The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-08-16

!
but as matter of form he ought to ask
! her.
| 1t was quite with the air of the grand
seigneur that he presented himself next
day in Kensington square. TO his sur
prise he was not very well received.
There had been a scene between Ke-
ziah and her aunt directly the former re-
entered the house on the previous eve
ming. The girl, without attempting to
withhold one iota of information, had
given her aunt a full account of what
had occurred-the coachman's miscon-
duct, the danger only averted by the
timely Intervention of strange gentle
man, who had kindly escorted her home.
"His name was Lord Featherstone.
/ "That wretch :" instantly cried Miss
Parker, an old maid, prim and precise III
her appearance and in all her ways, yet
not disinclined to listen to at least half
the scandalous gossip in circulation
through the world.
F. "Do you know him, Aunt Parker"
"Who does not? He is q notoriously
wicked man.
/ "I thought him very nice" Keziah
spoke defantly and very firmly in de-
fence of her new friend.
; "Of course you did. He can be most
agreeable. I have heard of him over
and over agair. That's the danger OF
him."
"He was so kind and obliging. He
told me who everybody was IN the
park
"Can it be possible that you were SO
mad as to go into the park with him III
the afternoon, when it was crowded,
when hundreds must have seen you to-
gether?' %
"Of course we came through the park
together; it was the shortest way home.
1 cannot see any great harm in that"
"It's not likely; you are so young and
inexperienced; you see no harm In any
thing. But he knew the mischief he was
doing. only too well. The wretch, the
wretch p Mid Miss Parker would have
been glad to see wild horses tear him
limb from liVb. However" after
pause, "you must promise me faith
fully that you will never speak to him
again.
"He said he would call just to inquire
how was," Keziah said, in a low voice,
which might easily have meant that she
hoped he would not be told peremptorily
to go away.
"I will see him if he comes" Aunt
Parker finally replied. "Iti is not fitting
that he should pursue his acquaintance
with you, begun as it was under such
questionable auspices"
And in this decision keziah was forced
to acquiesce.
When, therefore, after some delay and
demur, Lord Featherstone was admitted
to Aunt Parker, her manner was perfect
ly arctic. She sat bolt upright, with a
stony look in her eyes and only frlgid
monosyllables on her lips.
CT called" said his lordship, with
much aplonl6, {" to see Miss Leigh"
eyes ?' Aunt Parker asked, much as
though Lord Featherstone was the boot
makers man, or had come to take orders
for sewing machine.
"My name is Lord Featherstone.
els it?" He might have been in the
habit of assuming dozen aliases every
twenty-four hours, SO utterly indifferent
and incredulous was Aunt Parker's tone.
cit was my good fortune to be able to
do Miss Leigh slight service yesterday,
he went on, still unabashed.
ga service 7" Miss Parker waxed in
dignant at once. "I call it an injury
a shameful, mischievous, unkind act; for
which, Lord Featherstone, although l
apprehend it is not much in his line,
should blush for very shame"
"Really, madam he hardly knew
whether to be annoyed or amused"
think YOU have been misinformed. Prob.
ably but for me Miss Legh's neck would
| have been broken"
/ CT know that, know that, and / al
/ most wish it had, sooner than that she
should have so far forgotten herself. y
Miss Parker looked up suddenly and
sharply, saying with much emphasis
"Oh. Lord Featherstone, ask yourself
YOU are, or ought to be, q gentleman, al
least YOU know the world by heart-was
it right of you to take such an advantage:
Did YOU think what incalculable harm
this foolish, thoughtless mistake-whicll
is certain to be magnifed by malicious
tongues-may work against an innocent,
guileless child ?"
81 know was greatly to blame.
ought to have known better. But it was
Miss Legh's own wish to 60 through the
park, and I gave way.
"How noble of you to shift the burden
on to her shoulders. But we will not, il
you please, try to apportion the blame.
The mischief is done, and there is ne
more to be said, except to ask yon tt
make rs the only reparation In youl
power!'
"And this is he looked at her IL
surprise. She did not surely mean tt
forestall him, and demand that which he
came to offer of his own accord?
"To leave the house and to spare III
henceforth the high honor of your &C
quaintance. .
"That promise if you still insist aftel
you have heard what [ am going to say
I came to make reparation full and com
plete, but not in the way you suppose
came to make Miss Legh-and if sh'
end You, rs her guardian, will delgn K
accept of it-an offer of my hand.
Little Miss Parker face was an anus
ing study. Her lower lip dropped, he
ewes opened till they locked like th'
round marbles on a solitaire board.
"Lord Featherstone, you!"
81 trust you will not consider me in
eligible; that you have no objection t.
me personally, beyond natural annoy
ance at this silly escapade.
cit is so sudden, SO unexpected-so-