The Irish standard., 1907-06-29

"The moment set eyes on this man
! recognized him. It's not fair to you
or to him that you should not know
him tor what he is. Let me introduce
an old friend, Walter Creighton; he
was student at Dublin when l was
there, poor boy with nobody to help
him; but l remember him as one Of
the best fellows in the world"
"Foc Gods sake-no!" pleaded
Bates. He was deeply moved and
turned his face away from us.
"But, like me-" Larry went on, Tho
mixed in politics. One night in a riot
at Dublin a constable was killed. No
ono knew who was guilty, but
youngster was suspected,-the son of
ono of the richest and best-known
mon in Ireland, who happened to get
mixed in the row. To draw attention
from tho boy, Creighton let suspicion
attach to his own name, and, to help
the boys case further, ran away. I
had not heard from or of him untr
the night I came here and found him
the defender of this house. By God,
that was no servants trick,-it was
the act Of royal gentleman
They clasped hands, and with a
new light in his face, with a new man.
ner, as though he resumed, as famil-
lar garment, an old disused person.
atty, Bates stood TRANSPORTED in the
twilight, man and gentleman. I
think we were all drawn to him;
know that a sob clutched my throat
and tears filled my eyes as 1 grasped
his hand.
But what in the devil did you do it
for?" blurted my grandfather, excited
ly twirling his glasses.
Bates Il still call him Bates,-he in
sists on iD laughed. For the first time
he thrust his hands into his pockets
and stood at his ease, one of us.
Larry, you may remember that l
showed fondness for the stage in our
university days. When l got to Amer
lea / had little money and found it
necessary to find employment without
delay. I saw Mr.. Glenarm's advertise
ment for valet. Just as lark an
swered it to see what an American
gentleman seeking valet looked like.
fell in love with Mr.. Glenarm at
sight"
"And I with you!" declared my
grandfather. II never believed your
story at all,-you were too perfect in
the part!" .t
"Well, didn't greatly mind the
valet business; it helped to hide my
Identity; and did like the humor and
whims of Mr.. Glenarm. The house
keeping, after we came out here.
wasn't so pleasant"-he looked at his
hands ruefully-"but this joke of Mr.
Glenarm's making will and then 60
Ing to Egypt to see what would hap
pen,-that was too good to miss. And
when the heir arrived found new op-
portunities of practising amateur the
ntricals; and chickering's efforts to en-
list me in his scheme for finding the
money and making me rich gave me
still greater opportunities. There
we're times when was strongly tempt
I'd to blurt the whole thing; got
Tired of being suspected, and of play
ing ghost in the wall; and if Mr.. Glen
arm hadn't got here Just as he did
should have stopped the fight and pro-
claimed the truth. 1 hope" he said.
turning to me,-"you have no hard
feelings, sir" And he threw into the
"sir'' just a touch of irony that made
us all roar.
I'm certainly glad I'm not dead"
declared my grandfather staring at
o., t., f,o
thought possible. Bless my SOUL" he
said, eff it isn't a shame that Bates
IAN never cook another omelette for
me!">
We sent Bates back with my grand
lather from the boat-house, and Stod-
lard, Larry and started across the
Ice; the light coating of snow made
walking comparatively easy. We
strobe on silently, Stoddard leading.
Their plan was to take an accommoda-
lion train at the first station beyond
Annandale, leave 1t at town 40 miles
away, and then hurry east to an OBJ
rcure place in the mountains Of Mary
land where a religious order main
Mined house. There Stoddard prom
tS0u LARRY asylum anu no QuSSLlOuS
asked.
AS my two friends waved farewell
10 me from the rear platform of their
train a mood of depression seized me:
had lost much that day, and what I
had gained-my restoration to the re-
gard Of the kind old man of my own
blood. who had appealed for my COM
panionship in terms hard to deny
seemed trifling as I tramped back
over the ice. Perhaps Pickering, after
Ill, was the real gamer by the days
events!
l tramped on back toward the Glen
arm shore, and leaving the lake. half
unconsciously struck into the wood be-
vond the dividing wall. The melted
snow of midday was now crisp ice
hat ratified and broke under my tread.
came out into an open space beyond
st. Agatha's. found the walk ard
:urned toward home in the gathering
aight