Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-14

| lIy Tor some moments IN silence. ~
| that fellows name Is ever mentioned
| again in this house you shall leave here.
Go to your room. Eva. No. go alone.
he cried quickly. as Jack was moving
| away with her. Stay here. John
Slowly she unwound her arms from
her brothers neck. and, with catch of
the breath. crept away.
Mark this. boy. If you dare To en-
courage Eva in this rebellion against me.
you are no son of mine. That's my last
word. Sit over there. ! have letter
to write
He took the place pointed out to him.
and sat watching his father write the
letter which the old man knew would sep
| arate the lovers finally.
! One other step the stern old martinez
took. He sent his son away that even
| ing from the manor and only recalled
| him. some eight months later. a week
| before Eva's wedding to Lord Broad
stone. which the rich man had arranged
! In the interval.
On the eve of the wedding John
of the Don Stuart incident" as the two
men sat smoking after dinner.
| II have told you the truth about Eva
| and that scoundrel Stuart's son because.
in my view. marriage is business con-
| tract in which matter OF the KIND
should not be concealed. And no man
ever knew John Petherby to make con-
| tract without disclosing the facts
Il had heard something of it. OF course,
! sir. A mere boy and girl affair. sup
pose.'' replied Lord Broadstone. with Il
! shrug Of the shoulders as ne ficked the
ash off his cigar.
II know nothing about hoy and girl
| affairs. but since that time the fellows
name has never been mentioned in this
house. He passed out of our lives. His
| father sent him to America. He made
an attempt to see Eva once. and was
thrown out Of the manor gates. He
tried to write to her. but I opened the
| letter. and. learning in that way his adj
dress. I wrote and told him that any
| insolence of the kind would be visited
on his father That was the end of it.
He is dead to us ALL
Il see.'' was Lord Broadstones reply.
as he helped himself to another glass of
wine and held 1t up meditatively; and the
brilliant electric light on the upturned
face brought all the lines into strong re-
| lief.
| John Petherby was a Judge OF men. and
knew we'll enough that the lines on the
weak. washy, prematurely old but still
| handsome face had been scored not by
time or thought. but by hard living, self
| indulgence. dissipation and worry. Tn
/ stable water. said the dropping mouth.
whose irresolution was emphasized rather
| than concealed by the light mustache:
unreliable as a ferret declared the shifty
| pale blue eyes. and the rich self-made
man read the signs like the print of
| book
As a man "Cast-iron john would not
| have given him 20 shillings a week in the
| big factory. But the diSpensatiOn OF
| Providence had made the man a peer,
and the father believed he was doing well
| to buy him as a sOn-tn-law. And he was
prepared to buy the honor, as he bought
| all things. at a fair price. Fifty thou
| sand pounds in cash to pay his lordship's
present debts and half million ster-
ling settled upon Eva, to revert to her
husband II there were no children. That
was the price. And both sides considered
1t fair bargain.
And now said Mr. Petherby, after
a pause, you will meet candor with cam
dor?"
What do you mean?" asked Lord
Broadstone, with start of uneasiness.
"You have no entanglements of any
kind?'
"Of course not What do you say that
for?" The answer was irritably spoken
You were away for some years in
America before your father came into the
title five years ago, and there were ru-
mors-'
What rumors? What do you mean?"
| broke IN the peer
THAT you were married out there
$50 l was-but she's dead Died before
| I came home. Isn't that enough for your
He spoke more angrily than before, and.
after glancing once at Mr.. Petherby,
stared sullenly down at the table.
Il though perhaps that as divorce is so
| easy in the states you might
Look here. 1 don't see the good Of
this" broke in Lord BrOadstone. IF you
don't take my word, chuck the thing up.
Chuck 1t! I wasn't saint as young
| fellow. I've never posed as one. But
cut all that sort of thing off like a knife
when I came home. If you don't believe
me, then chuck the thing up. You're
looking at me as if / was a criminal in
the dock. by CAD" And he helped HIM
self to another glass of wine.
He stood in considerable fear of his
host, and only with a great effort had he
made this speech. An effort prompted
by temper and not little alarm, for he
had many unsavory secrets.
"Cast-iron John" did his best to smile.
Don't be uneasy. I take your word. If
could not 1 should not give you my
daughter"
shall we go to the ladies. them"
'In moment have only one thing
more to say About myself. l have, as
you know hurried the marriage forward.
l will not deny that Eva's health suffer-
ed from that scoundrel's infamous treat
ment, and l had intended to take her for
voyage Eva is delicate. But my own
health Is the cause of my alteration of
plans
Lord BroadStone smiled. Your health!
Why. that must be perfect. judging by the
way you stick to the big varnish works.
/ SIlOulu tillIk you re dS ndlU dS HdliS-
Il do not show the world all l feel but
you must know this l am under sentence
of death My heart is wrong I had a
warming a month ago. and have consulted
the specialists. They all agree that death
may come at any minute and cannot
long be delayed"
Il hope it's not as bad as that, SIR
cried Lord Broadstone with spontaneous
sincerity. He was capable of surface feel
ings Of the sort.
1--WE may take il proved" answered
Mr.. Petherby, without sign of feeling.
Therefore I wished Eva to be married
as soon as possible--to have some one to
take my place over her. All other arrange
ments ] have completed. My business is
now a limited company. Eva's fortune
half a million-has been invested in good
securities. Your lawyers know of this.
My son. Jack. will have a million
sterling and all my share in the business
when he comes of age. If he dies before
then everything will go to Eva and her
children
: There was a pause. The young man
did not know what reply to make. The
Petherby's danger had passed. giving
way to speculations of A very different
kind. I've no doubt it will be all right
sir" he murmured scribbling hieroglyph-
les on the cloth with the handle of his
dessert knife
I've been a hard father to Eva in some
things" said Mr.. Petherby slowly, "but
/ have sought to do always the thing
which seemed right / am hard man,
know, and perhaps she has no idea OF
the love bear her. I pray God you will
make her good husband-when l am
gone"
'I'll do nv utmost sir, on nv honor"