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By
PILLAR
iICjlT JL
Louis Tracy,
Author of
The
Winds
of the
Morning"
Copyright, 1004. by
Kit ward J. Clode
COItTIKUKD.
II
Brand entered. In acknowledging
Mr. Trnlll'H cordial welcome ho smil
ingly explained Ills presence.
"My superiors sent me emphatic or
ders to clear out," ho said, "so I had
no option but to obey. I conveyed Mr.
Emmott to suitable quarters and has
tened home, but found that the girls
were playing truant. My housekeeper
Insisted that 1 should eat, else she
would not be satisfied that I still lived,
but I came hero as quickly as possi
ble." At that Instant his glance, traveling
from ono to another of thoso present,
fell on Mrs. Vauslttart.
lie stood as ono petrified. The kind
ly words of his host, the outspoken
glco of the girls at his appearance,
died away in Ills ears In hollow echoes.
His eyes, frowning beneath wrinkled
brows, seemed to ask If ho were not
the victim of some unnerving halluci
nation. They were fixed on Mrs. Van
Bittart's face with an all absorbing In
tensity, and bis set lips and clinched
Lauds showed how utterly irresistible
was the knowledge that Indeed ho was
,not deceived; that ho was gazing at a
living, breathing personality and not
at some phantom product of a sur--charged
brain.
She, too, yielding before the sudden
ness of an ordeal she hud striven to
rvold, betrayed by her laboring bosom
that sho wna under the spell of somo
excitement of overwhelming power.
She managed to gain her feet. The
consciousness that Constance, Enid,
Lady Margaret even, were looking at
lier and at Brand with amazed anxiety
served to strengthen her for. a supreme
ffort.
"Mr. Stephen Brand and I are old
acquaintances," she gasped. "He may
misunderstand my presence here to
night. Indeed in this instance I dm
not to blame. I could not help my
elf. I am always trying to explain
lut somehow I never succeed. Oh!"
With an agonized sigh she swayed
listlessly and would have fallen bad
not Pyne caught her.
But sho was desperately determined
not to faint there. This was her
-world, the world of society. She would
not yield In Its presence.
Her eyes wandered vaguely, helpless
ly, from the face of the man toward
the others. Constance had hastened to
"Mrs. Vauslttart claimed you as an
old acquaintance. The odd thing Is
that you, at any rate, did not discover
that fact earlier."
The lighthouse keeper looked round
tho table, lie saw pain in tnaiiy eyes,
but iu I'yno's steady gaze tliro was
encouragement.
"Mrs. Vansittartl" ho said slowly.
"Is that her name? I did not know.
How should I, tho recluse, hear of
her? And in your first message to the
rock you called her Etta. When I
knew her her name was Nanette, for
tho lady who calls herself Mrs. Vau
slttart was my wife is yet, for aught
I know to the contrary."
"Father!" Constance clung to him
in utmost agitation. "Do you mean
that sho Is my mother?"
"Yes, dear one, sho is. But lot us go
now. I fear my homo coming has
brought misery In Its train. I am
sorry Indeed. It was wholly unexpect
ed. Poor Nanette! She over deceived
herself. I suppose she hoped to avoid
me, as If fate forgot the tears In tho
comedy of life."
"Can I not go to her?" asked Con
stance, while faced and trembling.
"No, my child, you cannot. Has sho
claimed you? Sho cast you off once.
I might have forgiven her many things
never that. Come, Enid! "What need
for your tears? Wo faced worso
troubles together three days ago, and
you, at any rate, can look forward to
happiness. Goodby, Lady Margaret,
and you, too, Mr. Traill. I will see you
tomorrow, I hope. Forgive me for my
unconscious share in this night's suf
fering." '
S
lie stood as otic yctrljlcd. (
her nsslstaneo, nnd tho knowledge that
this was so seemed to stimulate her to
a higher degree. With fine courage
sho grasped tho back of a chair and
summoned a wan smile to her aid.
"You will forglvo mo if I leave you,"
Bho murmured. "I am so tired so
very tired."
