New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-23
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
When the evening dusk was gathering on the
following Sunday, Mr.. Forester. arrayed from
head to foot in such attire as he had observed upon
the persons Of younger cabmen. stood on the steps
of Normandy ' lila and knocked three slow loud
knocks on the door. feeling at the same time a
succession of more arstOcratlc raps from within his
rlbs.
The door was opened by servant, who directed
him to the second door upon the landing of which
stood his hostess. all smiles 10 welcome MN, though
he observed that she did not offer her hand. lie
went through a good deal Of putting ana blowing
aud scraping upon the mat in the narrow passage
and then entered pretty little rOom plainly
furnished, but ahOundng IN photographs, prints
and other objects of art, and having some taste
fully arranged fresh flowers here and there. An
ease and a riano stood in different parts of the
room 1t iuu OF books, and tea vas lad upon
the table.
sisters indoors and in full light and he was
struck by their grace and the easy manner IN
which they did the hOnOrs of their slmp,e home.
Neither of them were exactly pretty. Geraldine
was a slim, graceful girl, with large clear eyes
bright manner. and ready tnru Of speech: she
was dressed In the high-art style, and looked ike
picture olivia rs the taIlt II o. the three; she
had certain commanding AIR that went wei with
her impetuOus speech aad noble stature her eyes
were bright her face sparNled with intellect and
there was q singular charm IN her manner which
the cabman unable TO resist. Malse was
smaller, younger aha less intellectual than her
sisters, while IN her lips the sweet voice common
10 all three became superlatlvelY sweet IL would
have been evident 10 a less acute per, option than
Mr. Forrester's that the three ladies whose
breeding was equal 20 any occasion.
Iie sat the extreme edge OF n chair rs near
the door possible, and deliberately got into
difficulties with his hat IN sufficiently comic
manner, which evoked no smile from the bright
lips of the sisters. although their eyes re not
INEXPENSIVE Of mlrth. Geraldine, however sue-
ge-ted place OF repose Tor he Int upon a cialr
he felt that her manner IN doing so would have
put the clumzIest real caDman at his ease IN "A
You VIII have some tea. won't you. Forster
Geraldine asked. pouring cut the peTtuMed drink.
Greek is dreadfuly dry TO begin upon whatever
nay sister May say. especially S. hen one Is grown
up. Have you q father. And Is he cahman
too ? Perhaps be Is Old, ana you support him. OF
We want 20 hear all about your people added
Olivia. with her usual carlcstuess, ana then we
viii tell you all about ourselves.
rhus the CA oman was led 10 confess father,
whose pr0fes ION that of game keeper, though
he had DOW retired from active business AMI WIS
fairly well of. On being pressed rs TO his present
occupation. he said that Ae Kept pigs, ANA COW or
two on bit Of Land of his 0wu al oil Which =" as
Il wonder. Forster that Won didn't follow your
fathers calling. which is a very pleasant one
sand the innocent Olivia, with the earncsr ness
which made him long to speak TO her a. one with
equal pretensions 10 culture Win heIseu might
have done.
Ny eldest brother he had'the first chance, and
took o. tie gameheepln-, be explained; upon
which Olivia made some reflections Oh thu far
reaching injustice Of prmogenituIe when thus
poisoned the happiness even Of youuE ganeAec refs
"a
s0itiy while Geraldine gave her merry IooA'
during the temporary submer-ence OF the cap
mans comeiy face ia tie saucer of tea winch he
ED ID the style affected at his brothers big tea,
carefully drawing the back OF his hand across lis
Yes Miss Geraldine he said. I've got another
brother. His names Alan. He's preacher. And
a sister. name of Jane No, she amt married. She
lives long with father and mothcr.
And mliks the cows, and helps feed the pigs
asked Olivia.
Marx nodded his head. He knew that Lady Jane
had pet dairy. ana had once Toasted to ham OF
having mastered the art of milking. 30 that ngs
were very pleasant with his conscience.
DO have SOME more cake. Ii does one good TO
see an honest workingman eat said Olivia. We
but you our work is sedcntary, and after all,
we are OnlY women.
The cabman shuddered; but he remembered the
performances OF his professional brethren at the
tea. and manfully attacked fourth huge slice Of
How nice il must lie for you to have this sweet
country home to think of" continued Qltvia.
o And your brother, the preacher-I sAOuId Ike %
near him such peasant preachers are truly aPos-
tOlic. whatever you may say 10 the contrary Gerry
dear. And George the eameAeeper, ana Jane
milking her cows. We shall soon know them All
or friends. And now about ourselves.
am painter. sad Geraldine; make my
living chiefly by designs Nv sisters call me
designing woman. These cups aud saucers are my
work IMaislc's calling you know
And T. said Olivia. with the frank smile that
was rapidly turning her guests head, am a. yet
little better than a dIone. / am studying Tor q
London University degree, and bringing a little
grist TO tie mill IL the meantime by giving lessons
20 Lord ? exclaimed the cabmaD, TO think now
OF fne-brei ladies doug that Excuse M. MISS
but you wasn't brought up 10 Work. \ cabman
a good many ladies, and gets to know he real
grit
Don't 5etray us Forster cried Olivia; I knew
you would tnd Us out. But viii You promise on
your honor "a true man TO keep our secret
Well then. the fun of 10 is nat we need not earn
our living at all. We each have tiny fortune OF
our own. though far too small Tor the station IN
which we were born. We have run away from our
friends IN order to lead a rational lie
We hated dleness.' said Masle
We hated conventonalIty,' added Geraldine.
And We hated shams,' continued DIVA, with a
flushing check. Our parents are dead. orster,
and we ran away from our brother ana the trustees
of orr Dropertv who wished to dictate way of
life to us 50 we Just wrote note saying that We
were on TO Berlin under assumed names 10 teach
English, and that they need trouble themselves no
more about rs We did 20 10 Berlin. bat soon came
back. convinced that London IS the only place org
enough 10 hide inland here we are. our name -
De Nynter. spclt with y, and our brother Is LORD
North Wynd Our father was baron so we put
Honorable before our names. North ynd tired 10
force Geraldine into a marriage and he entered
INTO neCotiations with a certain Lord Grandveneur
"A much greater lord than my brother, Orster-to
marry meme indeed to q son of bis, the Hon.
what was his name Gerry something Forester
That is our story, Forster.
Thank ZEE miss. wont let II out. I'm game
suppose tins here Forester wasn't much IN the
wav of husband -
lie was not. Forster But that vas not the
point II was the dignity Of being offered to him
an, the dfeper ndicnitv Of being told 10 accept his
advances lie was coming 10 stay at Northcourt
when we fled He would have trotted me out
Forster and looked at my points and my PAGES;
and men rerhaps he would have trOtted ne back
again / who never mean TO marry at aIl-Who
will subject myself to no mans tuteage
seems to NE It was rough on TINS mere Iorq son
ohserveJ Mark who now distinctly recalled the
4. yitatIon to Northcourt. and Lord C'randyeneurs
= stic ii. scourse upon the dutles Of matrnOny and
the charms OF Olivia De Wynter.
Not M the least. lie was better without wife.
A moor creature. Forster. with no profession. no
duties ever 80 much money, ara devoted soieIJ 20
tad HIM and keep him out Of mischief his father
.J &orthwvnG Thought Here Mark Forester,