Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-09-30


ours may Be settled any day.
Il can't Ind you 500 pounds sterling,
growled Laxfngton, '4or SEQ pence either; and
- TO what you ell our little affair, have
no idsa what you're driving at"
sWhst the deuce do you meant Didn't
ycu promise me . thousand On the day your
daughter got engaged to Byngr
mo" answered Lexington, y never did
anything Of the sortw
why, I've got your o VI
VERY likely; there are good many Of
them flying about Wish you may get your
money!"
Carbury stared 1t his friend in disgust and
amasement He could not. however, express
his opinion Of him in tho sacred precincts Of
q club, 80 be merely got up with curt ',gooi
night and left the room.
That's your game, il itr be mutterpsi To
himself .rH be even with you yet. It's
not quite such q certainty as you think
The next morning Laxinet,n evidently
came to the conclusion that he la / IL q. e 8
fool Of himself over night, for be e lei o.i
the captain and explained to him iba; he Jill
not mean what he said He had devil o: u
temper, he added, and things hal b,en an
noying him. OF course It was Nil right "a out
the . U. Tie astute captain ac-
cepted the apology, but he never
theless made certain inquiries, which
resulted in the unpleasant dis
covery that Lexington had lost 5000 pounds
startling over the Ascot week. and been cn-
drely unable to settle.
"A nice prospect for my 1000 pounds ster-
ifngr unused the captain: @but what q fool
he was to show his hand"
That day Mr.. Byng and his factotum
lunchsd together alone, and the latter turned
the conversation upon Miss Constance.
Have you settled matters in that quarter
yetf' 10 inquired.
Not yet, said bis patron dreamily: "but
am thinking Of taking the plunge"
what are you waiting fort Charming
girl! No nonsense about her. Likes q good
feed, too. Saw her eat three platesful Of lob
ster salad on the cup day"
Three platesful of lobster saladI" cried
Byng
friend maliciously. why shouldn't shei
do it myself
"How horribly material" groansd Byng
"Oh, nonsense. You don't expect we'll
grown young woman Of five feet seven inches
to live on air. do your
This Is not subject for joking. said BynS
severely, and the captain ventured no further.
But the philosopher WAS obviously at ease; be
played with his lunch and maintained
gloomy silence.
The season wore on, but Mis- Laxington's
engagement was not yet announced. People
hegan to hint that it would not come
of after oil Lady Carraway grew
anxious, and other fond inatrons tool
heart once again and cherished fond hopes
that the prize OF the matrimonial marie.
might yet fall to an outsider Miss darlington
herself, however. was in no way di-qu.et.,i.
Her admirer was perhaps, less ATTENTIVE ir;t
his was not a nature capable of enthusiasts
devotion She met him constantly. 'cl
could not fairly accuse him Of ans ce..,.i =
neglect; she and Lady Carraway were oft'.r
seen upon his drag. and Byng invited them
both to accompany him to the Elton and
Harrow match This special mark Of favor
did much to reassure her ladyship. for Byng
had often told her that though he was par
ticulnrly fond of cricket he hal never taken
q drag to Lords, not caring to add to the
number OF people who looked upon the match
merely as an occasion for gormandizing,
Irritation and the display OF elaborate cos
tunes
The day came. Lady Carrawny and her
charge had been instructed 70 be on the
ground in good time for lunch, 30 they madc
their appearance shortly after o'clock. The
drag was tenanted only by Carbury and a
few male friends Byng, as the captain ex
planned, was watching the game from the
roof Of the pavilion, and had left word that
he was to be sent for as soon as his fair
friends had arrived.
A foctman was accordingly despatched for
him, and in few minutes he clamberei up
to a seat next to Miss Constance He was
somewhat preoccupied and silent, but this
was easily accounted for by the absorbing in
terest which he evinced In the fortunes Of the
game Carbury watched him with some
anxiety. Since their conversation on the
lobster salad question the lady's name had
been seldom mentioned between them
and he began to fear that Byng's
marriage would really take place
without any pecuniary advantage to
himself. Presently, as the bell rang for the
luncheon interval, Byng left the drag and
talked for Q minute on two with his butler.
Mr. Corker. This circumstance somewhat
aroused Carbury's wonder; he could not in,
lgine what Byng could have to say 10 his
retainer, for all arrangements Of the house
hold were left in the captains own hands
He failed, however, TO gather any informa-
lion from the buffers stolid visage Byng
always did things well and in a very short
time a table WAS spread on which was dis
played every luxury which money could buy
Or the mind OF man conceive.
please forgive me il leave you,' said her
host tn Miss Lexington; Il shall be back
after the interval, and in the meantime Capt
Carbury will, I nm sure, look after your
wants.
Miss Lexington graciously assented, and
The air was soon filed with the clatter of
plates and the popping of champagne corks
Throughout the progress Of the orgie Car
bury kept an eye upon the proceedings OF
the butter He was anxious to find out the
Of the mysterious communication
made to that worthy by Byng. Moreover,
Corker's movements were decidedly singular.
He seemed perpetually at Miss Laxington's
,lbow; nov pressing on her attention some
triumph II Byng's chef; now filling her
glass with champagne or piing up her plate
with s.rawterr:es After these little atten
ions be would retire behind the drag and
= ribe something down ON a piece of paper
The captains curiosity at length exhausted
mis- patience He watched his opportunity,
therefore, and came upon Corker suddenly
just as that individual made an entry on the
mysterious sheet.
"What are you up tor he asked. CorkeP
was III omentariiv confused, hut he answered.
with dignity.
I'm making hinwen.ory. sir
"What the deuce do YOU meanl'
"A hinwentory, sir. by Mr.. Byng's orders
the butler, somewhat rufiied. The
,aptain paused q moment in thought II
night he important, this piece of paper.
Come, Corker,n he said, let me see that pa'
er, and I'll give you sovereign"
Couldn't do it, SIR answered the incor
-uptible Corker.
~Oh, we'll hang it, I'll make il a fiver.T
Mr.. Corker was not proof against the extra
and so handed over the mystic
Iious slip.
What on earth-Do You mean TO say yous
Master told you to make this list"
The butler nodded.
We'll, I'm blessedl Oh, this Is altogether
90 lovely. Here, I'll keep it for a bit. Won't
re open his eyes when he sees itr
Byng did not reappear until very shortly |
,efore stumps were drawn for the day,
md be made but o lame excuse Tor |
,;s long absence. Carbury. as it happened,
lid not see him again till late in the |
vening, when he found him in . state of |
.reat mental perturbation, porting over
mall sheet Of note paper, on which certain |
lieroglyphics were scrawied in pencil
sWhat,s the matferf- cried the captain. |
you look awfully bad
MY hopes are shattered" said Byng, in .
lismal voice; my fondest illusions have |
sen rudely dissipated: the dream is over"
@What are you talking aboutf"