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

you"
She sat down on a hard deal chair and
loosened the heavy fur stole which hung
from her shoulders. Father Francis. who
had slightly shifted his position when
the servant left the room. was in the
shadow. and the light of the lamp was
on his visitors face. He clasped his
hands and stared at the fire, waiting for
her to explain her visit.
Young Harry Brandon" she said. after
a pause. 1T was Of him / wished to
speak to you
'Oh. yes. that poor girl-your secretary
I understand. I would have sent her
message but for my illness. 1t was so
soon afterward.'
Yes, yes. / know" she said. hastily.
1.-The girl came to the funeral. She told
me that she prayed for your death.
The mans face grew hard and grim.
He wondered If the prayer of heart
broken girl would be answered.
But she has repented OF her wicked
prayer" continued Lady Betty. She has
asked me to tell you this. She thinks
that you did what you believed to be
right
"Henry Brandon died in great cause.
He was the first martyr. God will reward
him and those who loved him..
$50 tried to explain" the woman said.
nervously. 'It was hard-at first; but
now she understands"
ut is WELL" he replied, and then there
was long silence.
Is SIG SILL Will yOu ie dShCu' oLsOA
a pause.
''Yes. she is still with me-.
Il am glad Of that. One can forget
ones sorrows in work. And you? How
has your work progressed? Are you
happy? Are you content?"
81 am not content. There is so much
to do. more than / can deal with. But
the work is prospering."
Again there was silence. Father Fran
els was wondering why this woman had
n him He did not believe that
the death of Harry Brandon was a suff1-
cent motive for her visit.
Then the door opened and the ugly lit
tie servant appeared.
riedly. 1.-The missus wants to know IL
yer'd like fire in yer ROOM
Lady Betty Drake flushed crimson as
she encountered the inquiring gaze of
Father Francis.
. Yes. please she answered, and the
girl left the room.
You are staying here tonight" asked
the preacher. after pause.
"Ye-es." she replied. 1.-The roads are
too bad to get back to Aberllyn tonight"
You are not staying at Aberllyn." he
replied. sternly. You have come up
from London to see me. Only a matter
of importance could have brought you
so far in this weather.
yes" she said, with a nervous laugh.
Il have come up to see you on matter
of importance"
cit is good Of you" he muttered; but
he did not look at her, and shaded the
freight from his eyes with one hand.
"A fortnight ago." she continued, 81
met Sir David Llewellyn at dinner
party. We had long talk about you.
He told me all about your illness, and he
told me that you would have to be very
careful in the future
IAN unusual subject of conversation at
a dinner" the man answered. drily; land,
if 1 may say so, Sir David was guilty of
a breach of professional confidence"
Il dragged it out of him" she said.
quickly. You see, I have always taken
an interest in you and your work. l have
not forgotten our interview. l have
prayed for you every night"
You are a good woman he replied.
after a pause, land / am sure that your
prayers have been heard"
And now 1 have come to ask some
thing of YOU" she continued, land wish
you to regard me. not as an impairment
stranger. but as one who takes heart
felt interest in you"
II shall always regard you in that
light" he murmured.
sir David told me- she said. in a low
voice. that you are not strong enough
to stand the excitement and toll of your
present work, and that you will break
down. that perhaps even your mind will
give way. Pardon me speaking so plain
ly. but I am very much in earnest"
HE told me the same the man an
SWcreQ, SFlInly. lie kHOWS WHdI lc Is
talking about
II have come here tonight she con-
tinued. Ito ask you to rest for little
while-to take years holiday. At the
end of that time you will be able to deal
with your work as you cannot deal with
it now. 1t will be all for the good of
your cause. If you continue your work
now you will break down altogether, and
then who will take your place? Not only
for your own sake, but for the work
v1yI,i ob i0 On n T in0n1nYn
to rest for a while-for year..
For a few moments Father Francis was
silent Then he rose unsteadly to his
feet and gripped the mantelpiece with
one hand.
For a year," he cried, fiercely. You
ask me to wait for a year? 1 must work.
work. work and not lose minute of my
time. For the night is coming, when no
man can work.
Lady Betty looked at the haggard face
and sunken eyes. and her heart was filled
with pity and terror. She saw the birth
of madness on the face of the man she
loved. and she cast aside all prudence
and self-reStraint.
She rose to her feet with a cry of an
guish and. gripping his arm with both
her hands, looked up into his face.
Dick! she cried and then paused,
knowing that the one word would tell
him everything.
For a moment the man stood irresO1ute,
fear. anger and even love battling in his
heart for the mastery. Then he sud-
denly shook himself free from her grasp
and stepped back a pace or two still
holding on to the mantelpiece with one
hand. A dozen sentences rose to his lips,
but he was not able to give utterance to
any one of them.
''You know meg" he said, harshly, and
that was all that he could say at time
which might be the crisis Of his life.
Yes. 1 know you, Dick" she answered.
81 knew you when we first met at the
House of Rest. Do you wonder that
have prayed for you each night of my
life?"
"You must be silent" he gasped. you
must not speak. You will not-you have
kept silence for so long"
IF it is only that which troubles you.'
she replied. quietly. you can set your
mind at rest. shall not speak,
mo. Betty, no. OF course you will not.
1 feel brute for suggesting such a
thing. 1t would ruin my work.
Il have come down here to save you.
Dick" she continued. "Only the hope of
saving you would have induced me to let
you know that ! recognized you. / have
come to you now to plead with you as a
woman, who can only use one argument,
that she desires to save you from mad
ness and DEATH
II will not listen to you, Betty he
be here. no right to speak to me as IL
you knew me. Sir Richard Gaunt is
dead
so You told me and I understand. /
have not forgotten. but know my duty"
There is my work. he exclaimed. .All
else is as nothing. / will not listen to
YOU Do you realize how many souls l