Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-21
CHAPTER III.

The rain that battered down the glory of
color into the soaked earth Of the park had
slashed and beaten black, struggling lines
against the gray stone wall of the buildings
in Lncoln's Inn. The radiance of the sun
never wholly penetrated the court, but to-
day the old place seemed like a tomb. In
one of the forbidding- looking dwellings, in
his solicitors chamber, sat Lord Kerhill.
He glanced around the silent room, and
aimlessly took in the array of large tin
boxes. with their painted family names.
piled high on the shelves encircling the
walls. Conspicuous among them was his
own. With the exception of few I'M
attractive pieces OF solid mahogany and
some large leather chairs, the room was
almost empty. Its uglness Jared him. AS
he sat there, his face IN repose showed
that the years had given an added touch
of bitterness 10 his expression. He still
retained his well-cut features and their
beauty of line only little marred by
a certain heaviness that had recently de-
veloped. His dark mustache hid the weak
mouth with its suggestion OF sensuality;
indeed the whole man showed a strong
tendency toward grossness as yet only no
tiCeable to the careful observer.
He still had the ineffable quality of
charm. when he willed to exert it, which
made his selfshness seem TO many only
the outcome of impulsive youthfulness In
shamefaced way he admitted to himself
now that he was in the wrong and that he
had stupidity involved his affairs, but he
comforted himself in the same moment,
with the fatuousness of self-indulgence.
that everything would work out all right.
To tide over this difficulty adjust and
eVade for time the demand of the hour
had been hls policy for so long that he
could not realize that an end was possible
to the long tetEer he so often abused.
lie had come In response to an urgent
summons. Opposite him deeply absorbed
in some papers. sat Johnston Petrie the
trusted solicitor OF the kcrhil family since
Henry's father came into the title He was
a large powerfully built man of fifty-fve
with a massive head, piercing black eyes
under shaggy eyebrows, and clOse-crOpped
Iron-Gray Curls above the shrewd face
Henry rose impatlenUy to 20.
As he did SO, Petrie lifted his glasses on
their black ribbon TO his eyes and said
Il m exceedingly sorry, your lordship. but
You must give me time 10 look more closely
into that affair before | can venture a final
opinion as TO the condition Of the estate.
Besides, ! have several other matters OF
the gravest Importance to question you
about, they pertain TO some business
transactions you made recently without
my knowledge. while you We're abroad"
He motiuncd his lOrdship TO a chair as
though to pursue deeper the conversation,
and drew several documents from drawer
Henry kcrhilI fdgeted.
Its impossible, Potrie. Next week after
the wedding. or after we return from Scot
land, III have leisure then to discuss these
things with you, and l really mean this
time to have you adjust everything and SET
me quite straight"
Johnston Petrie shook his head
"Oh, / know" Henry continued I've
been careless, but l mean to pull up. Ill
start fair from next week
Johnston Petrie looked up sharply He
knew more of his clients career than
Henry cared TO remember. He had known
him from boyhood. and his shrewd sum
ming up OF human nature could see only
pitfalls ahead for Lady Elizabeth's son
He had tried in every way to stop the
reckless living OF his client From the in
cessant demands made the estate fol
large sums of ready money he knew thai
Henry Wynnegate. irritated by the con
servative principles of his firm. had USED
outside help to prevent his family adviser
from obtaining knowledge of some recent
speculations
Long ago tombstone Petrie would have
asked 10 be released from the responsible.
tiles OF the Kerhill affairs. but for a loya
devotion to his dead client the late earl
and a desire to protect Lady Elizabeth.