Larry had assembled his effects in the library, and to

my surprise, Stoddard appeared with his own hand-bag.

"I'm going to see Donovan well on his way," said the

clergyman.

"It's a pity our party must break up," exclaimed my

grandfather. "My obligations to Mr. Donovan are very

great-and to you, too, Stoddard. Jack's friends are

mine hereafter, and when we get new doors for Glenarm

House you shall honor me by accepting duplicate

keys."

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"Where's Bates?" asked Larry, and the man came in,

respectfully, inperturbably as always, and began gathering

up the bags.

"Stop-one moment! Mr. Glenarm," said Larry.

"Before I go I want to congratulate you on the splendid

courage of this man who has served you and your house

with so much faithfulness and tact. And I want to tell

you something else, that you probably would never learn

from him-"

"Donovan!" There was a sharp cry in Bates' voice,

and he sprang forward with his hands outstretched entreatingly.

But Larry did not heed him.

"The moment I set eyes on this man I recognized

him. It's not fair to you or to him that you should not

know him for what he is. Let me introduce an old

friend, Walter Creighton; he was a student at Dublin

when I was there,-I remember him as one of the best

fellows in the world."

"For God's sake-no!" pleaded Bates. He was deeply

moved and turned his face away from us.

"But, like me," Larry went on, "he mixed in politics.

One night in a riot at Dublin a constable was killed.

No one knew who was guilty, but a youngster was suspected,

-the son of one of the richest and best-known

men in Ireland, who happened to get mixed in the row.

To draw attention from the boy, Creighton let suspicion

attach to his own name, and, to help the boy's case

further, ran away. I had not heard from or of him until

the night I came here and found him the defender of

this house. By God! that was no servant's trick,-it was

the act of a royal gentleman."

They clasped hands; and with a new light in his face,

with a new manner, as though he resumed, as a familiar

garment, an old disused personality, Bates stood transfigured

in the twilight, a man and a gentleman. I think

we were all drawn to him; I know that a sob clutched

my throat and tears filled my eyes as I grasped his hand.

"But what in the devil did you do it for?" blurted

my grandfather, excitedly twirling his glasses.

Bates (I still call him Bates,-he insists on it)

laughed. For the first time he thrust his hands into his

pockets and stood at his ease, one of us.

"Larry, you remember I showed a fondness for the

stage in our university days. When I got to America I

had little money and found it necessary to find employment

without delay. I saw Mr. Glenarm's advertisement

for a valet. Just as a lark I answered it to see

what an American gentleman seeking a valet looked

like. I fell in love with Mr. Glenarm at sight-"




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