The Washington herald., 1907-05-05

found himself making his way 10 the
grand staircase. The crimson velvet cur
tains were thrown back. and tine daz-
zung uhiteness OF thc marble stairs and
tine vivid crimson Of The pile carpets
seemed 90 dance before H.s eyes He saw
before him The gold mosaic bdlustrades,
the exquisite flowers and ferns arranged
ou either side of the great palms.
To see the King,
Il seemed aa sa1l IS way-up the grand
staircase, through saloon after sa'jon,
each one seeming more beautiful than the
last, and then finally into the picture gal
lsry, and across tine top of it to the
throne room.
If Ge0ffrey had any recollection of il
as he saw it chen, # was only of a blaze
of color. of "a group Of pages and gentle
men-at-arms with gold and silver sticks
and OF a great King in his fun state
dress
He heard his name called. and the name
of Lord Relwick. who presented him, and
then the Kings voice.
Was it really he-Geoffrey Clavering
of Oldcastle-who stood ther listening
Was it of idm and his work that the
King sp0ke2 u seemed impossible II
was like a fairy tale. And as he left
the room and the scene was blotted out
there came rushing back 10 him the ong
thought that Obliterated everything else
the thought of Hetty Lancaster.
He found himself with curious rapidity
at the entrance to the palace. A ear.
riage had just drawn uD, and TWO meT
%
them looked round and Geonrey, with a
sudden catch in his breath, took an in
voluntary step backward.
It was Claude, Lord Fanshawe, and
MS father, the Earl of Oldcastle. The
earl had gol in, but for a moment Lore
Fanshawe had stopped - look round, and
as he did so Godfrey moved forward
Their eyes met across the space, and
Geohrey's lips tlghtened over his teeth
There was an instant's fash in LORD
Fanshawes pale eyes. a momentary
CLEAN and a sudden paiing of his face
as if something had startled him. IL
gave a quick start ana drew in his
breath sharply for a second. The mex
he had recovered himself, Ills race
changed and grew careless again. and
then he turned and followed his father
into the carriage.
a
the steps. and Lord RenwicK had to touci
him twice on the arm before he realized
that his brOugham was waiting and tina
he was blocking the way,
He stumbled forward. The sun had
come out while he had been in the pal
ace-the late. cold afternoon sun. 1
cleaned weakly in his eyes now as h
entered the carriage, and sent pale
ray in to him as the coachman whipped
ND the horses. And Lord Renwick, a
his side. looked into his strange. set
stern face with a sudden cold upon him
There was something there that he haC
never. seen before-something in the clear
cut profile in the set of the lips in tbs
dark eyes. that sent thrill Of excite
ment through him. Is reminded him o.
a moment in the African war-a momen
that meant a cTisis-ether a great sue
cess or a great disaster. And he shiver
ed a little as he turned to pull up tbs
window.
1T has gone quite chilly" he said
Geodrey made no reply He stared
out at the duh park, at the pale dry
grass, and again he saw nothing Of it
only instead the rugged North Country
town and the frowning castle on tbs
hill
I shall go north after ALL" he sait
to himself.
Inside the carriage Lord Fanshawe fei
back beside his father with a sudder
change in his face. The sun, hltering il
through the glass, showed It white again
and with the debonair. careless. reckles.
look gone. and instead something hare
and ugly and cruel in the set of his lip:
and jaw.
Did you see that MANI" he asked
What man9" The earl was fumbIns