Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-19


sand pounds. What more could man
desire? He smiled when he thought how
near he had been to death. He mad not
known that for ten years man had been
seeking his life Violet Hexamer had
never spoken Of her relations. She had
only said that they were nothing to her
so long as he loved her
The thought of the unfortunate girl did
not trouble him. He had almost forgot
ten her existence and ne had heard moth
ing of her since he gave her thousand
pounds to conclude the episode. She had
passed out Of his life. like others who
had replaced her in his affections She
had been flair sport" and provided the
amusement Of an hour His conscience
did not accuse him. He was only thank
full that George Crawshay was dead.
He placed Crawshay's letter on the fire.
and locked up the box which contained
the labor of a mans best years. He had
no desire to examine the contents of the
box- The letters and the diaries were so
much waste paper. Ihey might be
humorous to a man who knew that they
were useless. But they could De nothing
more.
Il will have them burnt" he said to
himself "but for the present-any place
will do for them.
He nut the box in a corner Of the room
and went upstairs to dress 1or dinner.
He was in particularly good humor
that night He was always pleasant
companion when he chose to be SO. and
his mothers thin face frightened as she
listened to his CHEEKY conversation. She.
moor woman had suffered much through
this son OF hers. She only saw him about
one week in every year. but she heard
more about him than was good for her.
He always treated her with kindness. and
even with exaggerated respect. But he
suffered no interference. and she had long
ceased to reproach or even to plead with
him.
Lady Gwendolen Gaunt was a grande
dame of the old school. which did not
seek advertisement in the daily papers
The daughter of a Welsh earl whose
pedigree went back to the days of Owen
Glyn 1wr. she set great store on the
claims of birth. Her creed was or the
simplest. High lineage demands re-
spect. 1t must do nothing to forfeit its
right to receive it. The mere possession
of wealth did not. in her opinion. entitle
a man to ask for homage from the lower
classes nor confer on him the right to
dine in the houses of the arlstocracy.
Thirty years ago these views were COM
mon enough. but in an age when the
bearers Of the greatest names In Eng
land were scrambling for gold. hobnob-
bling with financiers of shady reputation
and marrying into families that had
sprung from the gutter, Lady Gwendo-
lens opinions marked her out as
woman Of character.
To such a woman the conduct Of her
eldest son was particularly painful. She
classes. unless they happened to be ten
ants on the Gaunt estates. and the vari-
Gus women whose names had been con-
nected with Sir Richards escapades
snned against. But she wished the name
she bore to be kept clean There were
excuses to be found for the folles of a
wayward. passionate boy. but none for
man. whose conduct was the talk of
London.
The death of Lord Carfax had brought
this proud old aristocrat to the last
stage Of impotent despair The scandal.
the story of the supper, the evidence
which showed the relations between her
son and Cynthia Paradine, the hideous
headlines in the papers rejecting on the
conduct Of the upper classes; all these
had left an indelble stain on her pride.
For only one thing was she thankful. Sir
Richard Gaunt had not been present at
the fatal brawl. Yet the publicity of the
whole thing had brought her to the low
est depths of shame.
She had never referred to the subject
had spent at home. But the man had
noticed the change in her attitude toward
hina- and he knew well enough that she
had suffered and was still suffering. Oc-
cupied with his own worries he had re-
lapsed into sullen silence, and at some of
their meals-the only time they spent to-
gether-he had barely uttered a single
word.
Tonight, however. there was a marked
change in his behavior. He smiled, and
even joked In a quiet, orderly fashion.
He talked about the estate and certain
improvements which he contemplated. He
asked questions about the tenants. and
appeared to take an interest In their COM
Gwendolen snatched at the opportunity.
and related a long tale of grievances
which had been poured into her ears from
time to time.
'Tll see Williams tomorrow morning"
he said. genially. as they sat over their
dessert II shall not be leaving till the
midday train.
Il did not know you were leaving to-
morrow"
Eyes, I am going to town."
II think it is a pity you do not spend
more time here. Dick she said. gently.
I'm sorry" he replied. But I don't
live for the benefit of the tenants"
Some one ought to be here. do all
can. but there are so many things that
woman cannot see to-"
'WelI, there's Henry" he said. with
sneer. I'm sure he's all that he should
be-a dutiful son, a man of business a
loving brother. Henry gave me some ex-
cellent advice the last time I saw him.
II wish you wouldn't speak like that of
your brother. Dick. It's not good form"
He laughed. He cordially detested his
brother Henry. who was his exact an
whose vices. If he could be said to have
any. were those of a successful and vir-
tuous prig.
How is old Henry?' he asked. after a
pause. Making money. spose. as fast
as ever?'
II believe he is making money" the
mother replied stiffly I'm his last letter
he said that he had cornered something
/ think 1t was gum arabic. He expects
to make one hundred thousand pounds"
I'm trade, eh?" said Sir Richard. "Ha.
ha. that's good!'
There is nothing to laugh at Dick"
mo. indeed" he replied, 1.-The very idea
Of Gaunt Of Gaunt Royal making
corner in gum what-d'you-call-it is most
tragic
II don't like the way you talk of your
brother. Dick
"Oh. it's only my fun. But, lock here.
mater If he wants to buy an estate, why
shouldn't he buy Gaunt Royal?'
Buy Gaunt Royal!' she faltered. my
dear Dick. are you mad?'
'.Oh, no, I'm trying to look at things
In a businesslike light. I'm not going to
marry and the estate is in bad way.
to manage it,
Dick" cried his mother. my dear
Dick. Do you mean to say that you
"Oh. let's have no false sentiment about
It, mater. l know my faults and you
know 'em too. One of these days this
place will be in the market. Then Henry
will step forward. like the hero of a
melodrama, and he will plank down the
gold. and every one will point to him as
the man who saved his family by honest
work. as the man who was not ashamed