Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23

leave us now
But van Hupfeldt heard him, and
reused himself determinedly for final
effort. Yet he spoke with difficulty and
brokenly. Il escaped down the service
lift that night once again when Harcourt
shot at me. l only wished to atone, VII!
l made my will-you know-the lawyers
will explain The boy-Mrs. Carter
New Street, Birmingham. See to the
boy, vi, for Ovens sake-ah God! for
her sake!"
And that was all
Violet, weeping bitterly, was led away
From over the mantel piece the mild eyes
of portrait in chalk of beautiful woman
looked down in pity, it may be, on the
dead face of the man lying on the floor.
And so ended the sad love story of Henry
van Hupfeldt and Gwendoline Mordaunt.
In the street beneath, hansoms were jung
ling along, bringing people home from
the restaurants London rocked little OF
the last scene of its many dramas.
Yet it had it's sequel in life and love,
for Violet and her mother, as the result of
a telegram to Birmingham, took into their
arms a happy and Growing infant, a fine
baby boy who won his way to their
hearts by his instant readiness to be
fondled by them, and who retained his
place in their affections by the likeness
he bore to his dead mother; though his
hair was dark, and he promised to have
the Spanish profile of his father, his eyes
were Ovens blue ones, and his lips parted
in the merry smile they knew SO well.
But that was next day, when the fount
of tears was nearly dry, and the shudder-
ings of the night had passed. Lucky it
was for Violet that David was near.
What would have become of her had she
regained her senses and found herself
alone in the fiat, alone with a dead man!
David somewhat hardened by his
career in the turbulent West, quickly hit
upon line of action. The DOCTOR a good
soul, volunteered to drive to van Hup-
feldts residence and summon Neil, who
would probably bear the porter company
during night vigil in the fiat. David,
therefore, made Violet drink a little
brandy, and, talking steadily the while,
compelling occasional answers to his
questions, he led her to a cab, which he
directed to Porchester Gardens. He knew
that in Mrs. Harrod she would find a
friend, and it was an added relief to him
to discover, after repeated ringing had
brought servant to the door, that Mrs.
Mordaunt was there, too.
To save Violet the undue strain of an
explanation, he asked that her mother
1u1SIlJ Dc dIOuSSu. 1llclC Was llO LtSd
for that. She was downstairs promptly,
having heard the imperative bell, certain
that news of Violet was to hand
So he told of the nights doings to a
fearful and perplexed woman who had
never previously set eyes on him, and it
was three o'clock ere he turned his face
toward Eddystone Mansions again. Ar
rived there, he found that the porter and
Neil had carried the unfortunate van
Hupfeldt to the room in which Gwendo-
line died. That was chance; it must
have been something more than chance
which caused David to pick up the bunch
of violets, torn from the breast of their
wearer when she fell in faint and place
them on the pillow near the pallid head.
David was sorry for the man, after all.
In one matter, the sorely tried mother
and daughter we're fortunate; there was
no inquest The doctor who was present
at van Hupfeldt's death, after consulting
the coroner and West End specialist
who had warned the sufferer of his dan
gerous state, was able to give burial
certificate in due form. Thus all scandal
and sensation mongering were avoided.
The interment took place in Kensal
Green Cemetery. Van Hupfeldt's mortal
remains were laid to rest near to those of
the woman he loved
Violet was his sole heiress under the
will he had executed A sealed letter at