Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-03-18

II 1CtL not trust mySetJ 20 sag tc1uC htnE
of her conduct"
"Pardon me- madam" Mr. Troy interposed.
'BefOre you say any more about Lady
Lydiard l must really beg leave to OBJ
serve"
Pardon me-" Miss Pink rejoined, 81
never form a hasty judgment. Lady
Lydiards conduct is beyond the reach
of any defense, no matter how ingenious it
may be. You may not he aware, sir, that iE
receiving my niece under her roof her lady
ship was receiving gentlewoman by birth
as well as by education. My late lamented
sister was the daughter of clergyman of the
Church of England l need hardly remind
you that, as such, she was born lady.
Under favoring circumstances, Isabel's ma
ternal grandfather might have been arch
bishop of Canterbury, and have taken pre-
cedence of the whole house of peers, the
princes of the blood royal alone excepted. I
am not prepared to say that my niece is
equally well conn ected on her fathers side
Ny sister sllrprised-I will not add shocked
us when she married a chemist. At the
same time, chemist is not tradesman. He
is gentleman at one end of the profession
of medicine, and titled physician is gen.
tleman at the other end. That is al In in
viting Isabel to reside with her. Lady
Lydiard | repeat, was bound to remember
that she was associating herself with young
gentlewoman. She has not remembered
this, which is one insult; and she has sus-
pected my niece of theft, which is another"
Miss Pink paused to take breath. Alr.
Troy made second attempt to get hearing.
"Will you kindly permit Inc, madam, to
say two wordsF'
Mop said Miss Pink, asserting the most
immovable obstinacy under the bandest
politeness of manner. ''Your time, Mr.. Troy,
is really too valuable. Not even your trained
intellect can excuse conduct which is mani
festly inexcusabe on the face of it. Now
you know my opinion of Lady Lydiard, you
will not be surprised to hear that l decline
to trust her ladyship. She may, or she may
not, cause the necessary inquiries to be made
for the vindication of my niece's character.
In a matter SO serious as this-I may say,
in a duty which owe to the memories of
my sister and my parents-i will not leave
the responsibility to Lady Lydiard l will
take it on myself. Let me add that l am
able to pay the necessary expenses. The
earlier years of my life, Mr.. Troy, have been
passed in the tuition of young ladies. | have
been happy in meriting the confidence OF
parents, and have been strict in observing
the golden rules of economy. On my retire
ment, l have been able to invest modest,
a very modest, little fortune i'll the funds.
A portion of it is at the service of my niece
for the recovery of her good name; and L de-
sire to place the necessary investigation,
confdentially, in your hands You are &C
quainted with the case, and the case natur
ally goes to you. l could not prevail on my
self-I really could not prevail on myself
to mention it to a stranger. That is the busi-
ness on which l wished to consult you. Please
say nothing more about Lady Lydiard; the
subject is inexpressibly disagreeable to me.
l will only trespass ON your kindness to tell
me if | have succeeded in making myself
understood"
Miss Pink leaned back in her chair st tbs
exact angle permitted by the laws of pro-
priety, rested her left elbow on the palm OF
her right hand and lightly supported her
cheek with her forefinger and thumb. In this
position she waited Mr.. Troy's answer-the
living picture of human obstinacy in its
most respectable form.
If Mr.. Troy had not been lawyer-in
other words, if he had not been professionally
capable of persisting in his own course in the
face of every conceivable difficulty and dis
couragement = Miss Pink might have re-
nlained in undisturbed possession of her own
opinions. As it was, Mr.. Troy had got his
hearing at last; and no matter how obsti-
nately she might close her eyes to it, Miss
Pink was now destined to have the other side
of the case presented to her view
II am sincerely obliged to you, madam, for
the expression of your confidence in me-"
Mr. Troy began; "at the same time, must
beg you to excuse me if decline to accept
your proposal
Miss Pink had not expected to receive such
an answer as this. The lawyers brief re-
fusal surprised and annoyed her.
''Why do you decline to assist mer' she
asked.
Because" answered Mr. Troy my SER
vices are already engaged in Miss Isabels in
terest by client whom l have served for
more than twenty years My client is"
Miss Pink anticipated the coming disclos-
ure You need not trouble yourself, sir, to