“Mother!”  
Adrian’s cry was a . He could not believe that he had heard aright; but he felt himself pulled down into his chair and realized that though his spiritual world had been turned upside down, as it were, this extraordinary dinner must go on. There was only one fact for which to rejoice, a trivial one: he had been placed so that he could look directly into that palm-decked and upon this convict, Number 526.
 
Convict! Impossible. The fine head was not debased by the close-cropped hair, and held itself as one upon which no shadow of or disgrace had ever rested. The face was noble, despite its lines and the prison pallor; and though hard had bowed the [Pg 284]once stalwart shoulders, they neither slouched nor shrunk together as did those of the other poor men in that group.
 
“Adrian! Remember where you are.”
 
Even the bouillon choked him and the fish was as ashes in his mouth. Courses came on and were removed, and he tasted each mechanically, to this duty by his mother’s active elbow. Her and volubility covered his silence, though there was nobody at that table, save herself, who did not mentally set the lad down as an ignorant, ill-bred person, oddly unlike the others of his family. Handsome? Oh! yes. His appearance was quite correct and even noticeable, but if a man were too stupid to open his mouth, save to put food into it, his place at a social function were better filled by a plainer and more agreeable person.
 
But all things end, as even that intolerable dinner finally did, and Adrian was free to rise and in some quieter place try to rearrange his disordered ideas. But he noticed that Kate [Pg 285]signaled her mother to lead the guests from the room while she, herself, remained to exchange a few words with her chief musician. Adrian, also, lingered, unreproved, with an of interest which his face from that dulness which his sister had assigned to it. She even smiled upon him, :
 
“You’ll get used to society after a bit, brother. You’ve avoided it so much and lived so among those artists that you’re somewhat awkward yet. But you’ll do in time, you’ll do very well. I mean to make it a point that you shall attend all my little functions.”
 
But Adrian resolved that he would never grace, or disgrace, another in this place, though he answered nothing. Then the lady turned to Number 526, and the boy’s eyes themselves upon that worn face, seeking resemblances, trying to comprehend that this unhappy fellow was the father of his sunny Margot.
 
[Pg 286]
 
Kate was speaking now with an accent intended to be kind, even commendatory, but her brother’s ear detected, also, its tone of . Did the convict notice it, as well? If so, his face showed no sign.
 
“You did well, my man, very well. I think that there might be a bit more time allowed for practice, and will speak to the about it. But you, personally, have a gift. I hope you will profit by it to your soul’s good. I shall want you and your men again for a time this evening. I have the warden’s consent in the matter. A few and dreamy waltzes, perhaps that which you and 1001 played the other day at my reception. Just your violin and the piano. You will undertake it? The instruments shall be screened, of course.”
 
Adrian was leaning forward, his hands , his lips parted. His gaze became more and more intense. Suddenly the convict raised his own eyes and met the youth’s squarely, unflinchingly. They were blue eyes, [Pg 287]pain-dimmed, but . Margot’s eyes, in very shape and color, as hers might be when life had brought her sorrow. For a half-minute the pair regarded one another, moved by an influence the elder man could not understand; then Adrian’s hand went out , while he said:
 
“Allow me to thank you for your music. I’ve never heard a violin speak as yours does.”
 
The convict hesitated, glanced at the warden’s lady, and replied:
 
“Probably because no other violin has been to any other man what this has been to me.”
 
But he did not take the hand and, with a bow that would have graced a drawing-room rather than a cell, clasped his instrument closely and quietly moved away.
 
Kate was to prison sights, yet even she was touched by this little by-play, though she reproved her too warm-hearted brother.
 
“Your does you credit, dear, but [Pg 288]we never shake the hand of a prisoner, except when he is leaving. Not always then.”
 
“Kate, wait a minute. Tell me all about that man. I thought the prisoners were kept under lock and key. I thought—— Oh! it’s so awful, so incredible.”
 
“Why, Adrian! How foolish. Your , I suppose, and you cannot help it. No. They are by no means always kept so close. This one is a ‘trusty.’ So were all the orchestra. So are all whom you see about the house or grounds. This man is the model for the whole prison. He is worth more, in keeping order, than a hundred keepers. His influence is something wonderful, and his life is a living sermon. His is unmistakably sincere, and his conduct will materially shorten his term, yet it will be a dark day for the institution when he leaves it. I cannot help but like him and trust him; and yet—— Dear, dear! I must not loiter here. I must get back to my guests.”
 
[Pg 289]
 
“Wait, wait. There’s something I want to ask you. To tell you, too. Do you know who that man is?”
 
Kate shivered.
 
“Do I not? Oh! Adrian, though I have brought myself to look upon him so indulgently now, it was not so at first. Then I hated the sight of his face, and could scarcely breathe in the room where he was. He is under life-sentence for manslaughter and—I wonder if I ought to tell you! But I must. The situation is so dramatic, so . The man whom Number 526 tried to kill, and whom he robbed of many thousands, was—our own father!”
 
He was not even surprised and her astonishing statement fell pointless, except that he shivered a little, as she had done, and withdrew his hand from her arm, where it had arrested her departure.
 
“I have heard that already. Mother told me. But I don’t believe it. That man never, never attempted or committed a crime. If he [Pg 290]were guilty could he lift his eyes to mine so , I, the son of my father? There is some horrible, horrible mistake. I don’t know what, nor how, but there is. And I will find it out, will set it right. I must. I shall never know another moment’s peace until I do. Those eyes of his! Why, sister, do you know that it was little Margot, that man’s daughter, who saved me from starvation in the forest? Yes, saved my life; and whose influence has turned me from an idle, careless lad into—a man.”
 
If any of those critical guests could have seen his face at that moment they would not have called him stupid; and his excitement communicated itself so strongly to his sister, that she passed her hands across her brow as if to clear her startled thoughts.
 
“Impossible. Fifteen years has Number 526 lived a prison life, and if there had been any mistake, it would, it must, have been found out long ago. Why, the man had friends, rich ones, who spent great sums to prove his [Pg 291]innocence and failed. The evidence was too strong. If he had had his way we two would have long been fatherless.”
 
Kate turned to leave the room but Adrian did not follow her. The place had become intolerable to him, yet he blessed the chance which had brought him there to see this unhappy fellow-man and to learn this amazing story. Now he could not wait to put distance between himself and the hateful spot, and to begin the unraveling of what he knew, despite all proof, was somebody’s terrible blunder.
 
As cautiously as any convict of them all, escaping from his , the lad made his way into the street and thence with all speed to the station. He had picked up a hat somewhere, but was still in full dress, and more than one glance fell with suspicion upon his heated and disordered appearance. However, he was too deep in his own thoughts to observe this, and as the train rushed cityward he grew more calm [Pg 292]and better able to a plan of action.
 
“I begin to understand. This yearly visit of the ‘master’ has been to Number 526. They were close friends, and brothers by marriage. This year he has brought Margot with him. Will he, I wonder, will he let her see this convict in stripes? No that my question as to her father’s burial place was an unanswerable one. Mother desired me not to mention the names of my forest f............