The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-02-26
HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
BY ANTHONY TRoLLoPE.
CHAPTER XXXI.
CoRtinued.l

"There isn't a word oft true" said
Miss Stanbury. "It's all pure invention,
and a great scandal. | never did such
a thing in my life"
"Didn't you thought, said Brooke
Burgess. al remember it as we'll as if it
were yesterday, and old DR.. Ball, the
prebendary, with the carbuncles on his
nose, saw it, too"
"Dr. Ball had no carbuncles on his
usse," said Mrs. MacHugh. you'll say
next that / have carbuDcles on my
nose"
He had three. i remember each of
them quite well, and so does Sir Peter"
Then everybody laughed; and Martha,
who was in the room, knew that Brooke
Burgess was q compile success
In the mean time Mr.. Gibson was
talking to Dorothy; but Dorothy was
endeayoring to listen to the converse
ticn at the other end of the table. 81
found it very dirty on the roads today
outside the city," said Mr.. Gibson.
Every dirty" said Dorothy, looking
round at Mr.. Burgess as she spoke.
"But the pavement in the High Street
was dry enough.
Quite dry" said Dorothy. Then
there came a peal of laughter from Mrs.
MacHugh and Sir Peter, and Dorothy
wondered whether anybody before had
ever made those two steady old people
laugh after that fashion.
al should so like to get drive with
YOU up to the top of Haldon HILL" said
Mr.. Gibson. "When the weather gets
fine, that is. Mrs. Powell was talking
about it.
at would be very NICE said Do
rothy.
"You have never seen the view from
Haldon Hill yetp asked Mr.. Gibson. But
to this question Dorothy could make
no answer. Miss StanbuTy had lifted
one of the tablespoons as though she
was going to strike Mr.. Brooke Burgess
with the bowl of it,-aud during n din
ner-party! From this moment Dorothy
turned herself round, and became one
of the listeners to the fun at the other
end of the table. Poor Mr.. Gibson soon
found himself nowhere.
IL never saw man so much altered
i'll my life" said Mrs. MacHugh, up in
the drawing-room. 81 don't remember
that he used to be clever"
ale was n bright bOyl" said Miss
Stanbury.
"BuJ the Bucgessss all used TO be such
serious, straight-laced people" said Mrs.
MacHugh. Excellent people" she ad-
ded, remembering the source of her
friends wealth, "but none of them like
that"
81 call him very handsome man."
said Mrs. Powell. Il suppose he's not
married yet !"
80 dear, no. said Miss Stanbury.
"Jhere's time enough for him yet"
Hell find plenty here to set their
caps at him." said Mrs. MacHugh.
"He's little old for my girls said
Mrs. Powell, laughing. Mrs. Powell
was the happy mother of four daugh-
tiers, of whom the oldest was only |
twelve.
"There are others who are more for
ward,p said Mrs. MacHugh. What a
chance it would be for dear Arabella |
French
Heaven forbidw said Miss Stan
bury.
"And then poor Mr.. Gibson wouldn't
any longer be like donkey between
two bundles of hay" said Mrs. Powell.
Dorothy was quite determined that
she would never marry man who was
like donkey between two bundles of
hay.
When the gentlemen came up into
the drawing room Dorothy was seated |
behind the urn and tea-thiugs at large |
table, in such position as to be 3p-
preached only at one side. There was
one chair at her left hand, but ut her
right hand there was no room for seat,
only room for some civil gentleman to
take away full cups and bring them
back empty. Dorothy was not sufficient
ly ready witted to See the danger of this
position till Mr.. Gibson had seated
himself in the chair. Then it did seem
cruel to her that she should be thus be-
sieged for the rest sfthe evening as she
had been also at dinner. While the
tea was being consumed, Mr.. Gibson as
sisted at the service, asking ladies
whether they would have cake or bread
and butter; but when all that was over,
Dorothy was still in her prison and Mr..
Glhsen was still the jailer at the gate.
She soon perceived that everybody else
was chattering and laughing, and that
brooke Burgess was the centre of a lit
Tie circle which had formed itself quite
al distance from her seat. Once, |
twice, thrice she meditated an escape; |
but she had not the courage to make
the attempt She did not know how to |
manage 1t. She was conscious that her
aunts eye was upon her, and that her
aunt would expect her to listen to Mr.
Gibson. AT last she gave up ali hone
of moving, and was anxious simply Ill.,
Mr.. Gibson should cOnfine himself To tbo
dirt of the paths and the noble prospect
from Haldon Hill.
II think we shall have more rain be
fore we have done with it," he said.
Twice before during the evening he had
been very eloquent about the rain.
81 dare say we SHALL" said Dorothy.
And then there came the sound of loud
laughter from Sir Peter, and Dorothy
could see that he was poking Brooke
burgess in the ribs. There had never