Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-06-18
BOOK THREE.
LADY BEA UTY'S LOVERS.
BY ALAN MUIR
CHAPTER V.

The two married sisters returned from
their honeymoons about the same time Sihyl
looking naughty and DISCONTINUED, but Caro-
line cheerful and well pleased. As to the
bridegrooms We could see no trace OF change
for better or worse in Godmore: hut Eyer
ton was decidedly stouter, in excellent spirits,
and, from an accession of confidence, more
apt to make fool of himself in company
than ever
The sisters soon met, and Sophia could not
complain of amy lack of sympathy on the part
of her elders. They were both at first in
clined to take prudent mammals view; but
when Sophia told them of her love and his
constancy they were touched. The world
had not yet lot complete mastery over them,
and they commended Sophia, kissed her. com
forted her and said some day she would be
happy.
Commauder-in-chiefM Mrs Barbara Temple
took care to have an interview with Young
Brent She was kind and sympathetic. but
she said it was her maternal duty TO point out
to him that-whatever Sophia might say-he
was iniuing her prospects if he kept mp any
understanding with her. Engagement, of
course the little woman said, us not to be
thought Of But even an amangcment--a
promise that each will secretly wait for
each--would he a pernicious snare, full of
danger to Sophia's prospects,"
Not added Mrs. Worldly Wisewoman,
'that these promises are erer kept. Facts are
too much even for lovers, | have seen fifty
of these understandings made in perfect good
faith, and from motives that We're quite
pretty, but none ever came to anything
Still, object to arrangements.
"Nour daughter is ms free as if she never
saw me- Percival said. Il have made her
promise that she will consider that there is
not shred to bind her to me She is to feel
that She may engage herself and marry, and
never think that there is any intimation to
be sent to me, except through the news
paper
"And may ask-don't think me rude Mr..
Brent, l am simply doing my duty-if yoi,
are as free on your side: If you marry,
shall She hear of it through the newspaper,
too"
She looked at him sharply, almost humor-
ously, as She put this penetrating question.
o, we must pay u tribute to our little
mother who had tact that in wider fields of
action might have smoothed the feelings OF
ruffled empires,
dyes, ! am quite as free as She he an
swered I'VE promised each other that We
should feel So"
1t was quite true They had promised ex
actly in these terms, only the four lips that
exchanged the treaty We're Immediately after
ward engaged together sealing quite another
sort of bond. Was this what Shakespeare
meant by plain and holy innocence" | won
DER And yet possibly Mrs. Barbara Temple
guessed the true state of the case, but she wa,
satisfied There being no engagement, She
felt sure that time, fclleness, and her great
ally, this present world, would do all she
wanted.
"Iregret what has happened, she said grace
fully and | regret it not alone on your &C
count, but on my own. | should have beer
pleased with the connection. ! hope you vii
prosper and be happy, for am sure you de-
serve il"
Egerton Doolttle, having, after careful in
tellectIal filtration, so to speak, got the facts
of the Brents case fairly deposited in hi
mind, expressed great commseration for the
two men. as he called them. He told Ca
that "we ought all to give our minds to thu
thing" and see what can be done And afte
long period of cogitation he informed hi
wife that he had hit on a plan which woul,
restore the fortunes of the BrentS, and-o
this he made a great point-without thei
undertaking anything that could not be dom
"with clean hands"
p
soil his hands, Egcrton said; and the grca
merit of what propose is that it can he don
with clean hands,
Car at first thought that this implied tina
the pursuit Escrton had in his mind was ON
morally def'usible, or not fclonious; but
appeared that he referred only TO aristocrati
notions and traditions
"Myplan is this" Egerton said after three
quarters of an hour Of preamble which ha
nearly fdgetcd his wife into a fit. 81 hea
there is new joint stock opera Gompan
going to be- started. Let them take shares
that 1t will be a gentlemanly, musical kin
of thil- and the great point is it can be don
with clean hands"
Caroline not being able TO see the practic'
value of this suggestion, E-erton resolved
open his scheme to his great brotherin Law
Goldmoro That elephantine millionaire W;
forced, for Courtesy's sake, to listen viii
Doolittle. in a speech of extraordinary lengt
and maddening crcumlOcution, brought OF
his preface; but, vexed as he was, he ccu
not restrain his laughter when the your
man wound up with tho recommendatic
that Brent senior and junior should tai
shares in the forthcoming Italian Opel
Joint Stock company.
"My great point is Goldmore," said Eye
UOll' lHtt IL II Il peIlleiidllly inuSlCdl Spll
thing, and one that can he carried {
with clean hands. | think gentleml
should never soil his hands, Goldmore, dor
your
The difficulty is" replied the gre
man, overlooking this question, "where a
the poor men to get money to buy the
sla res"
"Get what" Egerton asked.
"Money to buy their shares" repeat,
Goldmore. Shares are not given away; "
have to pay for them in hard cash. Now
the resent case the difficulty is that there
no cash at all
"Then | suppose you don't approve of II
schemep answered Egerton, with some irl
tation. "Nery well. One can only sugge'
withdraw the proposition, Still, | repea
Goldmorp it is not every day Of the wee
you can find gentlemanly musical undo
taking that can be carried out with Gle;
hands
So he took his leave. But his visit HI
some result, after all; for that afteno
Archibald GoldmOre called upon YOU
Brent, and asked for little private convt