Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-21
CHAPTER XVII.
De Lannoy.

Not much to look back upon. but a
world to look forward to. Nay, more.
For looking backward we look on definite
fact. hard and without the element Of
mystery: but looking out we gaze into
the unknown.
To Stephen the hours Of waiting were
longer than the years that were past.
There was to her little solace in what
had been. She was full of memories of
pain: the memories of pleasures past
seemed only to mock her!
1t was strange that she should SO feel
for the time had new and startling Incl
dents for her. Toward Christmas in the
second year the Boer war had reached
it's climax of evil. AS the news of dis
aster after disaster was flashed through
the cable she like others felt appalled, at
tAe sacrifices that were being exacted
by the god of war. In the early days
the great losses were not among the
troops. but their leaders; the old British
system of fighting when. as matter of
course, officers led on their men. had not
undergone the change necessitated by a
war with a nation of sharpshOoters.
When the casualty lists appeared in the
morning papers Stephen gave them the
same sympathy which other British
women gave whose own mankind were
not named. Many names there were
which she knew. for before the war was
three months old nearly every great
house in the kingdom was in mourning.
She read among others in the deaths
column of the Times that the Earl de
Lannoy had died in his London mansion,
and reading further in the obituary col
umn learned that he had never recovered
from the shock of hearing that his two
ambush by Cronje. The paragraph con-
cluded: BY his death the title passes to
a distant relative. The new Lord de Lam
noy is at present in India with his resf-
ment. the Both, or Gray Hussars. OF
which he is colonel She gave the mat
ter a more than passing thought, for it
was a sad thing to find a whole family
thus wiped out as it were at blow.
Early in February she received a tele-
gram from her London solicitor saying
important matter and asking her to fix a
time. Her answer was simple: Come at
once and at tea time Mr. Copleston ar
rived He was an old friend and she
chilled when he answered her with what
seemed an unusual Difference:
II thank your ladyship for your kind
ness!' She raised her eyebrows. but
made no comment: she was learning to
be silent under surprise. When she had
handed the old gentleman his tea she
said:
MY aunt has chosen to remain away
thinking that you might wish to see me
privately But I take it that there is
nothing which she may not share. 1 have
no secrets from her"
He rubbed his hands genially as he re-
piled:
a delight to us all
In very short time she was present.
Then Mr. Copleston. rising up. said to
Stephen, with a sort of modified POM
posity:
II have to announce your succession to
the Earldom de LannOy.'
Stephen sat quite still.
After long pause she said. quietly:
Now. won't you tell us all about it? i
am in absolute ignorance. and don't even
understand how such thing can be.
Mr.. Copleston began at once
II had better not burden you. at first,
with too many details. which can come
later but give you a rough survey of the
situation. great-aunt of yours
Here Stephen interrupted him:
"A great aunt why, my dear Aunt Lac
titia is that. May I ask what year or
time you are referring tor
ITO the last year of the reign of his
late majesty. King Henry VIII
"Oh." she said. she wheeled her chair
next to her aunt's. and bending over held
her hand. Mr.. Copleston went on:
II am speaking of your great-aunt Flea
nor, the eldest of the three daughters of
the sixth Earl de Lannoy. who married
the third Baron Vermeil. The earl had
no male issue. and at his decease the
earldom fell into allegiance. The abey-
ance was determined by letters patent in
favor OF his eldest daughter. Eleanor.
This lady had by her marriage with
Baron Vermeil, issue one son. who thus
inherited both the barony and the earl
DOM For the EarldOm of Lannoy being
to heirs-general. females inherit in de-
fault of male issue In the direct line.
whereas the Vermeil barOny goes only in
male table. This inheritor. the eighth
earl and fourth baron. married I'm due
course and had male issue. In the course
of the centuries which have elapsed there
have always been male inheritors of the
,Vermeil direct line UP to the time of the
death of the last Lord de Lannoy. With