Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-13


| ruined part of the abbey. think Sims is
! in the coach house now
is
Yes, my lady"
| When the maid had left the room there
i was interval of silence. Then the
dowager turned to her daughter-in-law and
| asked almost fercely
| why did you write to me that he was
| dead? Do you know your letter almost
killed me? What motive could you have
| for such a cruel le?"
The younger woman hesitated for a sec
| ond. and then looked up and answered
| steadily
| Perhaps l had every reason to believe II
! was the truth"
How can that be? Oh. of course. you
! must have known it was lie
You think so. / don't expect you to be
! lieve me. but am telling you the simple
| truth when l say that when l wrote that
| letter l believed l was a widow. l went on
believing 1t till this morning. This morn
| Ing was told that my husband was here.
! and that you had received him and ac-
| knowledged him as your son. Even then
| doubted. More than that, L may as well
! tell you that l doubt now.
You doubt now" cried Lady Holland
What do you doubt? Woman, VINO are
your =.
| whether the man whom you have accepted
as your son is my husband L am waiting
| to see him. When 1 sea him, l shall know.
The dowager rose, Her hands were tren-
| bling, but steady anger nasheu III hel
| eyes. , Gov
Il turned a man out of my house LOT
saving what you say now she said cold
| ly. Have you been sent by Harvey WIS., Sc
| man to support the falsehood which ne
failed to support himself? Is that why
you are here?"
No" was the answer. II don't know
| what you mean But VIII teli you WY
| r bar T from ODOrtO because L
| believed my husband was dead ana Il
| wished to claim his Inheritance for my
SON..
"For-your-son! You have a son!''
The blow had fallen. Eustace had a
| son. and this woman was his mother! I'm
| der other circumstances the fact that there
was an infant heir to the Holland estates
would have been a joy. But this woman
| was his mother! The dowager sank back
| into her chair with a groan.
| Eustace's wife almost pitied the stricken
woman. But the next moment her anger
rose hot again and killed the pity. For
she was under no delusion as to the mean
| Ing of that groan.
yves l have a SON." she said in a low,
| mocking voice; and my son Is the fleir 10
| Holland Abbey and the title. That's nasty
| for you, of course. because I'm not even
an American heiress, with a big pile OF
| dollars instead of pedigree that you
| measure by the yard. When Eustace mar
! ried me l hadn't a penny, except the thirty
| shilings week which | earned on tight
| rope He married me out of circus. and
| the ring-master gave me away. fes' II
| very nasty for you!'
Again came the pretty silvery laugh, out
there was ring of malice in 1t.
But my boy Is all right" she went on
land he's your grandson. You can bring
| him up as a gentleman. They say that tife
blood of our old families is improved by
mixing now and then with a stronger strain
| from below The blue gets toned down, OF
course but there is good red stun In the
! h. nrIa s.
tleman | met on the ship told me so; he
has written book to prove it, so of course
he knows. Doesn't the idea comfort you!
The dowager had no answer. and before
the woman could taunt her further the door
opened and Mary came in.
She gave quick look at her mother
in the chair and then turned and faced the
newcomer.
Eustace's wife drew herself UP and an
swered the look with a stare of insolence.
| She had Knocked and tainted the mother;
| but in the daughter she recognized at once
an adversary whom she would have 10 meet
| with different weapons
| Mother" said Mary quietly, o Is
| this?''
| do you believe it?'
Yes"
| Eustace's wife smiled.
You're smarter than your mother she
| said; she thinks L am a fraud. And
! she doesn't believe either that we've got
| son. You do?"
| Mary started, and drew in her breath a
little.
"Oh. IT'S true enough. I'll bring him to
see his granny and auntie tomorrow He's
jolly little chap-two years and three
| months. You're bound to like him.
Mary turned 10 her mother.
| I've sent Sims to lind Eustace.' she said.
He will be here directly. Don't you think
| we had better wait till he CONFESS?
had
| clared that she believed her to be what she
| claimed to be- but the girls acceptance of
her was even more insulting than the dow
| ayers denial. And what did she mean by
sa wing that it might be true about the boy?
/ why should we wait for him." she
| sneered why Shouldn't you and l kiss
| and be friends now? Let him find us cali
| ing each other Ellen and Mary. and behav-
/ ing all nice and comfy when he comes!
! He'll want you to receive his wife like
! that. won't hep
! She broke into her laugh again. but be-
| fore the sound of it had died away EuStace
| was in the room.
| He stood in the doorway. and the three
| women stood facing him. The dowager
| had risen from her chair and was leaning
"Eustace," she said, who is that wo-
| mann
| He answered at once.
| "She Is Lady Holland. your daughter
| law. Her maiden name was Ellen Groom.
| She was circus performer. and she has
| been Lady Holland for three years and a
| half"
THERE cried the woman. History and
| biography and truth and scandal all In
| three sentences. Now, We can kiss and be
| friendsi And I'll bring the boy along to-
| morrow"
| Mary had advanced step.
| Watt" she said I'VE have heard who
| you are. Now tell us who the man Is who
| vouches for YOU
| Eustaces wife drew back a little, and
| looked sharply at the girl. The man in the
doorway looked at her too. and a slow
| smile spread over his face. Then he turned
! to the woman and said:
! Tell them
1t seemed to Mary that she answered his
| look with flash of intelligence. Then a
| puzzled expression took its place, and she
| asked:
What am / to tell? Isn't everything
| plain and straightforward now?
| WHO is that mann said Mary again.
| He is my husband"
| What Is his manner?
| Sir Eustace Holland. of course. At least
| 1t was by that name that he married me.
| Are you going to deny your own brothery'
Mary" cried the dowager in distress,
| what do you mean? And why do you look
| at Eustace in that way?
| Mary did not answer her mother.
| You wrote and told us he was dead"
L @ a caia 70 tbn