Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-18

I could, at the very least. have strength
ened her suspicious. The mother wouldn't
| nave believed me. but the girl would. and
you would soon have to go. BY the look
| IN your face when you babe me answer the
| girls question and say who you WERE
| saw that you realized that You had Just
| ABOUT given your chances up then. l thinki"
She paused. for the waiter had come into
| the room with a telegram.
Mr.. Wortley. sir?" he asked.
Yes, for me-
| The telegram was read, and replaced in
| Its envelope. The woman went on:
so took advantage of the opportunity
| tn girfs question gave me to make you
| join forces with nre. Together we can carry
the thing through; separately we can't
| If you refuse
IF 1 refuse he said, you will return
the borrowed heir, and try to content your
self with the pttance to which, as Eus-
faces wife, you are indisputably entitled.
You Will find 1t hard to explain the child
but perhaps you will tell the two women at
Holland Abbey that you only brought him
with you for company, and said he was
your son because they had made you an
gryl Or you can say that the whole thing
was silly, practical joke. 1t won't mat
ter much what you say, because l don't
think they will believe you"
She answered him with a laugh.
No she said That's not what shall
do: 1t really isn't good enough. you know"
Perhaps not Because the child would
be harder to explain than that, and Judge
might say that your attempt to work a
Atouo hod filidlcu your Claim even TO the
pittance. I'm not lawyer enough to know,
but should think there was at least a risk
that that would be the legal View
What does 1t matter" she asked uncon-
cernedly, since 1t is not what 1 mean to
do? shall drop the child, Of course; but
| l shall stick to you.''
''What!'' he asked banteringly. Even IL
| I refuseY'
Even If you refuse But l don't think
you need refuse" She leaned over the table
and smiled In his face. I'm not 80 young
as Mary Holland" she said "but am
several years younger than you, and my
glass tells me that l am still a handsome
woman; just wee little bit worn by hard
NE. perhaps-oh, yes. the first bloom Is Off
l know! but green fruit isn't always the
sweetest-and an easy life with you. and
no anxiety about money will soon blot out
the marks of former hardships. Come
Eustace, why need you refuse? 1 am quite
satisfied SAT- o, with you and would try to make
you satisfied with me. Separately we are
nobodies; together we can be Sir Eustace
and Lady Holland to the end Of the chap
ter You shake your head and smile as
give 1t five minutes thought. I'll wait pa
tiently, and 1t Is worth spending FIVE min
utes over. anyway"
He pushed back his chair and rose.
we are told" he said mockingly, that
after the first step in the downward path
| the criminal finds that all other steps are
easy From my own experience I can be-
| lieve It. My first step downward was when
hadn't the pluck to tell an old lady bru-
tally that she was making foolish mistake
when she cried over me and welcomed me
with sobs Of JOY as her son. Since that
night every other step has been made very
| easy. Harvey Wiseman offered me today
an enormous bribe to keep the deception up
| and now you"
Il offer to bribe you, too" she answered
quickly. with myself. Quite So but 1t is
| nice of you to put 1t like that"
He saw that she was laughing. but he
could not resist a sneer:
Honestly. that Is neither what thought
nor was about to say"
What were you going to say7'
1t doesn't matter. Suppose we end this
scene. You called me Eustace Just now.
| Is 1t sufficient answer to all your propo-
| sitions when say that my name Is Arthur
Manners Wortley and that have done with
| the name OF Eustace Holland forever"
She did not answer him for a moment
| Then she gave him curious look. saying:
Are you going to say that to Mary Hol-
| land?"
Yes"
Then I think 1t is the last thing you
will ever be allowed to say to her."
He took a long breath and answered
gravely:
II hope you are wrong. But I will say
It. though fear you are right"
She gave him another steady look. It Is
| to her credit that she found 1t in her heart
| to be sorry for him. but she had her own
| hand to play for, and she could no. afford
| to spare him.
you will not say It," she answered slow
| ly. because your wife forbids you TO do
| so! You have Just refused to marry me-
| Don't you know that you are married to
! me already?"
| She had dropped bombshell and It
| failed to explode. His answer was a smile,
| as he picked up the telegram which the
waiter had brought in a few minutes be-
| fore
I'VE are in Scotland" she went on
| triumphantly. IT called you my husband
| this morning before witnesses. and you ac-
cepted me as your wife. There Is no bar
| existing to a marriage between US. 80 we
| are married. Sir Eustace Holland. / am
almost sorry for you. But you have no
| loophoIe of escaped
He drew the telegram from its envelope,
| and laid II before her.