She walked resolutely toward tho
door. Brand drew aside that sho might
pass. Ho looked at her no more. Ills
wondering daughter saw that big drops
of perspiration stood on his forehead.
Mr. Traill, no less astonished than
the rest, offered to conduct Mrs. Vau
slttart to her room.
"No," sho said, "I will go alone. I
am used to it now after so many
years."
There was a ring of heartfelt bitter
ness In her voice which appealed to
inoro than ono of tho silent listeners.
As the door closed behind her Brand
seemed to recover Ills senses.
"I must ask" your pardon, Mr. Traill,"
ho said quietly. "I assume that tho
lady who lias Just loft us did not ex
pect to seo mo hero tonight. It would
bo Idle to deny that tho meeting was
a shock to both of us. It revived pain
ful memories,"
Mr. Traill, scarco knowing what ho
said, so taken aback was ho, exclaimed
hastily:
CHAPTER XVII.
TEPHEN BRAND and tho two
girls passed silently down tho
broad stairs of the hotel unac
companied by any of the oth
ers. There was nothing incomprehen
sible In tliis or any savor of dis
courtesy. In the first place, Mr. Traill was so
profoundly shocked by the lighthouse
keeper's revelation that he collapsed
into n chair and remained there, bowed
and wordless, for many minutes. Both
Pyne and Stanhope did inovp toward
tho door, but Enid, watchful, self sac
rificing, eager to save those she loved
from further pain, telegraphed an em
phatic order to Stanhope to remain
where he was, and Tyne murmured to
him:
"Guess she's right, anyhow. We'll all
feel a heap bettor in the morning."
The person who exhibited the clear
est signs of distress was Lady Marga
ret, ner position was ono of extraor
dinary difficulty. Three of tho nctors
In the breathless scene which had been
sprung on her with the suddenness of
un explosion were absolute strangers
In her life before that evening.
Brand sho know indeed, but only by
eigfit. She had met Constance and
Enid occasionally, at arm's length, so
to sp?ak, regarding them truly as dau
gcrous young persons where marriage
able sons wore concerned. Enid had
justified her suspicions, and her lady
ship had yielded so far as to give her
approval to an engagement sho could
not prevent.
Circumstances had conspired to forco
her hand. Stanhope, being ,an outspo
ken young mail, had made no secret of
his desperate resolve to rescue Enid, so
tho newspapers supplied tho remainder
of the romance, and even Lady Marga
ret herself had contributed to It under
tho magnetic influence of the hour.
It wns ono thing, however, to bo
thrilled with tho adventures of the
rock bound people, but quite another to
figure prominently In connection with
a social scandal of tho first magnitude.
Sho know Penzanco too well to hopo
that tho incident would sink into obliv
ion. Obviously tho matter could not
rest in Its present stage. She must ex
pect disagreeable disclosures, signifi
cant head shakings of thoso who know
little and wanted to know more. All
tho tea table artillery of a small town
would bo focused on her defenslvo po
sition were she loyal to tho girl whom
her son had chosen ns his helpmate.
This same son, too, after ho had re
covered from the amazement of Mrs.
Vanslttart's 'dramatic departure and
Brand's admission, betrayed a compo
sure that was distinctly Irritating.
"You won't mind If wo smoke, moth
er," ho said. "Tho situation requires
tobacco. Don't ypu feel like that,
Pyne?"
"If Lady Margaret doesn't object, I
admit that different sorts of poison
might act as tonics," answered Pyne.
"Here, uncle; try a brandy and soda.
Lady Margaret, a glass of champagne.
I'vo been expecting a disturbance, but
didn't look for it tonight."
"Why do you say that, Charlie?"
asked Mr. Traill, rising and stretching
its I
all v .1 y i. '.
"It vas hau hi" around. Ju ' i s one
p.v li :!os a utorm alter an olvlrioal
feel'm: In the air. Mrs. Vantlm-l ivo-a-'il'oil
l'.rnnd and made .i,i cilcula
tl- :' .ire :nIIii 1 Let in vivo her tilt'
( 'It 'ui to her. ' soon ax she dls
roorcil him. llio marriage project was
HIT."
