The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
By FOXCROFT DAVIS
PART VI


/ sessed him. He saw at a glance the grim
/ possibilities of the ease, and they were
/ enough 10 stasger a strong man. He
examined the letter before him as it lay
upon his study table. ana it seemed 10
/ bring contamination with H. His sin
and the shame had tracked him over the
world, and were now seated. hideous
speCters that they were. on each side
OF him. He had repented and had atom
ed, as far as he could, for the sin Of his
youth.
He rose and, throwing his arms wide
despaired in his heart, and then asked
pardon of that Higher Power TO which
his soul aspired. The thought Of Lucy
came to him like lash upon an open
wound. Then his mood grew logged and
kind OF fatalism possessed his mind. II
il were written that Alicia Vernon should
be avenged upon him, then it was writ
ten, and struggles were useless. II only
he had not told Lucy Armytage Of his
love. She, poor child might be dragged
INTO the degradation which awaited him,
He remembered that ne was TO so 70 see
Lucy that evening after dinner. The JOY
he felt At the thought of being with her
Was poisoned by the black shadow of
Alicia Nernon's presence in Washing
'ttA- III -tt+AA ~ pass AlAN lAOLFs NaAtlE cllt
and Sen Talbot were lodged on his way
10 his club for dinner, and the place
which held Alicia seemed odiOus TO him.
And Gen. Talbot. too: OF all living men
he was the man whom Sir Percy should
most wish to meet and TO serve; but
among the keenest pangs Of his punish
ment were the shame and unWOrthiBess
he felt in Gen. T8lbCtt's presence.
Sir Percy had some thought Of cxcus-
ing himself from his semi-weekiy visit
10 Lucy on that evening, but, dOgged-
ness still possessing him, he went, think
ing TO himself at any moment the ex-
pioSlon might come, any meeting might
be their last, therefore would he have
as many as possible. He had not reached
his present position without acquiring
perfect mastery over his manner. his
voice, and his cOgntenance. and Lucy
had no suspicion that he was not entirely
a. MS ease when he entered the Army
tages' sittIng-ro0m
Never had he seen Lucy more charm
ing than when she came forward TO meet
him. She was fun of the lessons in Ian
Suages she was taking. especially in rub
bing up her superficial knowledge of
French. She had got a French news
paper. and read with admirable accent
some editorials in which Sir Percy vas
interested Mrs. Armytage went sound
asleep as usual and the lovers could talk
with sweet Unrestraint Heretofore il
was Sir Percy who had risen PROMPTLY
on the stroke of TO- but tonight il was
a quarter past before he stirred. and
Lucy then forced him away He return
ed 20 his chambers accompanied by the
ghost Of his wrongdoing. and the black
1os who kept watch over him prevented /
him from sleeping al night long.
The next afternoon at O'Clock sir
Percy Car!yOn was ushered into Gen
Ialbott's and Alicia Vernons charming |
little drawing-room at the hotel. As he
came IN, Gen. Talbot met him with Z
both hands outstreLched. Sir Percy real /
zed, as he always did in Gen. Talbotts /
that here was a man 81 no
common mold He was small bald, and
0W-volced, but in distinction OF bearing 4
ma manner there were few men superior .
20 Cen Talbot This distinction also
belonged 70 Alicia Vernon. and Sir Percy f
,ould not but recognize it as she rose and /
'oFahced toward him and gave him her
land. She was quite forty. and showed
t. Like most women of her exquisite
1tond type each year left a visible mark
Her chestnut hair had lost much of its
uster, and her tne white skin had little
marks and lines in it. like a crumpIed
oSeleat She had not the freshness and
laturaIness which Sir Percy. CarIvon
eckoned the chief charm OF the Auoeri-
an woman. Alicia Vernon was the prod-
let Of an old civilization. and showed 1
t but her tall and stately figure retained
I'd Its symmetry, and her eyes and her
olce and her smile-ah. thew were
still! Her voice. low. soft.
no clear, had melancholy sweetness
nj power Of expression that Sir Percy
.arlyon had never known in any vyor5
n s voice but hers, and her ewes. the
5ior OF Vlolets, had in them q deptb
hfe' ana hickering shadows ike the
cart or an opal Everything about her
as an individual distinctive. Sir Percy
as not much versed in the details of
woman s dress, but he felt, rather than
new, the beauty of the sweeping. male
lue draperieS which undulated about
ilcid vernon. and the seductive perfume Z
hich eXhaled from everything she wore /
nd used Here was the charm Of The !
hulamite T
In meeting Sir Percy her manner and
me were perfectly calm friendly, and Z
imposed Toward her father she was s
ways perfect. and his air of tender I
liValTous protection was touching and
eautiful.
The three sat aroundlthe fire and talked i
rs friends do after q long !
'sence. Mrs Vernon offered Sir Percy S
cup OF tea, and even handed it to him
IN her own hands sparkling with gems. r
II ne declined il. II it had been in Z
aly during the time Of the Borgias he n
ould have hesitated to drink any cup
Tered him by Alicia Vernon. She said h
lie. leaving the conversation chiefly IN J.
i Iather and Sir Percy. As they talked Y
e sat IN large chair, her head half ?
fneo toward Sir Percy. and holding be-
'een the rire and her face an ANTIQUE s
n painted by GreuZe. She had been o
sip OF girl when her lips had sought Fl
T Percy S. and had shown him, in tri- v
hph' her long, bright hair; but in some a
lngs she was unchanged, and Sir Percy s
IL mat stripping Of to-day, such IS s.
had been in the old days, would not b
safe with Mrs. Vernon. While thev {,
IRE talking Lord Baudesert's card was il
ought 10 Gen Talbot. On it was a
rawled: q
My hrst chance to take the air. Gout Ii
$ me oy the leg, so come down and .
i've with me for an hour. if
zen. Talbot rose at once Sir Percy ?
q no excuse to leave at the same time tC
d remained perforce. w
hen the door was shut on Gen. Tai
u Sir Percy Carlyons face changed
% the hardness of a E.nt. and he sat
ent waiting 10 see what position Mrs A
rnon would take with him. She too +
NAMED silent for a while. fixing upon fC
n two wells Of violet light The set al
g sun streamed through a western el
ldoW upon Sir Percy's face, and she p
Idied 1t carefully No; he was not fl
ndsome even as a young man, and at q
rty-eight his mustache was growing Sc
~ and his hair scanty, and there were Y
'ws feet in the corners Of his eyes. W
{ what did that matter TO her? He tn
S the most considerahIa MN l,nnr