Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-02-25
CHAPTER II.

forty years of age He was q shy, quiet,
dark person, with a pale, closely shaven face,
agreeably animated by large black eyes set
deep in their orbits His mouth was perhaps
his best feature; he had firm, well-shaped
lips, which softened on rare occasions into a
particularly winning smile. The whole look
of the man, in spite of his habitual reserve,
declared him to be eminently trustworthy
His position in Lady Lydiard's household
was in no sense of the menial sort. He acted
as her almoner and secretary as well as her
steward-distributed her charities, wrote her
letters on business, paid her bills, engaged
her servants, stocked her wine cellar, was
authorized to borrow books from her library,
and was served with his meals in his own
room. His parentage gave him claims to
these special favors: he was by birth entitled
to rank as a gentleman. His father had
failed at time of commercial panic as
country banker had paid a good dividend,
and had died in exile abroad, a broken-heart-
ed man. Robert had tried to hold his place
in the world, but adverse fol>une kept
him down. Undeserved disaster followed
him from one employment to another, until
he abandoned the struggle, bade last fare
well to the pride of other days, and accepted
tie position considerably and dehcately
offered to him in Lady Lydiard's house. He
had now no near relations living, and he had
never made many friends IN the intervals
of occupation he led lonely life in his little
room. 1t was matter of secret wonder
among the women in the servants hall, con-
sidering his personal advantages and the OPP
portunities which must surely have been
thrown in his way, that he had never tempted
fortune in the character of a married man.
Robert Moody entered into no explanations
on that subject. In his own sad and quiet
way he continued to lead his own sad and
quiet life. The women all failing, from the
handsome housekeeper downward, to make
the smallest impression on him, consoled
themselves by prophetic visions of the future
relations with the sex, and predicted vim
dictively that ''his time would comen
''Well," said Lady Lydiard, ''and what
have you done"
''Your ladyship seemed to be anxious
about the dog" Moody answered, in the low
tone which was habitual to him. II went
first to the veterinary surgeon. He has been
called away into the country; and"
Lady Lydiard waved away the conclusion
of the sentence with her hand.
''Never mind the surgeon. We must find
somebody else. Where did you go next?"
''To your ladyship's lawyer. Mr. Troy
wished me to say that he will have the pleas
ure of waiting on you"
"Pass over the lawyer, Moody. want to
know about the painters widow. Is it true
that Mrs. Tollmidge and her family are left
in helpless poverty!'
''Not quite true, my lady. have seen the
clergyman of the parish, who takes an in
terest in the case"
Lady Lydiard interrupted her steward for
the third time:
'You have not mentioned my name!a she
asked, sharply.
Certainly not, my lady. 1 followed my
instructions, and described you as benevo-
lent person in search of cases of real dis
tress. 1t is quite true that Mr. Tollmidge has
died, leaving nothing to his family. But the
widow has a little income of go in her own
right"
'.Is that enough to live on, Moodygn her
ladyship asked.
Enough, in this case, for the widow and
her daughter" Moody answered ''The dif-
ficulty is to pay the few debts left standing,
and to start the two sons in life. They are
reported to be steady lads; and the family is
much respected in the neighborhoOd. The
clergyman proposes to get few influential
names to begin with, and to start a subscrip-
ton"
mo Subscriptions protested Lady Lyd-
lard. Mr.. Tollmidge was Lord Lyd-
iards cousin, and Mrs. Tollmidge is re-
lated to his lordship by marriage. 1t would
be degrading to my husbands memory to
have the begging box sent round for his re-
lations, no matter how distant they may be.
Cousins!" exclaimed her ladyship, suddenly
descending from the lofty ranges of senti-
ment to the low. 81 hate the very name of
theml A person who is near enough to me
to be my relation and far enough off from
me to be my sweetheart is a double-faced
sort of person that l don't like. Let's get
back to the widow and her sons. How much
do they want!"
ga subscription of $500, my lady, would
provide for everything-if it could only be
collected
''It shall be collected, Moody! will pay
the subscription out of my own purse" Hav-
ing asserted herself in those noble terms, she
spoiled the effect of her own outburst of
generosity by dropping to the sordid view of
the subject in her next sentence. 'Fiye
hundred pounds is a good bit Of money,
though: isn't it, Moody!'
sit is indeed, my lady" Rich and gen.
erous as be knew his mistress to be- her pro-
posal to pay the whole subscription took the
steward by surprise. Lady Lydiard's quick
perception instantly detected what was
passing in his mind.
''You don't quite understand my position
in this matter" she said. '.When read the