The Washington herald., 1907-05-05
CHAPTER II
Before His King.

He turned sharply and faced a man who
wore a ribbon across his shoulders and
"a quantity of stars and medals on his
chest.
"Ah, there you are. Wdring. You ought
to have lunched with me, you know, if
it was only as favor, for everybody is
anxious to meet you. and its something
10 have a lion like you in tow nowadys.
By the way. the Earl Of Oldcastle has
asked me TO present you 10 him. We
shall see him when We so through His
son, Lord Fanshawe, is here somewhere.
Shall l introduce you?"
Geoffrey shTank back.
"No-no-Td much rather no.. thank
you all the same. Lord RenWick. me said
''I-I-want my stay in England TO be
as quiet as possible Don't think nae un-
grateful but 1 am afraid / am not a
sociable man, and after one has lived ia
the wilds. all this" he looked round,
"isn't-isn't exactly conseuiaL am
/ scarcely used TO society.
Lord Renwick laughed
You're too modest and shy, Waring,"
he said IN set my wife on TO you.
You want waking up. And think Of your
chances, man. The world IS at your
feet The King has recognized your abi-
ity, and aftag this. if you make the most
of your opportunities. YOU may rise 10
any height / shall tell my wife to talk
TO you. There sine is. by the way, and
that girl at her side is my daughter Hu-
airy. You must come and De introduced to
them. I shall tell my wife YOU are a
misanthrope and leave you 10 her. Shell
draw you out of your she'll
lie put his hand ON Gconrey' sleeve as
he spoke, and made move 10 cross the
room, but somehow Geonrey seemed curl
ously rigid. He was standing. with lis
/ eyes fixed on Il group a little way off-a
group Of men, brilliant in their court dress,
their swords at their sides anC stars on
their breasts. And among them was Lord
FansEawe
Geohrey's throat was .}ar-ned and his
lips dry as he looked across at them. and
il was with an effort -hat Ee turned 10
Lord Renwick.
Il suppose suppose Lady FaHsn5we
/ is here to-day" he said. uncertainty His
eyes left the group and looked across the
room
Lady Fanshawe?'' cried Lord Renwic<.
Lady Fanshawe: Why there is no Lady
Fanshawe-yet Claude is a rackety crea-
ture and there have been endless reports
of his engagement. but they have been
false until nov, and now-weu between
ourselves-there viii be Lady Fan
shave soon
Geonrey Whirled round, and Lord Rem
wick looked up. startled, into his gray
/ face that looked so queer and set and al,
his flashing eyes
Not married." he cried in strange,
husky voice. Lord FanshaWe not mar
! Tied?'
He passed his hand across his facr. Il
was icy cold He was conscious that
/ Lord Renwick was looking up at him
curiously. almost nervously. but he could
| only think OF Hetty-Hetty Lancaster,
that little girl in the north whom he
/ had left eight years ago-tne girl who
ought TO have been Lord Fanshawe's
| bride
/ He looked round uncertainty II she was
not Lady Fanshawe, if she was not there,
/ then where was she. and what did 1t all
/ mean? If Lord Fanshawe had not mar
/ ried her then he had played her false
/ cheated her. broken her heart, perhaps
/ his little, bright-eyed Hetty.
/ The room, the gay crowd, the puzzled
/ face of Lord Renwick beside him grew
dim and blurred to his eyes. There seem
/ ed to be a great noise about him; bat II
was only the rushing of the blood III his
ears and the beating of his heart
False, Lord Fanshawe-false to her and
/ to him. In ali those years he had never
thought of that-had never dreamed that
Hetty could be anything but CIaude's
wife, and now-where was she?
The room seemed 10 change ike a ka-
Ieidoscope as the crowd moved past him.
/ and suddenly he became aware that Lord
! Renwick was speaking and looking AT
/ him anXiously.
"Eh2 What? I beg your pardon Lord
Renwick. / did not mean TO be so rude.
/ am ready"
He recovered himself with an effort
and followed his friend across the room.
/ He bowed mechanically to Lady Renwiclx
and the girl at her~side. but he saw
neither of them. Their faces. blurred
and misty seemed to be blotted out bv
/ the memory OF the girl he had left he
+ hind him in England eight years ago
the girl he had believed to be Lord Fan
shawe's wife.
Where WAS she now?
/ There was a move forward and soroa
+ one took him by the arm II was Lord
/ ReuWick; ana few minutes later he