at, as the discoroneted viscount. You killed
my father by your wiles You yourselves
can now bury him"
And with these words he passed tbro,,gt
the doorway and was gone; and even the
coroners summons failed to secure his at
tendance at the inquest held upon the hcdy
OF the earl. Lorelie was present and. after
giving her evidence, quietly withdrew, ac-
companied by Beatrice.
But when Idris. few hours later. called
at wave Crest, he was met on the
threshold by Beatrice with the tidIngs that
Loreiie had left Ormsby
Where has she gomez"
Indeed / do not know" replied Reatrica
VINO looked the picture of grief "She would
not tell me her destination or plans. did
my pest TO persuade her to stay, but in
vain"
year after Lorelies disappearance there
occurred In a society paper a paragraph
relative to an event which, however mel
ancholy In ITSELF could scarcely be viewed
by Idris with any other feeling than that
of satisfaction. This event was the death
of War. who was said to have been carried
off by fever in an obscure lodging in Lon
don. Inquiries on the part of Idris proved
that the story was true; and he found.
moreover, that Ivar, in his last hours. had
been nursed by a lady whose description
answered to that of Lorelie.
The forgiving and generous disposition
evinced by this act did but endear her iae
more to Idris.
But where was she? He was certain that
she loved him. Why then did she continue
to hide herself?
All attempts on his part to trace her
failed completely; and a haunting felr
seized him that she had retired for life TO
the seclusion of a French convent
Two years went by, and Idris had almost
given up the hope of ever seeing her AGAIN
when passing one afternoon by the Church
of ST. Oswald. he heard the sound of IT'S
organ.
Attracted. partly by the music, partly By
the thought that it was in this church that
he had first set eyes upon Loreiie, lac or
tered the Rayenger chantry, and sat DOWN
to listen.
Something in the style of the music caus-