River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-11-25
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER v.
A NEW ARRIVAL

MOI Whatever il was, / was safe
from Hardy. His manner showed
plainly enough that he stood in con
siderable awe of Mr.. Beautoy, and that
his having left the door of the secret
room unguarded was much more of q
care to his mind than the very vague
possibility that might have discovered
anything of a compromising nature.
As | sat on the garden-seat, and re-
volved. compOsedly enough, what
had seen. heard a heavy step crunch
ing on the gravel. l turned my head
and beheld Hardy. He had a rather
anxious look On his face, and stopped
beside me evidently wishing to have
some conversation. was about to
put some question by way of identify.
ing the bystander. when he took the
lead out of my hands.
Nice and warm here in the sun,
sir, ne said.
A very ordinary remark for anyone
TO make BY way of starting little con-
versatiOn, or even as a passing civility.
But it was not Hardy's wont to in
dulge in stray civiiities, and there
was an unusual touch of Difference
in his voice, which aroused my inter
est. There are certain rough
natures of the meaner sort, who show
at once in their voices when they wish
to cOnciliate. The humility which they
assume is as offensive as the presump-
ton of their ruling hours. And Mr..
Hardy's wheedling tone set me- more
against him than any of his previous
rOughneSs had done. II was evidently
the pOliteness begOtten of fear, and
felt stronger dislike to the man than
ever; still his remark demanded a civil
answer; aud we got into a sort of con-
versatiOn.
You have a pretty light time of it
here, l suppose Hardy?" l observed.
Pretty well. sir. there's plenty to
do sometimes"
''Mr. Besufoy spends a lot of his
time in the house? Are you anything
Of a chemist, Hardy?"
"Me? No, sir" said Hardy quickly.
II am. a little, l said, lat least
used TO be. Mr.. Beaufoy has labora-
tory, am told?"
Hardy looked very uncomfortable.
Master 5 very particular about no
one getting into his rooms The
began.
But 1 could not possibly do any
harm. ] might tell him that even
when l got in there by accident,
through the door being left Open-''
Look here, SIR" Hardy broke in
very earnestly, ''that door oughtn't to
have been left open. And what l
wanted TO ask you was that you would
be so good as to say nothing about it.
1t don't make no difference" he add
ed with 4 grin, ''but masters a won
der for having his orders obeyed, and
Miss Beaufoy, she's wuss."
well, nardy," said | slowly, 81
don't know that | ought to put myself
on the side of slackness. and you are
row deliberately asking me to screen
your fault. 1t is nothing to me. GER
family, one way or the other. but l will
say nothing abC.;t it on condition that
you keep out of my way, and interfere
with me as little as possible"
''All right, sir" said he, dropping
magically from his respectful and even
cr'nging tone, directly he found he
had obtained the assurance he request
ed. 1t occurred to me. very strongly,
that having almost committed my self
to course of investigation which
might be anything but safe. even the
most partial alliance of such a man as
Hardy, under the influence of nothing
but fear, might have its value, and
would certainly be better than nothing
at all, so checked his confident tone
by saying significantly:
lit rests with you whether 1 forget
it or not"
As l said this, and as Hardy, with q
still more familiar but this time conf
Dental ''All right, sir moved of to
the back premises, the figures of the
two ladies came in sight from the
shaded drive. and moved slowly across
the lawn. | had much 20 do to restrain
myself from advancing to meet them,
or rather one of them, for Mary For
tescue was the only portion
of wholesome and straightforward
humanity about the place. But wait
ed until their voices sounded, aud then
rose aud went towards them. Where
upon they quickened their steps and
met me, talking upon Indifferent topics.
In the most melOdramatic circum-
stan es, as in the most humdrum, in
the presence of tragedies, domestic or
national, as in the times when every
man is living at peace under his own
vine and under his own FIG tree, i'm
agine that the ordinary observances of
Domestic life and the ordinary canOns
If household decOrum are regarded.
" hen people are shaken out of their
ordinary ways at home, they realize
that strange things are come upon
them. But the battle that decides the
fate of an empire, or the constitutional
quarrel of centuries, will leave less
impression on q household within
sound of the firing. than the mistake
IN the peaceful hunting-field, or the gun
accident which turns the profound
contentment of autumn into a voiceless
despair.
So. however strange the surroundings
at Hanover Lodge, however irreconcil-
able with life in its straightforward
aspects. as hitherto known to me, and
whatever might be the secret thoughts
of our hearts toward the outside world.
or towards one another. the general
course of life, was outwardiy, very
much that of hundreds of similar house
holds within a radius of not many
miles. We strolled round the garden
pleasantly enough, for Miss BeaufOy
was in one of her best moods. ana Mary
FOrtescue was much more cheerful and
at ease than She generally seemed to
be in the company of he. cousin.
lit seems as if the summer would
never end" l said. inspired by the
splendid vigor of sunshine, which still
made the days quite hot.
lit won be half so dull in the win
ter. now" said Mary artlessly. I'VE
can get through a lot of music in the
long evenings"
As we discussed musical schemes for
the winter, Hardy's grim companion
from the lodge appeared with tele-
gram in his hand.
For Mr.. Besufoy," he said. rather
out of breath. They evidently did not
admit teleg aph-messengers any more
than cabs within the grounds of Han
over Lodge.
''Give it TO me-" said Miss Beaufoy.
He handed it to her. and looked to
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