Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05

Instant she came out fearlessly into the
open. ..,
hands with Mrs. Stonehouse, saying.
heartily:
IT am SO glad you have come. I am
honored in being trusted
."Tbank you so much, Lady de Lannoy.
T felt that you would not mind. especially
whom YOU know why we came. Indeed
had no choice. Pearl insisted on 1t; and
when Pearl is urgent we who love her
have all to give way This is Pearl!''
In an instant Stephen was on her knees
of a mouth was raised to her kiss. and
tbe little arms went lovingly round her
neck and CHUNG to her. AS the mother
looked on delighted she thought she had
never seen more Deautl1ul slght. Inc
two faces so different, and yet with so
much in common. The red hair and the
fjaxeh both tints of gold. The fine color
of each heightened to bright flush in
their eagerness. Stephen was so little
used to children. and yet she loved them
is possible motherhood. went out in an in
slant TO the lovely eager child. She felt
the keenest of pleasure when the little
thing. having rubbed her silk-gloved
Mains over her face, and then holding
her away so that she could see her many
beauties, whispered in her ear:
How pretty you are!'
you darling!" whispered Stephen in
reply. eve must love each other very
much. YOU and IT, She rose up, holding
the child in her arms.
When the two ladies had sat down, Ste
phen still holding Pearl in her lap, Mrs.
Stonehouse said:
Il suppose you have wondered, Lady de
Lannoy, what has brought US here?'
Indeed I was very much interested"
"Then I had better tell you all from
the beginning so that you may under
stand" Forthwith she proceeded to give
all the details of the meeting with Mr..
Robinson on the Scoriac OF how Pearl
took to him and insisted on making him
her special friend; of the terrible incident
of her being swept overheard, and of the
gallant rescue. She was very much
moved as she spoke; all that fearful time
came back to her so wildly at times that
she could hardly speak. Pearl listened
too: all eagerness. but without fear. Ste
phen. too, was greatly moved and held
Pearl close to her all the time, as though
she was protecting her. When the mother
spoke Of her own feeling when she saw
the brave man struggling up and down
the giant waves, and now and again los
ing sight Of him in the trough Of the sea.
she put out one hand and held the
mothers hand with grasp which vi
brated in sympathy while the great tears
welled over in. her eyes and ran down
her cheeks. Pearl watching her keen1y.
said nothing. but taking her tiny cambria
handkerchief from her pocket silently
tighter. 1t was her turn to protect now!
Pearls own time for tears came when
her mother began to tell this new and
sympathetic friend of how she became so
much attached to her rescuer that when
she knew he would not be coming to the
west with them, but going off to the wild
est region of the far north. that her
health became impaired, and that 1t was
only when Mr.. Robinson promised to
come back to see her within three years
hot af
ever since, she had held the man in her
heart and thought Of him every day and
always; sleeping as well as waking. for
he was now and again a factor in her
dreams!
Stephen was more than ever moved, for
the childs constancy touched her as well
as her grief. She strained the little thing
in her strong youngi arms, as though
the fervency of her grasp would bring
belief and comfort; as It did. She, In her
turn, dried the others eyes. Then Mrs.
Stonehouse went on with her story:
1--WE were at Banff, high up In the
Rockies when we read in the Montreal
Star of the burning and wrecking of the
treal boat of the Allan Line; SO that
naturally there was a full telegraphic
report in all the Canadian papers. When
we read of the brave man who swan
ashore with the line and who was unable
to reach the port but swan out across
the bay. Pearl took it for granted that it
must have been The Man, as she always
called Mr.. Robinson. When by the next
paper we learned that the mans name
was Robinson nothing would convince her
that it was not her Mr.. Robinson. My
husband. 1 may tell you. had firmly come
to the same conclusion. He had. ever
since the rescue Of our child always
looked for any news from Alaska. whittier
he knew Mr.. Robinson had gone. He
learned that up away In the very Tar
north a new goldfield had been discovered
by a man Of the same name, and that a
new town, Robinson City, began to grow
Of life from the cold was new ex-
perience to even the most hardy gold
miners Then we began to think that
the young hero who had SO CALAMITY
saved our darling was meeting some OF
his reward ""'
She stopped for a moment. her voice
breaking Stephen was in a glow Of holy
feeling Gladness. joy, gratitude, enthn-
siasm; she knew not which 1t all seemed
like noble dream which was coming
true. Mrs. StonehOuSe went on:
From California papers of last month
we learned that Robinson of Robinson
City had sailed for San Francisco, but
had disappeared when the ship touched
at Portland. and then the whole chain or
his identity seemed complete. Nothing
would satisfy Pearl but that we should
come at once to England and see The
Man. who was wounded and blind. and
do what we could for him. Her father
could not then come himself. but he Is
following us and may be here at any
time.
And now we want you to help us.
Lady de Lannoy. We are not sure yet
OF the identity of Mr.. Robinson, but we
shall know the instant we see him or
hear his voice. We have learned that he
is still here. Do let us see him as soon
as ever you CAM There was pleading
tone in her voice which alone would have
moved Stephen, even had she not been
wrought up already by the glowing Ter
vor of her new friend.
But she paused. She did not know
what to say; how to tell them that as yet
she herself knew nothing. She, too, IN
the depths of her own heart knew-knew
that it was the same Robinson. And
she also knew that both identities were
one with another The beating OF her
heart and the wild surging of her blood
told her all. She was afraid to speak
lest her voice should betray her.
She could not even think She would
have to be alone for that.
Mrs. Stonehouse. with the wisdom and
power of age. waited. But Pearl was in
nothing which could keep her away from
The Man. But she saw that there was
some difficulty. some cause Of delay. So
she, too, added her pleading. Putting
her mouth close to Lady de Lannoy' s
ear she whispered very family, very
caressingly:
What is your name! Your own name
Your very own name!
stephen. my darling!
"Oh. won't you let us see The Man.
Stephen; dear Stephen! / love him SO,
and I do so want to see him. It is ages
till I see him! Won't you let me? 1
shall be so good-Stephen! And she
nd