The Washington herald., 1907-05-19

and people were whispering and taking
why. there were even some as said that
whatever it was you had done he had
probably led you into Il. and he was run
ming about all over the town with Hetty
Lancaster and-well-he got Bit of a
bad name after you had gone, I can tell
YOU And on the top of it all, came that
black business Of tRs Lancasters.
Godfrey caught his breath
The men in the forge had opened the
furnace door again. and the great piece
Of iron had come out red hot, lolling on its
chain. rolling u the center of the floor.
where the men began sharply scraping
away the shell that had formed upon it in
the fire
Geoffrey turned and began walking
away from the forge. away from the
patch Of light into the dusky street. The
twilight prevented Ted from seeing his
face plainly, but he turned it from him
all the same as he walked
What Of them?- he asked, hoarsclv.
What of the Lancasters?" and Ted
stared in surprise.
DO you mean 10 say that You never
heard Of that?" he cried "Why, you
must have been asleep; you must have
been buried in the wilds all this time not
70 have heard Of that"
Yes. I've been in the wilds. said Ge0f-
frey huskily; but tell mo"
Ted gave him a quick glance His
sharp ewes saw the pallor of his face
in spite Ct the dusk They saw, too, the
drawn look Of suffering about his lips
and he abruptly linked his arm in his
Tt would have hurt you years aso." ."
he said at last. but / reckon you've for
gotten her long since while you've been
knocking about Jhe world. But ii it
hurts you 20 hear-st7p me. Il would
have been bad for you years ago. You
were so wrapped IN in her and believed
in hcr so. and, after AN. she wasn't worth
it, Godfrey. Many a time felt thankful
you we've out Of Oldcastle. She wasn't
worth a minutes Ecartache, wasn't worth
an honest mans thought"
Ted looked az him shrewdly again, and
slightly shook his head. Gecdrey hadn't
got over the old pain-vhat he had 10
tell him would hurt him after ali
"Hetty-Hetty turned out different TO
what you expected" me said. slowly. She
didn't run straight after von ieft Old
castle she ran crooked. Ge1G. I would
not say ausLt to hurt SOU for anything
anybody could give me. but Hettys best
forgotten
Forgotten The word broke so harsh
lv from Godfrey throat that Ted started
"a little. Forgotten D1 YOU think that
J could ever forget. whatever she has
done? I loved ler then, / love her STILL
whatever She is. whatever she has done
Nothing VIII ever change me. TED, and
] want On hear ey.ryth.Hg-al she
went through. all she suffered, everything
she did
He par ont DIS hand almost heIrless'v.
ana once more Ted linked h.s arm u his
"It isn't good hearing la said after
a minute. i think. after you went. tHes
LORD FEnzl8we affected her. upset her
balance. $50 u speak for she was odi be-
more ways than one. After the rgmp9s
at the castle she was seen everywhere
with Lord Ta"sl1w.. and they sril the
ola lord was mad about II. and couldn't
help it Then they said that she was se-
|lftaA married I' l.II 7 fa..r..a.t H.r lIi'.N
one night there wC.e hisa words between
her ana her rs,hrrtaud Molly Bvrne-you
remember N- IHngasters cnok2-heHrd
them. and heard Hetty crying out that
something was a lie.
1t was that night that she ve1t She
declared 20 Molly that she wJuiI never
speak 10 her father again. and went and
shut herself NJ i'm her own bedroom
In the morning she was gone. and two
nights later Mr. Lancaster was found
dead in his study murdered"
He broke off. Godfrey had given d
cry and wrenched his arm from mis-.
THAT isn't true he cried. sharply 1t
can't be true"
Well. II WAS never proved said Ted
"and it was DIR. North who came IN
there. He declared that old Mr.. Laucas-
ter had died naturally of heart disease
He swOTe that ne had been attending him
for months because OF II. that he had cx-
pected him 20 die suddenly But nobody
believed him, for we all knew that ne WIS
in love with Hetty Lanoastcr-like half
dozen more. Everybody knew tat he
would shield her if he could. but nobody