Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-06

strange ideas. 1 remember, Owen. when
we were at Guys together. that you-
Shall we go and see the PATIENT" in
terrupted DR.. Parry. I'm going to leave
Aberllyn and devote tomorrow to my
other patients
Have you got any? 1 haven't. except
few poor people who think sixpence for
medical advice an extravaganza. I've
never had but one big patient in my life
and he's dead
II don't wonder" retorted Parry. with
a grin. ,,
He was drowned on the Santigan-I dare
say you remember it. 1t was I who ad-
vised him to 60 voyage for his health"
Poor fellow
"oh, wen, if he hadn't gone he'd have
killed himself with drink 80 it didn't
matter much. He was wild lot, If
ever there was one. Well, lead the way,
Owen"
DR.. Owen Parry led the way into the
patients room.
"a most extraordinary story" said Mr..
Lampirthy. looking at the ceiling through
cloud of tobacco smoke. 'and, to tell
you the truth. DR.. Morgan, 1 think you
have made mistake
Impossible replied the young doctor.
II knew Sir Richard Gaunt well by sight.
l attended him for month at Gaunt
Royal. 1t was I who advised him to take
voyage on the Santigan. How he was
saved 1 don't know, 1 can't possibly
guess. But the man who is lying down
there in the White Lion is Sir Richard
Gaunt. l could get a dozen people to
swear to it,
"You had better not" said Mr. Lam
pirthy, coldly. You will find it to your
interest to keep your mouth shut. 1 think
you have made a mistake. But if your
wild story is true, you'd better keep it to
yourself. If you talk about 1t Sir Henry
mil ,nf fhnr che
thank you; and Father Francis, If he
lives-well. there is no saying what he
might do
II have no wish to say anything" re-
piled the doctor. sharply. 1T is certainly
not my duty to make mischief. If this
man, for reasons which 1 can well I'M
derstand, wishes to conceal his tden-
tity-''
II wish it, interrupted Mr.. Lampirthy,
cor rather. I wish you not to give utter
ance to- this wild idea of yours. 1 will
endeavor to show you that silence will
be In the best interests of us all, even
yourself"
THANK YOU" said DR.. Morgan, stif1y,
I'm matter of this sort
Don't be an asst exclaimed Mr.. Lam
pfrthy. "You are rendering me a special
service in coming over here all the way
from Pen-y-bont Your practice will suf-
fer. l SHALL of course. make all this
good-in proportion to your services.
understand that you did not tell your
friend: DR.. Parry, of this extraordinary
resemblance
mo. 1 did not tell him."
How was that? He is a great friend
OF yours. is he not?''
YES, but I thought I'd better see you
first. I did not quite understand. 1
Thought that perhaps
You acted very wisely. I have every
confidence in you, DR.. Morgan. / think.
as l say, that you must be mistaken. 1t
1s possible you are not; but in either case
you will see the necessity for silence
The doctor bowed and left the room.
When he had gone Mr.. Lampirthy
frowned and. opening his pocketbook.
took out small torn slip of paper on
which Father Francis had written the
name Of "Gaunt."
He had said nothing about this to Dr.
Morgan. He had scoffed at the idea that
Father Francis was tile same man as the
Sir Richard Gaunt who had been lost in
the Santigan five years before. But dur
ing the whole interview he knew that the
story was true.
Without doubt the great preacher and
EefOrmer was the same man who. some
years previously. had scandalized London
with his excuses. Mr.. Lampirthy had
never known Sir Richard Gaunt. but in
those days the rake's name was often on
the lips of those who dearly love scam
dal Mr.. Lampirthy had for three years
running spent six months Of each year in
London on business. He had been brought
into contact with many society people.
He had often heard of Sir Richard Gaunt
And this was the man, the ardent en-
thusiast. who had persuaded him to sink
his millions in the furtherance of great
cause. "RakeheIl' Gaunt was the
preacher who had moved thousands to
the truer life of simplicity and godliness.
and the calm contemplation of nobler
things than wealth. This man, who once
had been excluded from the houses of
people that were not over particular in
the selection of their friends, was now
regarded as a great-souled and holy
minded saint, as prophet of God speak
Ing divine words through human lips.
The discovery was one which might
well stagger the intellect OF the coolest
and most practical man of business. Yet
the situation had to be faced. DIR. Nor
gan would be silent. He was a poor,
struggling physician. and, as he would
not violate any principles of honor or
justice by keeping his mouth shut, there
was every reason why he should accede
to Mr.. Lampirthy's wishes in the mat
ter. But was 1T possible for the secret
to be. kept? When the sick man re-
covered and faced the world again there
was every chance of recognition. His
hair and beard would scarcely have
grown to more than a thick stubble. His
face was well known in the district. 1t
was fortunate that DR.. Parry had only
come to Aberllyn two years previously.
But there would be many who would
recognize the late owner of Gaunt Royal.
There was his brother. now in possession
Of the estates: there were farmers.
tradesmen. laborers. all Of whom would
know the face.of Sir Richard Gaunt
Mr.. Lampirthy asked himself what
would happen If this secret, which Father
Francis himself had so carefully pre-
served. should become public property =?
And he could find no certain answer to
the question. Without doubt the re-
pentance of the man had been real and
sincere. His heart was in his work and
he was endeavorng to atone for his past
sins Mr. Lampirthy could well under
stand why he had concealed his identity
He was afraid to face the sneers of those
who did not believe in the reality of his
repentance. and the misplac ed enthusiasm
of those who look upon converted thief
criminal as the highest type of holi-
ness. He had acted wisely and as far
as could be seen, from excellent motives
But how would he face an exposure A?
What would be the attitude Of his follow
ers? How, above ALL would the general
public regard the matter? The press was
muZZled, and would doubtless turn the
incident to advantage. 1t would be of
the nature Of sensation. But the public
those who had begun to feel the influ-
ence of this mans ideas, but who had
not yet decided to follow his precepts-
Lampirthy already saw the singing COM
ments of those papers which were beyond
his control. And yet the exposure might
be worked to advantage. 1t would be a
sensation Of the first magnitude. A man
returning from the dead! A sinner
changed to an earnest reformeri The
story of the conversion, Of the long days