Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-09-08
CHATTER XIV
.Nnrnrn rAIxrrL fAsE.


In. dinner that nighi a, HaSlewocl IIouse
was a ifeary affair Prank DID NJ; ~ his
ho-t. until the .,uns .oundsd Their calls
hal Yep, them % long that they were obliged
a. drrss In undue haste 10 avoid unpunctuAl
ny In their own Tsrons, thing which would
have Amounted 10 a k,ni % moral suicide.
| The convcrsAiion whilst Whitaker was In
The room was naturally forcsl Prank could
indeed tell them of the contemplated change
In hi. life, bot A. All the While be vas think
ing how Beatrice would have received fas
news his communicated was made With
none q his usual yivacify. huracs and hu-
bert were mildly astonishcd. They trusted
In that way which implies doutt-that II
would b. for the hs-t. Togise upa certainty
Tor an uncertainty sccnscd a pity; but oi
,our.s Prank knew bis own buincss bet. A
remark with which Mr Carruihcr mentally
agrscd
IN -eucd quite in order with the misfor-
tune. Of the house that the hottie q las
shcud have l.en shsksn In some way and
APPEARED cloudy. not 10 say thick. u might
have bccn ~ thick a. ia -oup for all Prank
caci
Nothing. or nert to nothing. was aid dur
lng desert about the recent painful event
PAN al ocly and silent He was work
ins a.. lroblems; connecting Beatrice's fiight
with The nan % the afternoon AMI the 'i.ii
to the inn For Beatrices sake h. was nov
nxhting for his own hand Horaoc and Her
bert n eliminated from the inquiry.
Ills mosilness affected his hosts, and uron
his refusal D. take more wine they suggested
an adjOurnment 10 the edrawing-rcom Frank
ayrced cadily At any rate h. could ~
thcrc and gan at Bcatrice's portrait
DO YOU mean ~ take any further stepsr
he asked
II think not, !" aid Horaoc Herbert and
I have talkcl the matter over and feel there
l. no more 90 b. dona We saw great
many Teopo this afternoon, and am sure
have lett a general impression that Beatrics
has gone 20 visit friends"
III was a most painful duty aid Her
bert, but one We felt must te psrformsd.
In fact. u was due TO ourselves 10 forsstLl
gossip
II am suro Frank quite understands the
situation aid Horace.
A satirical smile curied round Franks
lirs 1T must have besn most painful, he
said; "you must have felt like two spartan
boys with joint fox under their clothes
"Yes.~ saii Herbert. simply; I'VE did"
Il have often beard tho smile used" said
Horace, tut H. great strength never struck
me until now
Carruthers gave a short, quick laugh; he
could not belp Il. Tho brOthsrs Looked sur
prisrl. They couid 80 no reason for any
sppruach 20 merriment A biting sarcasm
came 10 the young mans lips. but he re-
strained n, and In q moment was glad he
had done 20 II would have wounded these
two kind, mid looking men, who, no doubt,
we're A. unable % realixs the anxisty RAISED
In his breast BY Bcafrlce's fight, A. he was
unable 10 compreheni the Importance OF the
consequence which they were making such
sacrifices % avert seeing things In ths
snme light i a matter of constitution. educa-
tion, and training
Just then whitaker brought In tea. and
whilst he handed II round Prank had leisure
10 ejoioe. insomuch a. hs had kept his tongue
In command. But misfortune had not yet
done with Hazlewcod House. Prank, I'm
moving his arm, knocked down cup, and
sent Its scalding contents over oDe of the
several delicious little Chippcndaie table,
the pride q the Talberts hearts and the envy
Of their lady friends
The simlls of the Spartan boy and tbs fox
must have seemed even more appropriate TO
Horace and Herbert as they smilingly assured
Frank II was of no conscquence, nons what
ever They did not even ring for aid This,
however. was because Whitaker, who had
witnessed the catastrophe. was already On
his way 20 the sccne with an armful of soft
cloths He moppci and dabbed and vipsd
the table a. tsnderiy a. q mother might Per.