"I had thai kind of Inipivmlou my
neir. (Ma J I mentioned II 1 1 y mi now."
"Of unir-'o you me. I'll Wt nny roa
(nimble man that Mrs. Vanl:tart !
tr'.'dcd to leave l'etr.Miice t u-i utw mm
Ho.iti as she had made you uu.loistnn 1
that slie could not, uirler any clrcum
.lances, become my aunt."
A ghost of u smile flitted aeros.s Mi
Traill's face. Ills nephew's v ay of
putting things' was delight fn'Iy un
equivocal.
"What we are apt to lose sight of.'
continued Pyne, "Is the inaii'" li
which Brand received what must hnvv
been a staggering blow. lie met h'
wife tonight after a separaU in of more
than twenty years. -i-l ! iw he took
It! When he spoke It was really In he
behalf. The thing Is loo uiiiit''lii':. Oi
course, now that the thunder and 11-ht
nlng have started, the t-ky will clear nil
the sooner."
"Unhappily, such affairs do not ar
range themselves so readily," snapped
Lady Margaret. She was becoming
more angry with each wave of reflec
tion. "Young men like you do not real
ize the effect of such such unpleasant
exposures of family life. How will
tlie early history of her parents affect
the future of Conslanco Brand? As
for the other glrl'V-
Hcr ladyship threw up her hands In
helpless abandonment. To her mind
the adoption of poor Enid, the sea
waif, assumed a darker appearance
now that Brand's matrimonial adven
tures revealed sinister features.
Jack Stanhope caught her by the
shoulder.
"Mother," ho cried, "before you say
another word let me tell you something
you ought to know. Enid is Mr.
Traill's daughter!"
Now, this good woman loved her son
dearly. AH hcrUhoughts wero of him
nnd for him. Her look of blank incre
dulity yielded to the confirmation she
saw writ on all three faces.
She burst Into tears.
"Apparently I am tho last person to
be taken Into anybody's confidence,"
she sobbed.
"Madam," said Mr. Traill, bending
over her, "in this instance at least
you have no cause to feel aggrieved.
Neither tho girl herself, nor her sister
by adoption, nor Mrs. Vauslttart, to
whom, until tho past half hour, I con
sidered myself to be engaged, is aware
of the undoubted fact which your son
has just told you. Let me say that I,
as her father, am proud to think she
has won tho affections of such a man
as Stanhope. There Is no reason why
you, his mother, should not be equally
satisfied with the pedigree and pros"
poets of my daughter."
Ills calm assumption of a rank equal
If not superior to her own was con
vincing to a woman of her tempera
ment. Assuredly that evening was a
memorable one to her ladyship. The
reposo of Vere do Vere was rudely
shocked for once. Nevertheless the
knowledge that her lifelong ambition
had been renlized In a way little
dreamed of by any of those most con
cerned was In Itself consoling. Mr.
Trnlll, quite unconsciously, loomed
largo In tho social eye of Penzance,
and the widowed lady had not been so
long withdrawn from the wealth wor
shiping world of London as to bo
wholly unleavened with the worship of
the golden calf. '
So It wns with quickened Interest
that she set herself to listen to the
story of Enid's parentage, and, if her
fear of local gossip mongers shrank ns
her perception of Enid's real social po-j
sltlon Increased, much may bo forgiven
to the motherly sentiment that no wife
can bo too good for an excellent sou.
Meanwhile Brand and tho sorrow
laden girls, ushered by obsequious
servants to tho entrance hall, were con
strained to comfort themselves with
true British phlegm In view of the in
terest caused by their appearance.
The hour was not late, about 0:30.
Even wlillo tho hall porter was sum
moning u cab tho news spread, within
and without, that tho lighthouse keeper
and his daughters, whoso exploits filled
tho minds of all men, were standing
near tho door. i
Several people, complete strangers,
camo to tliem and offered warm
congratulations. A smart journalist
pressed forward and wove his own
complimentary utterances into an in
terview. A crowd gathered quickly on
tho pavement. Policemen, those mar
shals of every English demonstration,
cleared u path for them through tho
throng. So, with smiling words on
their lips and anguish in their hearts,
they mado a triumphal exit. How lit
tle could tho friendly enthusiasts who
cheered them realize that these three
had been atrophied by tho deadly
malevolence of fate In the very hour
when a great achievement had ended
happily.
