Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-03-26


family
"Thank you." sad Horace quietly. He
recognized the fact that Sir Ma.ngay meant
we'll
"BcsidcS,' continued the baronet "Bea-
trice is entirely her own mistress. She has
will of her own. | have no power over her
fortune, which, by the by, is almost as large
as my own. This is just as it should be, b.
cause with those sons of minn it will be i'm
possible for me TO add to her inc me Mt my
death" So he rattle on brin 3ing out what
was really justification of himself
"Nly dear Malngay,' said Horace, mildly
'would it not he better if you heard what
we have to say and made your comments
afterwards
ut would 10 a great deal better, Main
gay" said Herbert.
From the days of their first acquaintance
they had always assumed this air of superb
GRITTY over the respectable nobleman He
had never even struggled against it, SO he
obeyed and was silent.
They told h III all about Beatrice Her
letter they could not show him, having for
gotten to ask Frank to return it, Sir Main
gay listened, but did Ut appear much up
SGT.
I'VE will of course take any steps you
wish, or aid you in any steps you may take"
said Horace i'll conclusion.
Its nuisance, but | don't see any steps
to be taken said Sir Maingay, composedly
Neither do we But We felt it right you
should know at once"
quite so. As | said, Beatrice always had
a will of her own. She is full of strange
freaks-full of them. As you know for
some extraordinary reason she wouldn't be
presented and can't live in the same house
with her mother
Her mother exclaimed the Taberts in
breath ANA gan ing slmultan ously at a
certain plc ilrr On the wall; an upright land
scape VII incl the space once occupied
by the pc.l,ait of Sir Maingays "ALL"
The la. onet colored with my wife. I
mean. You may be sure this is but a freak
OF the girls She has her maid with her.
you say-a respectable, mddle-aged woman.
Oh, it will lie all right. Perhaps she means
to write book. Ladies DO all sorts Of
things to write books nowadays Lady
Fanny beaumont went through Patagonia
and shot some nggers or something There's
another lady who roughs it in Italy and
Spain. Fancy Spain, Herbert. You know
what beastly hole Spain is. Women do all
sorts of out-of-the-way things now"
Some women" said Horace severely
His ideal woman, if he had one, did no
strange things. However, if you are con
tented there is nothing more to say"
I'm not contented. It's nuisance to
think of a child you love, wandering heaven
knows where. But she'll turn up all right
again. All. here's my wife; we'll hear what
she thinks of it."
Lady ClauSon entered, looking, as usual.
very beautiful. Horace and Herbert rose
and greeted her with solemn gallantrv They
were always particularly attentive and cour-
teous to Sir Maingay's second wife This
the lady attributed to her charms. She was
quite wrong The Talberts were only anx-
lous to show that if Sir Mangav chose to
marry again 1t was a matter of no concern
to them
Lady Clauson was told the news She
turned to her husband triumphantly. As
many better bred people sometimes do, she
forgot herself. Il always told Won she
would do something dsgraceful,' said her
ladvship.
My dear. my dear Isabeln' said Sir Main.
gay. He glanced timidly at his brothers-in-
law.
Horace and Herbert rose like two figures
worked by one spring. Their calm ewes
looked down their straight noses and concen-
tratei their gaze on Lady Clauson, who
turned very red.
Madam" said Horace, 1.-THE members OF
V, u
Maingav's family, are not in the habit OF
doing disgraceful things. Beatrice NAV have
left us unadvisedly, but | am certain her
reason, if known, would meet with her
fathers and with our approval
Lady Clauson at once saw her mistake and
apolosized humbly; an apology which the
brothers accepted gracefully. Then, after
having been shown the nursery treasures.
they took their leave.
"Maingay does not improve as he grows
older" said Horace. Herbert shook his head
mournfully, as one who wished to gain,ay a
fact, but dare not.
Lady Clauson, in spite of her apology, told
her husband that Beatrice had done some
thing disgraceful. "Oh, no, my dear said
Sir Mangay. Its only freak. You
know, | won't say for what reason, she can't
come back here to live. Well, she's grown
tired Of life down at Oakbury Idon't won
der at it. Horace and Herbert are two reg.
ular old women. They darn their own sto k
lngs, make antimacaSsars, and all sorts Of
things. She was ashamed to say she was
tired OF the life, went off on her own &C
count'
Here was yet another motive attributed to
Beatrice Nothing Is more risky than the
attributlng of motives 1t is as dangerous
as prODheSY ing before the eyent