Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-22

! all the more because we have waited for Il
SO long. SO that the three years OF our pro-
| baton will not be altogether wasted ex-
pect there will be q good deal of talk about
Carl Sartoris for few days to come, but
that need not concern Mary, who has never
been Identified with that scoundrel. and
course Of a few days I am going to take
Mary away and We shall be married very
quietly. l am determined to try to get the
roses back to her cheeks again."
Il hope you will he happy. as you deserve
| to be" Beatrice said with some emotion.
But l shall be sorry to lose two such
| good. kind friends, and
You are not going to lose us" Berring-
ton said II am going to give up soldier
ing altogether. I have only carried it on
| for the last few years, because l needed
| something to keep me from brooding over
! my troubles. I am going to settle down on
| my property at last. Goodnight"
Beatrice shook Bennington warmly by the
hand and he kissed her little fingers. He
had barely departed before Mark was back
with little wiry man with keen face
and pair of gray eyes that seemed to see
into everything.
so this is Beatrice" he said. as he shook
hands. you must let me call you that my
dear, because you are going to be my
daughter, Mark tells me- 1 am a plain
man who has more or less lived for bust
ness all his life, but begins to see lately
| that business is not everything. 1t does not
make for happiness, for instance. When
was Ill / began to see that. But at any
~
others happy"
Beatrice blushed and smiled. She began
to see that she was going to like Marks
father very much indeed. In quite nat
ural way she kissed him. The little gray
man beamed with pleasure.
Now that was real nice of you,' he
said. Mark has a great deal more sense
and discretion than / gave him credit for.
He is making a name for himself, too.
But you can't live on that kind of thing, at
| least not at first, and I'm going to give
Mark $4,000 a year, on condition that he
takes pretty little place in the country.
! where l can come and see you week ends.
| My dear, l feel that we are going to be
| very good friends indeed"
Il am quite certain of it." Beatrice said
| with tears in her eyes. Everybody is so
| good to me. l can't think why. but they
| are"
| You'll find out If you look at yourself in
| the glass. Mr.. Ventmore laughed. There
| the secret lies. Not bad compliment, eh,
| from a man who never tried his hand at
| that kind of thing before? And now let
me go and see that father of yours. Did
bring my cheque-book Mark?"
| Mark gayly answered his father that he
| did, and together the two went up the
| stairs. When they came down at length.
| there was an expression on the face of Mr..
| Ventmore that showed that he was by no
means displeased with himself. Sir Charles
was whistling an opera tune and was re-
garding a cigar with an air Of critical at
tentiOn.
Everything is settled" he said. "Those
city people will be paid of tomorrow, and
1 shall be free of them altogether. I shall
never touch business again. Beatrice; this
has been lesson to me. And II not rich
| man, I shall be very comfortably of. What
ever luxuries you may need IN the future
will not have to be schemed for. Ny dear
girl, will you order a chicken and some
salad and pint Of some good dry cham
payne to be brought here? I'm particularly
ravenous with hunger. Wonderful how
| ones appetite comes back when you get
nd fraa think
of those concessions being of that value.
after ALL Ring the bell. please"
The next day was good one for the
evening papers. Sir Charles was inter-
viewed till he was hot and angry and dis
posed to order his tormentors out of the
room. Scotland Yard had its own version OF
cordance with the real facts. But as Ber--
rington said, the excitement soon cooled
down, and the next sensation drove the
recollection of Sir Charles wonderful expe-
rience out of the public mind. Sir Charles
and his daughter went off to the country. so
as to escape much attention, and Ber-
rington and Mary Grey went along. At the
end of the week there was wedding at the
pretty church in the village, and Mary was
happy at last. Mark and Beatrice would
have to wait for six months or so, because
there was public opinion to be thought or.
though as a matter OF TACT the thlng was
the most empty form.
II hope we shall be as happyas they are"
Mark said as he and Beatrice watched the
train slowly glide into the darkness. They
have earned 1t, too"
IT think we both have" Beatrice said.
But don't look backward. especially on a
day like this. Let us go into the big wood,
and pick daffodils."
And in the train Bennington had gathered
his wife to his heart and kissed her ten
derby. He looked down into the soft eyes
from which the shadow had gone forever.
"And you are happy at last, darling2' he
said; though you are very silent.
silent, yes Mary said quietly. Outlet,
too. But thank God no longer the Slave
Of Silence!'
THE END.