Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-02-05
CHAPTER V.

''Well, "said Isabel, eagerly, 'what does
Mr.. Hardyman says Does he think lie can
cure TommieE'
Moody answered little coldly and stiffiy
His dark, deeply set eyes rested on Isabel
with an uneasy look
"Mr Hardyman seems to understand ami
mails, he said. He lifted the dogs eyelid
and looked at his eye, and then he told lis the
bath was useless"
Go on" said Isabel, impatiently. "He
did something, suppose, besides telling you
that the bath was useless"
HE took knife out Of his pocket, with a
lancet in it"
Isabel clasped her hands with a faint cry
of horror ''Oh, Mr.. Moody, did he hurt
1ommie?"
''hurt him7" Moody repeated, indignant at
the interest which she felt in the animal and
the Indifference which she exhibited towards
the man las represented by HIMSELF. Hurt
him, indeed Mr.. Hardynlan bled the
brute"
"Brute?' Isabel reiterated, with flashing
eyes, 81 know some people, Mr. Moody,
who really deserve to be called by that horrld
word If you can't say 'Tonmie,' when you
speak of him in my presence, be so good as to
say the dog''
Moody yielded with the worst possible
grace. ooh, very we'll! Mr.. Hardyman
lied the dog, and brought him to his senses
directly. l am charged to tell you" He
stopped as if the message which he was in
structed to deliver was in the last degree
distasteful to him.
''Well, whaJ were you charged to tell men'
81 was to say that Mr.. Hardyman will
give you instructions how to treat the dog
for the future
IsaDel fastened to the door, eager to re-
ceive her Instructions Moody stopped her
before she could open it.
'sYou are in a great hurry to get to MIR.
Hardyman, he remarked.
Isabei looked back at him in surprise
''You sal | just now that Mr.. Hardyman was
waiting to tell me how to nurse Tommie"
LET him watt" Moody rejoined, sternly.
'sWhen left him, he was sufficiently oc-
cupied in expressing his favorable opinion Of
you to her ladyship."
The stewards pale face turned paler still as
he said those words With the arrival of
Isabel in Lady Lydiard's house his time had
come exactly as the women in the servants
hall had predicted. At last the impenetrab.e
men felt the influence of the sex; at last he
knew the passion of love-misplaced, ill
starred, hopeless love, for woman who WIS
young enough to be his child. He had al
ready spoken to Isabel more than once in
terms which told his secret plainly enough
But the smouldering fire of Jealousy in the
man, famed into flame by Hardyman, now
showed itself for the first time His looks,
even more than his words, would have warned
q woman with any knowledge of the natures
of men to be careful how she answered him
Young, giddy, and inexperienced, Isabel fol
lowed the nippant impulse of the moment.
without a thought Of the consequences. " I'm
sure it's very kind of Mr.. Hardyman to speak
favorably of rue" she said, with pert little
laugh 81 hope you are not jealous of him,
MI Moody?'
Moody was in no hnmor to make allow
ances for the nnbriGIed gayety of youth and
good spirits 81 hate any man who al
mi.e> you,'' he burst out, rasslonately, let
him I've who he mayt'
Isabel looked at her strasge over With I'M
affected astonshment IA, = unlike Mr.
Hardyman, who had treated her as a lady
from first to last. "What an odd man you
aler she said. "You can't take a joke. I'm
sure didn't mean to offend you"
You don't offend nie you do worse, you
distress me"
lsaels color hogan to- rise The merri-
meIIt tlel OilJ OF her tatn. She ioohE" "1
Moply graveIy g don t like to be accused
of distressing people when don't deserve it,
She said 81 had better leave you. Let ME
by. If YOU please
Having commt.e ed one error in offending
ler Moody committed another in attempt
ing to make his peace with her. Acting I'M
der the fear that she woIld really leave him.
he took her roughly by the arm
You are always trying to get away from
me, be said 81 wish knew how to make
you like NE, Isabel
81 don't allow you to call me Isabeli' she
ratorted, struggling to free herself from his
hold Let go of my arm. You hurt me-
Moody dropped her arm with hitter sigh
~ don't know how to- deal with you. " be
said, simply. Have some pity on mel"
If the steward had known anything OF
women fat IsatePs age) he would never have
appealed to hei mercy in those plain terms
and at that nnpropitious moment "flty
yous" she repeated contemptuously. us
that all YOU have to say to me after hurting