The Irish standard., 1914-03-21
CHAPTER XVII.
John Valiant Asks a Question.

Vall6uL went Win them TO the
outer door. A painful thought was
flooding his mind. It hampered his
speech and it was only by q violent
effort that he found voice:
VOne moment! There is question
I would like to ask"
Both gentlemen had turned upon the
steps and as they faced him he
thought swift glance passed between
them They waited courteously, the
doctor with b:s habitual frown, the
majors hand fumbling for the black
ribbon on his waistcoat.
Since I came here, have heard"
his tone was uneven-"of a duel IL
which my father was a principal.
There was such meeting?"
There was" said the doctor after
the slightest pause of surprise. "Had
you known nothing of it,"
Absolutely nothing"
The major cleared his throat. ut
was something he might naturally not
have made record Of" he said. 1.-THE
two had been friends, and tit was
fatal encounter for the other. The
doctor and I were your fathers Sec
onds."
There was moments silence be-
fore Valiant spoke again. When he
did his voice was steady, though drops
had sprung to his forehead. "Was
there any circumstance in that meet.
ing that might be construed as re-
f1ectinr IN his-hon0r2"
Good God, moi" said the major ex-
plosively.
ION his bearing as gentleman?
There was a hiatus this time in
which he could hear his heart beat.
In that single exclamation the major
seemed to have exhausted his vocabl-
larry. He was looking at the groun;
It was the doctor who spoke at last,
in a silence that to the man in the
doorway weighed like hundred at
mospheres.
moi" he said bluntly. Certainly
not. What put that into your head?"
When he was alone in the library
Valiant opened the glass door ano
took from the shelf the morocco case.
The old shiver of repugnance ran over
him at the very touch of the leather
In the farthest corner was low COM
mode. He set the case on this and
moved the big tapestry screen across
the angle, hiding it from view.
. .
In the great hall at Damory Court
the candles in their brass wall-sconces
blinked back from the polished par.
Quetry and the shining fre-dogs, MI
ing the ratner solemn gloom with an
air of warmth and creature.comfort
Leaning against the newel.post, Va.
liant gazed about him. How different
it all looked from the night of his
coming!
He began to walk up and down the
floor, teasing pricks of restlessness
urging him. He opened the door and
passed into the unlighted dining.room.
On the sideboard set silver loving
cup that had arrived the day before
in q huge box with his books and
knick-knacks. He had won 1t ut polo
He lifted 1t, lingering its carved han.
dies. He remembered that when that
particular score had been made, Kath-
arine Fargo had sat In one Of the
drags st the side-line.
But the memory evoked no thrill.
Instead, the thought Of her palely-cold,
passionless beauty called up another
mobile thoroughbred face instinct with
Quick Hastings Of mirth and hauteur.
Again he felt the fierce clutch Of small
fingers, as they fought with his In that
struggle for his life. Each line of
that face stood before him-the arch.
.n3 ofow7. the cameo.d efficacy Of pro
file, the magnolia skin and hair like q
brown-gold cloud across the sun.
He stepped down 70 the sraveled
drive and followed It to the gate, then,
bareheaded, took the Red Road.
Along this highway he had ratified in
Uncle JefkefSon's crazy hack-with
Yer red rose in hit hand. The musky
scent Of the pressed leAves II the book
in his pocket seemed to b oil about
him.