Sword and shield., 1885-10-17
.,bI.|I|EEIp J J
A Family Affair.
DY HUGH CONWAY,
Author II Called Bacl;." Etc. Etc.
CHAPTER NNIlI.
PAINFUL. Dt TIES.

After the two great crimes Of removing
The landmarks Of the constitution to pander
to the maSSeS, and not wiping ones shoes
the one an imperial, the other domestic
sin, yet equally grave-mpuactuality at
table was the most hcinouS offence in the
eyes of Horace and Herbert. Without being
exactly gourmandS they liked their food
cooked To a turn Most bachelors who have
turned forty exhibit the same liking. The
TalbertS took great deal Of trouble about
their cuisine, and expected to be rewarded
~ finding everything from the salt to the
salmon as il should bp. Such matter rs a
harl-hearted potato was all but unknown at
their table and would have formed the sub
iect Tor Il court Of inquiry, and if needed, il
revision of kitchen utensils.
AT their refined dinner parties it was mn
derSt0od that after Il certain time of grace
no one Was To be waited for Ii was their
theory that keeping several guests waiting
for one lag%ard was a breach of pOliteneSS.
There were lmkmd people who said that tie
brothers would break this rule for a lord.
They Wruu%el our friends. They would
hlNe waited for no one under the rank Of
duke or at least a marquis.
50 that when Whitaker having struck the
Resonant gong and SO proclaimed that lunch
VIZ ready, ten minutes passed by without
ise3iricc's responding to its hospitable sum-
mons il Is no wonder that Horace and Her
bert began to look grave. The soup was ON
tAr table; Whitaker Was waiting his mas
lel command. lie, Who from long aSSOca-
ti5n felt the situation rs much as they did
ioohrd absolutely sympathetic. Although
ne had no reason 10 suppose her stone deaf
lie Nentured to suggest that Miss Clauson
htd not heard the gong.
The beauty of the Talbert'S character was
that politencSS invariably triumphed over
principle. Punctuality was here the prin-
ciple: il was outraged yet forced for while
10 submit Horace forbade repeated sum-
mons. and they actually waited another five
minutes before they sent Whitaker to in
quirr for Miss ClauSon. Whitaker reported
tifat Miss tlauson. the nurse, and the little
boy lad gone ont Immediately after break
fast and had not yet returned.
Then the nursery dinner will be spoiled
too. said Horace sadly, us he seated himself
aud lddlel ont the soup. Horace with his
Kind heart felt iur amy one who was doomed
to suffer from i spoiled dinner.
After solemn lmrh the brothers waited
for While in the diling-room. They eX-
pecied every moment that Beatrice would
appear They did not of course mean to
Scold her, but We're prepared to say a few
words OF mild remonStrance: to show her, in
ldct. how the bad example of unpunctuality
must demOralZe I'M establishment
But as Beatrice did not appear the we'll
meant little lecture they were tacitly prepar-
Ing turned into open expressions of wonder
as 10 why her morning ramble should be SO
lrGiractcd. Perhaps She had gone some
where 10 lunch. Perhaps something had
happened. just as they had reached this
last stage Of supposition, Whitaker brought
in telegram. 1t was from Beatrice and
sent from ONford Circus We are in London
: il r4n 10 Hat be uneasy; will write to-
night.
They were gre lily surprised, and marvel
led cn What erramd could She have gone to
LONDON? No doubt it was all right She
had most likely gone to her fathers. Per-
llils Sir Maingay was i'll. Beatrice might
nave Intercepted Il telegram and impulSively
started OF ut once. But why take the child
aus the nte@? Why-There, they were
unable Ia make head or tail Of the matter SO
,btt'l b!lbN Will ioi lHt Iloillillg posi-.
Beatrice might haze be,sl more explicit"
sa:i Horace. tossing 1T the telegram once
iH95e
Yes, said Herbert, .'she had nine words
10 spare
'FcIegrams are one of the pests of modern
life, continued Horace. People dash OF
th' S. lll-Norlrd, uaPunrtultcd phrases i'll
stead of 4 proper Letter. No one can write a
lrr ut letter noW
iitrdrc who had the Gift of writing pecu-
i. ~ wcil-coi~tructed and elegant, if rather
To- lengthy rpstlcs, felt ;cenly on the tend
-n''A of tie age t. conduct lis correspondence |
~ means Of Short, Swapping sentences after
=" manner Of Mr. Morlle's style of talking.
II nope she will bt back soon" said Her
hlt. Frank comes To us the day after to-
GorroW
lie is in good health now, isn't he?"
splendid. | believe"
Then think we can give him the Is this
:ne- the Il IS growing low"
This Was not mraincSs Ii was but the
!ntioI Il wise man exercises over his cellar
; sides. WHO could complain of the delicate
lidH l'ion? lS5S is Il fine wine, many pre-
ct il to lS41
y atree'S promised letter came in Tie
corning. Horace read it first. His face was
perfect blank. lie read il again before he
saIed it to the anxious Herbert, who. al
hnlish ne saw from his brothers face that
strange had happened was for
ne, unable to make the slightest guess at
lr iiaith. Here is Beatrice',; letter.
My VERY dear HnrlpS.I should be nm
f'eiil for tin kindness Won have shown
y l'ft Won n ANY anxiety a moment
~ !. iadn c"Cl help. ! sent YOU a tele-
IN N.star! !'sl afternoon To show you that
) ii had nelai.n me.
II stite'it know what to say to you. |
~ ii present otter 10 excuse f0r what am
"tt.t :" 'lo. r.jn give no explanation.
y n ran!e 10 ilazlewood House hopcd
n ss.'!e - make it my home for 81 long as
~ would Keep ne. Now | find. / am
'tc,t' !" iriNc Non and make home of my
Ah Moreover, a!n foned for a while at
lNi - Keep siIri.e' ;iS 10 where that home
u! ~ " thS moment have not even
atiiaiittd Il Will, however, be out Of En-
al eih,lot cNen tell you why this must
!. $" Will you ever forgive me?
lease % nal fe:r ON MY account. am
!. wing cid aGd cln well take care of my
e; b.Nidcs NJ ). AIiI;r Will be with me-
80 Harry, so tllal s,i.ll moi be dnll.
4! cdInnt promise Ia tell You where |
~. will al least let yon hear from me now
mi then. PleitSe oh, please, do not Try and
1
mir loving but unhappy niece, BEATRICE.
'What does il mean, lIerbert?' said llor
g in sepulclral tones.
What can il meMn?' echoed Herbert.
They sat staring at one another and feel
Z hat such an unlooked-for catastrophe
"a! never before happened since the world
g ~ 10 he peopled hy ladies and gentle
zen. Their niece, the feminine counterpart
themselves; the embodiment, to theiI
inds, of all that well-bred well-bOm wo-
n should be to be guilty of such an esca-
lGe Ii was awful, perfectly awful /!
They read the letter again and again, dis
Issed the meaning of sentences even OF
mds: but tliis analysing process helped
leln nothing. So they turned to reconsider
4 new light Beatrice herself as they knew