Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-26

and he was only too glad to fall in with
the suggestion.
It is characteristic of men like Sir Rich
ard that. however callous and shameless
they may be in their dealings with women
in a lower station. they draw the line at
any act of open treachery toward a
woman Of their own class. This kind Of
honor belongs rather to a social than q
moral code: but whatever the motive from
which it springs. it Is very real and bind
ing.
Every hour that Sir Richard passed in
his Welsh home was a period Of unmitf-
equally dreary and embarrassing.
But. in spite Of his unquenchahle dislike
of country life, he endeavored to keep his
word to Lady Betty. When they parted
had asked him to stay at Gaunt Royal
till he had served his year Of probation.
In the excitement of the moment, and
the hot passion which her beauty and love
had stirred In his heart. he had promised
to do this Other men lived in the coun-
it. He thought 1t just possible that he
might get used to the life and become a
sporting squire.
He was soon undeceived. There was
but little game to shoot, and his efforts
with the gun were ludicrously unsuccess-
full. AS boy he had promised to become
a good shot, but years OF excess had af-
fected his nerve and eyesight. and he
made himself as ridiculous as any cock
ney sportsman out for a holiday. He
could not face ridicule. and one day, after
missing an easy shot with both barrels.
he flung his gun over the edge Of the cfn
into the sea.
He was an equal failure on horseback.
roads. and his first day with the hounds
showed him that another attempt might
cost him his life. The steep hills strewn
with stones. the precipices which often
checked man in the full swing of a
sharp run, were not suitable country for
any one who had lost his nerve.
He then bought a motor car. but here
again he paid the penalty of long years
of vice. That nerve which Is required in
almost every form of outdoor sport was
corner, the long sweep down an incline,
sickened him. He could have gone slow
ly. but that touched the other extreme.
and was mere WEAKNESS. For man in
his frame of mind and body there was
no mean. His brain wanted excitement.
Of bearing 1t.
And so. in turn, all physical amuse-
ments failed. He learned to loathe all the
beauties Of nature. and the scenery. un-
Wales. positively irritated him. He hated
the fine display OF woodland and noun
tain range. The dark cliffs and the gray
sea, though more acceptable, inasmuch as
they did not seem so like a prison wall
were a, poor substitute for the noise and
glare of city. The whole scheme of ma
ture Jared on his mind, and by degrees
he began to spend much OF his time In
doors and was driven back on the re-
sources of his mind.
vast. He had no love for books. and was
incapable Of interesting himself in music
or art. He finally. after struggle to
master heap Of novels from Nudes.
relapsed into phase of absolute idleness,
and spent most OF the day musing by the
fireside with a pipe in his mouth and a
brandy and soda by his side.
And then came the new devil which was
to take the place of the one which Lady
Betty had striven to exercise. A vicious
field ripe for the acceptance Of another.
Sir Richard Gaunt had much to think
about and plenty OF time for thought.
Unfortunately. his thoughts were Of that
times demand oblivion. Both soiace and
oblivion were to be found in alcohol. and
he saw that it was plainly destined to be
true friend through all the dreary
months to come.
Sir Richard had for several years drunk
never done SO with any more definite OBJ
ject in view than that of reviving his
wasted physical energies. Now. however,
he began to drink steadily from morning
gaiety nor even cheerfufness. but In the
early parts Of the day he experienced a
certain contempt for every form of an
noyance. and later on he relapsed into q
dull stupor. In which the brain was prac-
tically asleep.
1t was only in the early mornings that
he was able to consider things clearly.
and he gradually began to dread these
brief g1impses of the realities of life He
did not suffer from the conventional head
nf "a nlaN fool re
which follow on a nights debeuch. His
body. 1t is true. was devoid of all energy,
but his mind was active enough. and its
activity was so painful to him that he
endeavored to subdue 1t at the earliest
opportunity. There was often q brandy
and soda on his dressing table.
During these brief periods of lucidity
he was troubled by two matters, each OF
them at first distinct. but likely to be-
come fused together owing to the way In
which they alternated in his brain. The
first was his marriage with Lady Betty
He had no definite views on this. except
that 1t must not take place at the end
of the year. and that he must find some
engagement became public property. How
this was to be done without losing hold
on Lady Betty presented a very pretty
problem. He did not wish to get rid Of
her later on. say. in two years time.
when he would probably be once more in
financial difficulties.
He was much hampered by his ignor-
ance Of the true state Of Lady Betty
feelings toward him. He could not make
up his mind whether she really loved him,
or whether she was merely sacrificing
herself to save him from destruction. II
he could have arrived at the truth he
would have known better how to act. If
she really loved him. she would wait for
him and give him another chance to re-
form. But II. on the other hand, she
was merely performing an act Of charity.
she might lose heart at her failure and
have nothing more to do with him. It
was the thought Of this latter contin-
gency that had helped him to keep his
promise and had strengthened his resolu-
ton to remain at Gaunt Royal.
1t was quite clear, however, that things
could not continue In their present state.
He had sense enough to see that he was
drinking himself to death, and he realized
that so long as he remained without
amusement or occupation of any kind. so
defense. He had no wish to die in such
a thoroughly unsatisfactory fashion. He
did not mind dropping OF sheer exhaus-
ton after wild years of passionate ex-
cess. But to be punished for what. after
ALL supplied him with only negative
form of pleasure, was intolerable. 1t was
clear that he must leave Gaunt Royal and
break his promise. but 1t was not yet
clear how he could do II and still retain
a hold on Lady Betty Drake.
The other matter which occupied his
little more than phantom of his own
BRAIN but by degrees 1t assumed the pro-
portions of q real and substantial factor
in all his MANS for the future 1t was the