Enid suffered almost ns keenly ns
Brand and his daughter. Their Joys
and sorrows wero hors. Tho startling
nature of Brand's avowal rendered it
difficult for cither Enid or Constaneo
to piece together certain fragmentary
memories of Mrs. Vuuslttart's odd bo
hjivior during her enforced sojourn on
Fall and HJiDter
i
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F. NEWHOUSE.
m Dry Goods, Laces and Embroideries ft
the rock. So thoroughly had sho shat
tered thoso dimly outlined impres
sions by tho quietly vivacious charm
of her manner ut dinner Unit they botli
experienced a Jumble of sensations. A
terrified woman, in wet and torn cloth
ing, cowering In the gaunt Interior of
a storm girt lighthouse, Is a very dif
ferent being when attired iu expouslvo
garments and surrounded by the lux
uries of a first class hotel.
It was a relief to drive to their cot
tage In silence, yet, so easily moulded
is our human cluy, it was a greater
relief when tho tension of tho noisy
rattle of tho cab was relaxed. It cost
some effort to assure Mrs. Sheppard, a
buxom, motherly soul of sixty or there
abouts, that they could not possibly eat
any supper. The effort was forthcom
ing. They pleaded weariness, nud at
last they wero alone.
Constance knelt by her father's side
when ho dropped listlessly Into the
armchair placed in his accustomed,
corner.
"Now, dad," she said, bravely un
emotional, "there will bo no moro
tears. Tell mo all that I ought to
know."
Enid drew a hassock to his feet and
seafed herself there, clasping her hands
about her knees.
"Wha tevor sho did I am sorry for
her," said the girl decisively. "And
Bho cannot liuvo been a really bad wo
man, dad, or you would not havo loved
her once."
Brand sighed deeply, nis strong will
had deserted him for a little while. Ho
shrank from tho ordeal before him.
Why should ho bo called on to sully
tho mirror of his daughter's Innocence
by revealing to her tho disgraco of her
mother?
Constance cnught something of tho
dread In his soul.
"Don't tell mo if It hurts you, dad.
I am content to bear moro than I havo
homo tonight if it lessens your suf
ferings," sho whispered.
no placed nn arm around each of
them.
"It Is God's will," ho said, "that I
should hnvo to faco many trials at a
period when I expected nothing but
some few years of quiet happiness."
"Nothing In tills world can part us
from you," said Constatice.
"Oh, nothing," agreed Enid solemnly,
nestling closer, ner earnestness was
hcjnful. Ho smiled wistfully
'You forget, Enid, that thero Is a
grave chance of you, nt any rate, leav
ing mo for another," he said.
Slio blushed.
"That is the worst of girls getting
married," sho protested. "They nro
-' wix-"
He placed an arm around each of them.
supposed to bo delighted because they
nro golgg to live th strange people.
Girls who are of that mind cannot bo
happy at home. If I thought that be
ing married to Jack implied separation
from you nnd Constance"
"You would give him up and weep
your eyes out." Ho pressed her pout
ing lips together as ho went on: "Now,
my dear ones, I wish both of j'ou to
bo prepnred for very unexpected
changes. Two most Important events
in your lives have taken placo within
a few hoiyrs. Constance, if you saw
your motlnj tonight, Enid also saw her
father. 1 1 havo known for two days
that Enid's father is Mr. Traill."
For an instuut, it must bo confessed,
Constaneo and Enid nliko feared that
the mental nn4 physical strain' ho had1
undergono had temporarily deranged
him. It was not sheer incredulity, but
real terror, ho .saw In their eyes. Some
how, their self effacement in his behalf
touched hjm morokeeu'ly Uian anj.
(Continued on Poke Six.)
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