The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-27
BEATRICE TRIUMPHANT.

Miss Clauson Carlled her point. Her sue
%1--s WIS due 10 curious combination OF
events rs well n t. her own persistence anC
siOguent pleading. She managed to get I'm
Gle Herbert alpne-a difficult matter, US the
s'IabbieS' Were almost always tOgether-and
after sundry arguments and entreatieS, If I'm
able 10 win lis consent to her proposed ar
arrangement, exacted a promise from him that
aIe would not object if Horace approved OF
hcr keeping the boy. To be sure no had moi
the faintcst idea that Horace would consent
Mr.. Mordle, the adviser OF the family, anG
Herbert Talbert thus brought on her side OF
rendered neutral, Horace remained tho arbiteI
of the boys fate, and Miss ClausOn directed
al her energies toward making him yield.
Like clever girl she took care that thu
young intruder should be no nuisance to any
rDne, not even TO the servants. When hel
DuCles saw him they saw him at his best. Al,
the first signs of bad behavior Beatrice whip
yud han away. As he had not yet run amucl
Through their bric-a-brac, not demolished
guLy-backed plate, or detruncated q Chelses
Squire they had no fault to find with his gen
sral behavior. Indeed, they liked to SEQ the
1ht,'e fellow about the place, and the confidine
WAY N which sometimes no climbed upon
Horace knee was quite touching. He wa.
uut 3 bit AFRAID Of these tall grave mon
Children see lurtherin some ways than grown
w people, and no doubt the little boy felt in
stinctiyely that many excellent feminin,
TRAITS were hidden under the broad bosoms OF
the stalwart "Tabbesn
15sy tacitly left his fate in allegiance fol-
more than week; then Beatrice who per.
fups trernbled lest some childish act of mis-.
-, IL hos.
shat tiioyhoy had web done his part in the af
rur .y making himself SO easily tolerated, at
-ts1 kel her uncles once more. True to his
znornise, Herbert said his brother must decide
tbe matter.
DO you want the child to stayf' asked
Horace, turning 10 the speaker.
81 told Beatrice you should decide"
This answer assured Horace that Herbert
Knew everything that was to be known.
Ny dear Beatrice" he said, ''ths thing |.
quite impracticabe."
8-r mouth quivered 1t was clear she had
vet her heart on keeping her new pct.
why is II impracticablel What difference
Gan n child make in a house like thisl He will
D. my sole care"
Uncle Horace looked uneasy. my dear,
yousforget 1t may give rise TO scandal"
4ccAnuull what scanuhlF
Horace grew red Ono can't talk plainly t.
young, innocent girls without feeling how bad
nlankind in general is.
'Hum-ha, he said. "You must remem.
Der, Beatrice, we are two single men; not el.
-derly men. As soon as it is known that VIC
have kept the child sent here so strangely, we
gave handle to suspicion and scandal Dc
YOU agree with me, Herbertr
81 am afraid it will be 80, Beatrice" said
Herbert, regretfully.
Miss Clauson drew herself up proudly. II
WIS an action the Talberts always liked to
Nc in the girl, and which hal great effect
On them.
Surely shs said, "you of all people are
rabOve suspicion and scandal"
They were pleased TO think this was the
truth They felt that Beatrice was right.
What, after all, had scandal TO do with themi
The domestic virtues and clockwork regnla-
zion Of Hazlewood House might defy the
breath Of the most censorious world As this
great truth came home TO him Horace seemed
o. purr with pleasure.
But he had no intention Of yielding. He
was for one thing much annoyed with Her
bert Herbert evidently wanted the boy to
stay. II so he should say 30 outright, not let
Beatrice fight his battles. So the most Ben
frire could get him to promise was that the
boy might remain for few days longer.
IN those few days something happened
First Of all piece of gossip went round IL
Dsighborhood and eventually reached Il
ears Of those who were gossiped sbout-u.
1aIberts. They heard that they were ha
boring. Lord Hadwynn's eldest son, wlioe
mysterious disappearance had been report
5u the papers. Lord Hadwynn was anu
z,.,roba-s, and il was well known that g.