The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-11-15
THE
BrangWyn Mystery
CHAPTER Xxx.

erabiy alone, but Lillian did not re
turn. He removed the traces OF his
tears and stole away from the house
So far as he knew he was upper
ceived except by an under gardener
who was wheeling a barrow-load OF
mould TO the Conservatives, and who
surrendered his burden for an instant
TO salute him MS he passed. He fell
himself dismissed. and was less hurt
by the belief than he could have i'm
agined If he had conceived It before
hand as possible. But life seemed al
together broken to him and he had
no interest in things.
1t had not been in Lilian's mind TO
wound him, but he had suffered a
great fall in her esteem. What was
the actual shadow which had darken-
ed his cousins life she had not known.
She had always thought him too
courageous and toe self-sustained to
care for the base conjectures of those
who had limited at the advantages he
had reaped from his uncle's death.
Something more than these were
needed to account for the shadow
which had fallen on him, and II
seemed now as if the detection from
loyalty on the part of one h had
been his dearest comrade and com
panion might be taken to explain II.
She excused herself from luncheon
and sat in her own room, and the day
which had begun SC brightly seemed
all dark and vacant. She made many
attempts to write to Alexis, but she
was dissatisfied with each of them,
and the plain truth was that she was
uncertain Of what she wished TO say.
His wrong was patent and open
enough, but so was his repentance for
II. There had been something terri.
Bile in the passion and paroXysm of
his grief, but such a surrender was
unmanly, and IL followed on a confes-
SION OF cowardice which she found il
hard to pardon.
Suddenly she took her resolution in
her hands, and addressed herself lot
TO Alexis but TO Aloysius.
MY dear Aloysius.' she wrote.
"Will you give me an hour tomorrow?
have something of the utmost i'm
portance to say TO you, aud | will keep
any appointment you may name"
She signed and sealed this and dis.
patched II by a mounted messenger.
She was barely surprised when three
hours later she was told that Aloysius
had returned. She took pains TO re-
move all signs of the disorder into
which she had been thrown and ven
down to meet him.
Il knew you were alone" he said.
II saw your visitor of this morning
take the London train. Why should |
trouble you to come to me? My time
is at your disposal now if you wish it..
ut was like you to come" she an
swered. BE seated and let us talk
together. And first | want you to
promise that you will hear me out be-
fore you answer what | have to ask
you"
YES" he said, ~gravely; Il promise
that"
~ have had a dreadful interview
with poor Alexis since you left us this
morning. and I find II difficult to speak
of II. | left him in such grief and
anger as | have never felt before, and
must tell you that he himself made
to me a full confession of the wrong
he did you.
Aloysius turned his melancholy re-
fickered on his face for a moment
and went out, leaving it more somber
in expression than before. The look
surprised and puzzled her. She
thought there was something OF an
amused contempt in 1t, but she was
not certain. and now his face had
grown as impervious as a mask.
"Aloysius," she said, II have never
seen q man so moved. Until to-day
have not G a man shed tears
since the day on which my mother
died, when | was quite a child, and
my father broke down under the blow.
It was very terrible, Aloysius. 1t was
more terrible than I IA say. 1t was
as IL his whole soul broke in agony"
"And he made full confession?'
Aloysius asked. 1t was like a dead
man speaking-so impersonal, so cold
so far from all sign Of interest Of
care.
He told me the reason for the di
vision between you. He said quite
plainly that he had dealt you an un
pardonabie wrong. aud that you di'
well to be im~placable. He said tina
II the offense had been yours, and h
had been the sufferer, he would no
have forgiven you upon your death
bed. He has no hope that you VII
pardon him, and he owns thai n
dare not ask it."
what was the wrong that he al
me-" said Aloysius. In the sam
strange. remote, uninterested way,
"Oh!" cried Lillian, twining he
s.uAc toVether and aohhiuu n little 1