Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-24

After time ne woke up and woke IN
a nasty temper. He began to find fault
in an incoherent way with everything
Harold said very little. just enough to
prevent any cause for further grievance.
Then Leonard changed and became some
what affectionate. This mood was q
greater bore than the other. but Harold
managed to bear It with a manner of
stolid Indifference. Leonard was by this
time making promises to do things for
him, that as he was what he called
and support in the future. AS Harold
knew him to be a wastrel. over head and
ears in debt and with only the succession
to a small estate. he did not take much
heed to his maunderings AT last the
drunken man said something which star
tied him so much that he instincttveiy
drew himself together with such sudden
ness as to brighten the horse and almost
make him rear up straight.
'Woa! Woa. Steady, boy. Gently!
he said, quieting him. Then turning to
his companion said. in voice hollow
with emotion and vibrant with suppressed
passion
What was 1t you said?'
Leonard half awake, and not half OF
that half master Of himself. answered:
IT said Will make you agent of Nor
| manstand when I marry Stephen.
Harold grew cold. To hear Of any one
marrying Stephen was to him like plung-
Ing him in q glacier stream, but to hear
her name SO lightly spoken, apd by such
a man. was bewildering shock which
within a second set his blood on fire.
What do you mean?" he Numbered
out You marry Ste-Miss Norman!
You're not worthy to unite her shoe! You.
indeed! She wouldn't look on the same
side of the street with drunken brute
like you! How dare you speak of her IN
such way!'
"Brute!" said Leonard, angrily. his van
ity reaching inward to his heart and
brain through all the numbing obstacle
Of his drunken flesh. Who's brute?
Brute yourself! Tell you gDin' to marry
Stephen. cos Stephen wants it; Stephen
loves me. Loves me with all her red
head! WHARF, you doin'! Wha!!'
His words merged In a lessening gurgle.
for Harold had now got him by the
throat.
Take care what you say about that
LADY," he said. putting his face close to
the others with eyes that blazed. Don't
you dare to mention her name in such a
way or you will regret 1t longer than
you can Think!
throat had sobered Leonard somewhat.
Momentarily sobered him to that point
when he could be coherent and vindictive.
though not to the point where he could
think ahead of the present Caution.
wisdom, discretion. taste were not for
him at such a moment. nor any of them.
Guarding his throat with both hands in
an instructive and spasmodic manner he
answered the challenge:
II tell you she loves me. She ought to
know. Didn't she tell me so this very
day. Harold drew back his arm to strike
him in the face. his anger was too great
for words. But the other. seeing the mo-
ton and in the SOLDERING recognition of
danger. spoke hastily:
Keep your hair on! You know so jolly
much more than do. tell you that she
told me this and q lot more this morning
when she asked me to marry her"
Harold's heart grew cold as ice. There
is something in the sound OF voice
speaking truthfully which true man
can recognise. Through all Leonard's
half-drunken uttenngs came such ring
of truth. end Harold recognized it. He
felt that his voice was weak and hollow
as he spoke. thinking 1t necessary to give
at first sort Of official denial to such q
monstrouS statement:
Liar"
I'm no liar!" answered Leonard. He
would like to have struck him In answer
to such a word had he felt equal to 1t.
for where he was brought up the reply
to such word is a blow. But II he could
not use his muscles, he could his voice.
and anger giving him new power and
clearer utterance. he spoke:
the hill above the house. where I went to
meet her by appointment. Here! I'll
prove 1t to you. Read this!" While he
was speaking he had opened his great
coat and was fumbling In the breast
pocket Of his coat. He produced a letter
which he handed to Harold. who took 1t
with trembling hand. BY this time the
reins had fallen slack and the horse was
walking quietly. There was moonlight.
but not enough to read by. Harold bent
over and lifted the driving lamp next to
him and turned It SO that he could read
the envelope. His hand trembled when
he saw that the direction was In Ste
phen's handwriting He was handing it
y,oo Z pnfA tn.
"Open it! Read 1t! You must do SO:
tell you you must! You called me a liar
and now must read the proof that am
not. If you don't shall have to ask Ste
mind flashed rapid thought of what the
girl might suffer in being asked to take
part In such a quarrel. He could not him
self even act to the best advantage unless
he knew the truth. - 1t was necessary
that he should know the whole truth
now. - Without a word further or de-
laying a moment he took the letter from
the envelope and held 1t before the lamp,
the paper flutte1ng as though in breeze.
Leonard looked on. the dull glare OF his
as he beheld the others concern. He
owed him grudee. and. by God. he
would pay It, Had he not been struck
throttled-called liar! -
cleared. why. you Internal young
scoundrel"' he said. angrily. that letter
is nothing but a simple note from a
young girl to an old friend-playmate-
asking to come to see her about some
| trivial thing. And you construe it into a
proposal OF marriage. You hound!" He
held the letter while he spoke. needless
OF the outstretched hand of the other
waiting to take ii back. There was
dangerous glitter In Leonard's eyes. He
knew his man and he knew the truth of
what he had himself said. and he felt.
with all the strength of his base soul.
how best he could torture him. In the
very strength OF Harold's anger. in the
poignancy Of his concern. In the relief to
his soul expressed In his eyes and his
ousy of one who honors-and loves. Sec
ond by second Leonard grew more sober.
and more and better able to carry his own
idea into act.
Give me my letter." he began.
Watt. said Harold as he put the
lamp back into its socket. THAT will do
presently. Take back what you said
just now.'
What? Take back WHAT"
That base lie: that Miss Norman
asked you to marry her.
Leonard felt that In q physical struggle
Tor the possession of the letter he would
be outmatched. but his passion grew
colder and more malignant. and In a
voice that cut like the hiss OF snake
he spoke. slowly and deliberately. He
brain and blood was lost for the time.
| In the strength OF his cold passion.
1T is true. BY God. 1t Is true: every
word of II. That letter. which you want
to steal, is only a proof that 1 went TO
meet her on Caester hill by her own ap-