Evening star., 1915-04-04
Continued from page 4

So""Heu J'o" Pa6e r
dren were at their books Kenneth would
limp down to the Mowbray house to ask
after the child, of whom news had come to
him more than once that day. To see her
sleeping quietly in her little bed was to lift
great load from his heart. And if she were
restless and wakeful he was so distressed
that Elizabeth felt sorry for him. At those
times Kenneth would look at Elizabeth
with brooding eyes, and seem to be strug-
Cling to tell or to withhold something. Eliza
beth asked no questions: the boy had shown
himself able to keep to himself what he wished
to keep.
When the child was we'll, and able to play
in the sheltered garden, Kenneth's JOY was
boundless. Then once more was he as gay
as a sandpiper, and acquired whole new
repertoire of ragtime songs and newspaper
jokes, which more than ever charmed his
young friends. He did not neglect his choir
practice, and for the first time Hubert be-
came a dependable tenor. Hayden, proud
of the glorious material he had in Ken
neth's voice, arranged an elaborate Easter
program, in which Kenneth was to sing a
beautiful solo, to the accompaniment of the
organ and stringed orchestra, on Easter
Sunday. This kept him busy-and indeed
the week before Easter was busy time
preparing for the great festival of Resur-
rection Morning.
Elizabeth Mowbray noticed in that week
that Mowbray was more and more absorbed
in the mysterious business of which she
knew nothing except that it related to a past
in which she had neither part nor lot. At
that thought Elizabeth found her cheeks
wet with sudden tears.
Before the Dawn
ON the night before Easter, Mowbray
~ said as he and Elizabeth rose from
dinner, 81 expect gentleman on important
business. He will arrive by the eight o'clock
train
Elizabeth asked no questions. Almost
Immediately the bell rang, and the visitor
was ushered into the library, where Now
bray quickly followed him.
The night was exquisitely mild and soft
for mid-April, and Elizabeth sitting by the
open window, watched the moon rise in the
lake. From the old garden beneath her Win
dow the delicate scent of lilacs filled the air,
and all the rich green earth was fragrant.
Elizabeth felt a deep loneliness, strange
and heartbreaking ,olitarness. Afar off
nightbird uttered an occasional mournful
note; to Elizabeth it sounded like the cry of
her own heart. The earth seemed as still as
the sky, and the only sound that vexed the
silence was an occasional slight movement
in the library beneath,-the faint echo of
voices pitched low, as Mowbray and his visi-
tor talked together.
Elizabeth lost note of time as she sat
silent and alone at the open window. Itwas
nearly midnight when she grew conscious,
rather than saw, that the dark figure of wo-
man was coming swiftly along the moonlit
road.
Presently the Ginning of the hall clock
told that it was midnight. Elizabeth started.
She did not mean that Mowbray should find
her on watch, as it were, and, quickly slip
ping off her dress, let down her fair hair, long
and rich, to braid it for the night. Suddenly
she heard quiet step-not Mowbray Son
the stair, and the next moment the door
opened and Mrs. Gray walked into the room
and closed the door.
ELIZABETH turned mute with the shock
of surprise, toward the invader.
Mrs. Gray, calm, gentle, and self pos
sessed, spoke promptly. al beg your pardon
for being so unceremonious; but time is val
liable with me. | must take the train that
leaves in half an hour, and meanwhile | must
tell you what came to tell you Perhaps it
will be painful to you; though | hope not.
Mrs Gray paused, and then said in the
same composed voice, "The lawyer is down.
stairs going over evidence that the boy Ken
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