Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-06-25
C0NIST0N'S C0URTSlIIP.


ton, sat in the cabin of the Brighton
boat, reading his evening paper He had
just folded and put in his pocket long
letter from his friend and partner. Sir
Campbell Frazer, in which that gentle
man announced that affairs at the ranch
of San Resale were going on perfectly,
but that he must beg his dear old Jack"
to put off his sailing date just fortnight,
as he now found that he could not be in
New York possibly before the close of the
month (October) or later.
Coniston was in the midst of a frown
over this piece of intelligence as he
glanced over the paper. He hated
American and the Americans. he longed
to put the sea between himself and this
displeasing nation: he yearned for shoot
ing" and the Highlands: he scorned the
gayeties of all the American watering
places, and stopped at the Pavilion
solely, as he openly avowed, because
Brighton was an English name for a
place, and for the other reason that here
he was within an hour of Pier IS, North
river and could step on board Guion
boat at almost a moments warning.
Ooniston, therefore, chafed under the in
Fiction of an additional fortnight in the
land of his loathing. Albeit the ranch
of San Resale was adding a considerable
number of thousands to his income, he
still-just at that particular moment
wished it at the bottom of the Red sea.
However this may be, Coniston's va
cant eye at this juncture took in a very
1ftt1 - I.-a gg,li ,,t he,
cabin; it was followed by another-a
plump middle-aged lady's figure. much
burdened with shawls and wraps,
and evidently in deadly peril of a
draught, for before seating itself, both
the neat little figure and the plump du-
emma examined carefully the fastenings
of all adjacent windows.
This one seems tightly closed, Aunt
DOrinda," the girl said in her clear, light
voice.
Horrible American tone, calculated to
lacerate fog!" mentally commented his
lordship.
NO. Polly, no; am sure"
Polly! We gods" soliloquized the earl.
Suggestive solely of comic opera, milk
maids and parrots. And she has short
hair-he never could abide a short
haired woman. And she was small.
Small women had always, from youth
up, constituted bis pet aversion, Dressed
in brown; brown as a color was distress
ing-in fact, it was no color at ALL"
Coniston had all his nations prejudice in
favor of brilliant hues.
Why there came Bradford. such
capital fellow for an American.
Bradford knew her.
She smiled at Bradford, and allowed
him to sit beside her, and gave him her
wrap to hold.
And Bradford held her wrap and they
all went off the boat together in the
friendliest sort of fashion, with the maid
trotting after them with the satchels and
dogs
No, he had always had special aver
sion for that Bradford! And as for small
women, with short hair, dressed in
brown-well, his disgust for them was
not to be measured by any language
Nevertheless, as Coniston willy argued
with himself, "a man must fill up his
time" 50, in an otf-hand way he just in
If the opportunity otfered-if he did in
troduce him to Mrs. Waddle and her
niece, Miss Grey.
Bradford was apparently magnanim-
Gus; besides, he had never presented an
earl to Miss Grey beforehand he did the
deed with satisfaction to himself at
least.
Miss Grey bowed slowly to Coniston,
and then she turned her attention to
group of lady friends sitting near, leav-
ing Coniston to the agreeable knowledge
that he was at liberty to salute her the
next time he met her on the piazza or
the corridor.
1t didn't satisfy him.
He went off and smoked cigar. and
conjured up Cicely in the fragrance of
the Havana.
Even Cicely did not seem to be as COM
plete boon as he had fancied she ought
to be.
For five days he wandered up and
down, and round and round the hotel,
"lounging, he called it; but the more
correct term TO describe these peregrina-
tions would be-politely chasing Polly
Grey.
Finally he beheld her alone Neither
aunt nor Bradford nor friends-Heaven
be praised were anywhere about.
He drew near the big rocker where she
sat with book in her lap; and suddenly
Coniston remembered that he should
have to say something beyond good
morning." and for the first time in
forty-one years he actually wondered
what it should be.
She spared him the attempt, however,
and glancing up, said;
"Ah! good morning; you have been up
in town, l suppose, ever since the day
since Mr.. Bradford presented your"
up in town." This was too much,
wheA he had followed her like detec-
tive the entire time.
Coniston looked feebly at her, and then
he laughed, and his fair face flushed as
he ventured to sit down on the piazza
step at her feet Polly glanced down
inquiringly, with steady, demure eyes.
"No he cried "Miss Grev Two haap