Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-05

, won't answer I warned you there were
some"
In spite of the laugh with which he an
swered. Mary felt a sudden thrill of pity
for this handsome brother of hers. He had
wife. and would not speak of her. even
TO his sister.
Are you going to let people here know
who you are?" she asked next ''Or are
Wortley?"
He gave her straight and curiously
Il am Sir Eustace Holland-your brother"
he said slowly. and then added at once-'at
any rate, SO long as 1 remain here. After
ward-I may find 1t necessary to be Mr..
Wortley again.
DO you mean because of the admir-
alty?" She laid hand on his arm. and
added In low voice: 'Eustace, were you
II did not sell those plans to the French.
If that Is what you mean,' he answered
shortly.
Then If you were arrested. and brought
before court-martial-'
II couldn't prove my innocence. But 1
hope 1t won't be necessary"
She gave him a long, searching gaze Of
inquiry. Why should he hope 1t would not
be necessary? Why should he not rather
long for the chance? He did not look like
man who would be content to go on living
under shameful and unmerited suspicion.
And yet for twelve years he had done so,
and he said now that he hoped to be able
to go on doing 1t was very puzzling.
Il should have thought" she began, but
he dropped his hand upon hers and stopped
her.
Il guess what you are going to say" he
told her: there's no good in saying it. Let
it be another of the unanswered questions
between u.s. l see Harvey Wiseman COM
Ing up the avenue. He has saved me a
walk, because / have business to do with
him. But before he comes l want you to
answer one of my questions. That's fair.
isn't it? What are your feelings towards
our cousin Haryey?'
rs that the question I'm to answer?
Why?"
Because upon your answer will depend
my treatment of him in the next few min
utes. Quick, please"
Indifference tempered by fear" She
looked at him with a smile, adding. Don't
you see, Eustace. that your return makes
a difference In that too?
Eustace nodded, and asked further:
There Is no question of love between
your
''Of course not"
And never was?"
And never was. or could be- said Mary
emphatically.
''All right. 1 thought not: but wanted
him"
Wait for him here" suggested Mary
No need to be too polite to him
He turned to her with his ready smile,
saying:
That wasn't my intention. But If L
stay here, L shall be driving you away, you
see.'
Mary answered the smile with another,
and ran off at once into the conservatory,
where she began an assault upon the green
fly. This new-found brother of hers was
mastearful. It seemed, and had his own
methods of getting his own way Well. she
liked him all the better for that. But she
wondered. all the same, why she was not
allowed to be present at his interview with
Harvey.
Presently a thought struck her and she
in TO he Sttl11r E,rhnr ha
trait of Sir Eustace Holland, painted at
the age of twenty-one. She was standing
in front of 1T when her mother came in.
Lady Holland came and stood by her side,
and. after moments silence. said:
Every day for the last twelve years. be-
fore beginning each days work. 1 have
sazed for while at that portrait. Mary.
and wondered whether l should ever see
my boy again: thank heaven, that time is
over now! 1t is still very like him. isn't it?''
Very" said Mary and after brief
pause added: But 1 think he has i'm
proved"
'Improved?" said Lady Holland. why.
child. you were only six when he went
away You can't possibly remember what
he like. how can you know wheth-
er he has improved?
II comparing him with this portrait"
said Mary.
That cannot tell you much. except that
he Is some years older now But the man
who has come back to me is the boy that
went away He has changed very little"
II think he has changed enormously"
Mary declared stubbornly. You have
gaZed at that portrait daily with love and
longing; 1 used to gaze at it daily, too
with a growing resentment against the
brother whose necessities kept me unedu-
Gated and you shabby | know that Dor
trait perhaps better than you do mother
and l say the man who has come back Is
not the man who went away. And 1 am
glad he is not
Mary what nonsense is thiS?' said the
dowager. almost angrily.
Not nonsense at all. but the truth. said
the girl The face on the wall there Is a
handsome face. but it is weak. The face
of my brother who has returned is hand
some. too. but it is not weak. That Is why
L say he has improved And [ am very,
very glad
Lady Holland did not answer Her eyes
We're on the portrait and slowly the convic-
ton forced itself upon her that there was
truth in what the girl said. She did not
admit even to herself that the face of the
portrait was weak; but she could not help
admitting that 1t was weaker than that OF
the man whom it represented.
My dear" she said. sadly. I'VE know
little of the life that he has led in the last
twelve years. We know that a great injus
tice drove him away. and We can guess that
he has suffered under it, Sorrow and suf-
fering leave their marks on a mans face.
and It may be that he has gained strength
from them. But l do not think, all the
same. that you are right in saying that the
portrait Of the boy is weak. The man is
stronger, that Is ALL
so much stronger" Mary began, that
-" She paused. and curious feeling Of
underlined dread ran through her In shtver.
Mother" she cried suddenly. there is no
possibility of any mistake. Is there? That
letter from Oporto! Was it perhaps true.
after all? 1t Is Eustace, who has come
back to us?'
Lady Holland laughed softly, as she seat
ed herself and took up her drawn linen
work.
..Of course, he is Eustace" she said.
NIT
Child you are silly OF course, l am
sure. Do you think a mothers eye can be