Was I right?

by Mrs. O. F. Walton

"You met a friend of mine in Jerusalem, I think," Lord Moreton said.

"Oh yes, you mean Mr. Stanley," said Sir William, as if he had never doubted, for a moment, Mr. Stanley's friendship with Lord Moreton. "He proved a capital guide to us; we were sorry he had to leave so abruptly."

"Yes, poor fellow," said Lord Moreton; "it was a very great shock to him."

"What was a great shock to him?" asked Sir William. "We never heard why he left Jerusalem so suddenly."

"Oh, did you not?" said Lord Moreton. "He told me that he had written to you, and I think he was a little disappointed that he did not get an answer. It was on account of his father's illness. I sent him a telegram to tell him how dangerously ill his father was, and he left Jerusalem immediately he received it. But he was too late; his father had been dead some days when he arrived. Poor fellow, it was a terrible time for him!"

"I am really very sorry," said Sir William; "I had no idea that he was in such trouble; it seemed strange to us, as you may imagine, his disappearing so suddenly, and without any reason, so far as we knew."

"Yes, of course it would," said Lord Moreton; "he will be very vexed when he finds his letter did not reach you. He is such a nice fellow; he is just like a brother to me. The Stanley's place is close to ours, so we see a great deal of each other, and of course we shall be more than ever together now that Howard has come into the property; for he will be still more at home now."

"I am very sorry to hear of his father's death," said Sir William again.

"Yes," answered Lord Moreton; "and you would have felt it very much if you had seen his grief when he arrived, and I had to tell him that his father was gone; it was very sad. His mother died a few years ago, and there were no other children, so he and his father had been all in all to each other. Howard was very unwilling to go abroad this year, for he fancied his father was failing a little; but the old man insisted on his going, for Howard had a severe illness just this time last year, and the doctors said he would not be strong again until he had had a complete change. It was very sad, was it not, that it ended as it did?"

"Poor fellow!" said Sir William. "Can you give me his address? I should like to write to him, and express my sympathy, and explain why I did not write before."