Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-27
II.

To English ears the reply was curious.
Yet with all it's vagueness, all it's racial in
clination toward high color, 1t held the
germ Of truth that frequently lies in such
utterances. With native acuteness it threw
out suggestion without betraying conf
dence.
An instant after 1t was spoken there was
a final flourish of the whip. a scrape Of
wheels on the wet gravel. a straining and
creaking of damp leather, and the trap
drew up before the big white house. Mil
banke caught a fleeing suggestion of a
shabby door with pillars on which rested a
square balcony of rusty iron-a number Of
| unlighted windows-a general air of gran
deur and decay curiously blended Then the
i hall door opened and a voice whose first
note reused hundred memories rolled out
! across the darkness.
us that you, James? Come In! Come in!
Keep the mare in hand, Burke. Steady
now James Let me hold the rug and give
you a hand down. She's a little rogue and
might be making bolt for her stable. Well,
you're welcome as the flowers in May.
Come in, Come in'
1t was over in a f1aSh-the arrival, the
tempestuous greeting, the hard grip of
Asshlins hand-and the two men were fac
ing each other in the candle-lit hall.
well, you're welcome, James," Asshlin
repeated. You're welcome. Let me have a
look at you. 1 declare, it's younger you
are" He laid his hand heavily on the
others shoulder and uttered this obvious
untruth with all the warmth and convic-
ton that Irish imagination and Irish hos
pitalty could suggest.
But you're persisted after the long drive!
Burke" he called through the open door.
Burke, when you're done with the mare
come round and carry up Mr.. Milbanke's
baggage. Now, James" He wheeled round
again, catching up silver candlestick from
stairs, I'll show you where we're going to
billet you"
With long, hasty steps he crossed the
hall, his tall figure casting gaunt shadows
on the bare and lofty wall.
Were a trife unsophisticated here" he
went on, with loud, hard laugh But at
least We'll give you enough to eat and
bed TO lie on. After all, a decent dinner
and a warm welcome are the bone and
sinew of hospitality the world over. Unless
they include drop Of something to put
life into a man" He paused, turning
round upon his guest
by Jupiter, that reminds .me! Have
small drink before we go another step-just
to take the cold out of your"
Milbanke, who was close behind him,
glanced up. He saw his hosts face more
clearly than he had seen it in the hall His
answer when it came was hurried and a
little confused.
mo, Denis. No." he said. Nothing:
nothing, l assure you"
Asshlin laughed again.
still the same stickler?" he said. How
virtues cling to man. He turned and
began to mount the stairs; then, reaching
the first door on the wide corridor, he
paused.
Here's your habitation." he said. Burke
will bring up your belongings and get you
whatever you want. We dine in quarter
| of an hour" He nodded and was turning
away when fresh thought struck him.
You may as well take this CANDLE" he
said; I'VE haven't arrived at the civilization
Y 49, 4.
| looking for the matches. This is practically
a bachelors establishment. you know
without any bachelor comforts" Once more
| he laughed, and. thrusting the candlestick
| into his guests hand, hurried away across
| the landing.
| In silence Milbanke took the candle, and,
] holding 1t uncertainty, waited until his host
| had disappeared. Then slowly he turned
| For a moment he hesitated. his eyes wan
! dering from the faded window hangings to
| the stiff. old-fashioned furniture Finally,
! laying aside the candlestick. he sat down
\ upon the side of the forbidding-looking
! four-post bedstead.
What motive prompted him to the action
! he could scarcely have defined. He was
| strangely moved by the scene just gone
! throUgh-stirred in a manner he could never
have anticipated. For the moment the pre-
| else. matter-of-fact archaeologist was sub
| merged, and the man-dry, narrow, pedan-
tic. perhaps. but nevertheless capable OF
| human sentimentS-was uppermost. The
| sight of Asshlin. the sound of his voice and
| the touch of his hand had possessed an al
| chemy all their own. The past. that years
\ of separation had dimmed and furnished
| had cleaned out from the shadows and
| taken shape before his eyes. The influence.
| the fascination that Asshlin had once exer-
cised had touched him again at the first
| contact Of personalities. But II was an al
tered fascination. The alloy Of doubt and
apprehension had tainted the old feeling
The question he had been prompted to ask
\ 10 had ~ f1rcf