The Washington herald., 1907-05-05


helpless. He had been ike a man dead all
this time, and yet now, after eight years.
DE had come TO life again-he had come
back!
He looked round the dull park as he
drove through it, at the gray buildings
edging 1t, at the gray sky above, and
remembered how he had seen England
last 1t had been just such a day as
this, chill and duh and cold, and the sky
shove the old town in the north, that
he had loved so we'll. that he had been
forced to turn his back upon had looked
gray Ike this London sky-gray and hope
less as his own life had been.
AS the park swung past him he leaned
back in his brougham. seeing not the
park. nor the pale green Of the grass,
nor the busy London crowd. but the
rugged old town up north. with its tall
chimney stacks and belching smoke and
the castle on the hill that had frowned
down upon him when he had turned to
look at it for the last time.
As his brougham neared Buckingham
Palace, he leaned forward and the sight
OF the British flag waving against the
chill sky, of the Kings Life Guards, rig
Idly upright on their horses facing the
crowd about the gates. stirred him sharp
ly He was going to see the King.
He leaned back again as people pressed
forward TO stare at him, and mechani-
caIly passed his hand across his face.
It was scarcely likely that he would be
recognized. The years had altered him,
and besides. who would suspect that the
GeOnrey Waring on his way to meet his
king was Ge0nTey CIavering. the des-
perate boy, who eight years ago, had
stood in the steep and narrow street of
the town he loved, ruined and disgraced
and outcast?
No one could know him now, after
eight years He had grown bronzed and
older Eight years ago he had been
clean-shaven youth Now a moustache
hid the bitter look about his lips. and
the pain he had suffered then and the
things ne had gone through since had
SCARED his face. had given him a different
look had touched his hair with gray,
though he was scarcely thirty. even now.
All the same he shrank away from the
crowd that always gathers about the pal
ace gates on court days. and stared back
at them nervously. It was scarcely likely
that he would see any one he knew or
who remembered him, but curious things
happened sometimes. and he looked out
almost afraid lest as he did so he should
encounter the eyes of some one he had
known in Oldcastle eight years ago-s0me
one who would remember and recognize
him. and involuntariIy there rose up be
fore him a vision he had so often tried
10 crush-a memory of "a girl. soft and
radiant with shining eyes and laughing
lips-the girl who eight years ago, had
been simple Hetty Lancaster. She would
be in a very different position now, and
why he should think OF her ia connection
with the crowd about the palace gates
he could not understand. Yet since he
had been in England he had looked at
every woman with dread, and even now
he drew back with "a sudden check in his
breath as his carriage crawled along the
curb; for there waiting 10 find "a space
to cross, was a girl with a face so like
Hettys that it might have been she in
reaHty-if only he had not known it To
be impossible,
She was standing looking about her ne
V0usIy-Hetty Lancaster. as she might
have been, if the light had gone out OF
her face and cut of her eyes-if she had
been poor and i'll and careworn. And that
was impossible. as ne knew. Yet the sight
OF the unknown girls face, as she stood
on the pavement stabbed him to the
heart.
he drew a deep breath. and a smile
crossed his lips as the girl moved away.
In a few minutes he might see Hetty her
self-the real Hetty-the wife of Lord
Fanshawe, aid-de-camp to the King-a
great lady now. the Hetty he had known
and loved so we'll eight years ago.
In few minutes he might have to
face her indiTerently-pray God, she
would not recognize him!
The brougham crawled on apace and
the crowd grew thicker. Some one stared
in at him, and then his quick ears caught
a whisper.
That's Waring- that's the man" a
face peered in at the carriage window.
and for "a moment he stared back, with
the breath checked in his throat. ex-
pecting recognition.
Yet, who could know him? The man
whose eyes met his was stranger
some one who had heard of him. no
dOubt-wh0 had seen his portrait in the
daily paper. perhaps. 1t had been taken
without his knowledge or PERMISSION
snapshot as he had left his hotel. and so
unlike the GeOfrey ClaveTing who had
disappeared from Oldcastle eight years
ago that he had laughed when he saw
it. If all his photographs were like that
he could come to London without fear.
No one would know him.
He leaned back against the soft lining
of the carriage. with his eyes on the win
dow Face after face looked in and van
tshed again. Through the glass he heard
their remarks, and their voices seemed to
drift in TO him Ike voices in a dream.
Yes, that's Geonrey Waring You've
heard about him? He saved the life of
one Of the royal party out in India and
they say he'll be knighted for it, But
he's done more than that. They say he
is enormously rich. and he has got a
name 20 coniure with out there. He's
going TO make history and they say he is
as nervous and modest as if he had
done nothing at all.
GeoffTey's face grew strained and set.
He make history? He on his way 10 see
the King? He must be dreaming a crazy
dream. Eight years ago, a nobody, he
had been turned away from Oldcastle.
Eight years ago he had gone from tho old
town disgTaced. Even the poorest hon
est man in Oldcastle would have refused
10 work beside him eight years ago.
He had only dim idea of what was
happening when he left his carriage.
His sword hung loosely at his side against
his unfamiliar velvet clothes He was
conscious of an army OF people of differ