Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-03-25

P1nkS reception OF her dog had additionally
irritated the old lady. She had taken mali
cious pleasure in shocking the school mis-
tress' sense of propriety, and she was now
only too ready to proceed to further ex-
tremities o. the delicate question of Isabels
justification for leaving her house. For
Isabel's own sake. therefore-to saw nothing
of other reasons-it was urgently desirable
to keep the peace between the two ladiel
With this excellent object in view, Mr.. Troy
seized his opportunity of striking into the
conversation for the first time.
"Pardon me- Lady Lydiard," he said
"you are speaking of subject which has
been already sufficiently discussed between
Miss Pink and myself. / think we shall do
better not to dwell uselessly on past events,
but to direct our attention to the future
We are all equally satisfied of the complete
rectitude Of Miss Isabel's conduct, and we
are all equally interested in the vindication
of her good name"
Whether these temperate words would of
themselves have exercised the pacifying in
fuence at which Mr.. Troy aimed may be
doubtful But. as he ceased speaking,
powerful auxiliary appeared in the shape of
the beer Lady Lydiard seized on the jug,
and filed the tumbler for herself with an
unsteady hand. Miss Pink, trembling for
the integrity of her carpet, and scandalized
at seeing peeress drinking beer like wash
erwoman, forgot the sharp answer that was
Just rising to her lips when the lawyer inter
fered "SmallI" said Lady Lydiard, setting
down the empty tumbler. and referring to
the quality of the beer. "But very pleasant
and refreshing What's the servants name?
Susan! Well, Susan, was dying of thirst,
and you have saved my life. You can leave
the Jug; I dare say l shall empty it before
l 60"
Mr.. Troy, watching Miss Pink's face, saw
that it was time to change the subject again.
did you notice the old village Lady Lyd-
lard. on your way herep he asked. 'The
artists consider it one of the most picturesque
places in England"
II noticed that it was very dirty village"
Lady Lydard answered. still bent on making
herself disagreeable to Miss Pink ''The art
lists may say what they please; see nothing
to admire in rotten cottages and bad drain
age and ignorant people. | suppose the
neighborhood has it's advantages. 1t looks
dull enough, to my mind"
Isabel had hitherto modestly restricted her
exertions to keeping Tommie quiet on her
lap. Like Mr.. Troy, she occasionally looked
at her aunt, and she now made timid at
tempt to defend the neighborhood, as duty
she owed to Miss Pink
ooh, my lady! don't say it's a dull neigh
borhood. . she pleaded There are such pret-
ty walks all round U.S. And when you get to
the hills the view is beautiful"
Lady Lydiard's answer to this was little
masterpiece of good -hunored contempt
She patted Isabers cheek, and said, ''Pooh!
pooh!"
Your ladyship does not admire the beau
ties of nature" Miss Pink remarked, with
compassionate smile. Gas we get older, no
doubt our sight begins to fail"
And we leave off canting about the beau
ties of nature" added Lady Lydiard. Il
hate the country Give me London, and the
pleasures of society"
Come! come! Do the country Justice
Lady Lydiard" put in peace-making Mr..
Troy. There's plenty of society to be found
out of London-as good society as the world
can show"
The sort Of society" added Miss Pink,
(which is to be found, for example, in this
neighborhood Her ladyship is evidently not
aware that persons of distinction surround us
whichever way we turn. l may instance,
Lady Lydiard, in the act of pouring out
second glassful of beer, suddenly set down
the jug
''Who is that you're talking of, Miss Pink!''
~ am talking of our neighbor, Lady Lyd-
lard, the Hon. Mr.. Hardyman."
"Do you mean Alfred Hardyman, the man
who breeds the horses?'
''The distinguished gentleman who owns
the famous stud farm" said Miss Pink, cor
recting the bluDtly direct form in which
Lady Lydiard had put her question.
rs he in the habit of visiting here?" the
old lady inquired, with sudden appearance
of anxiety. ''Do you know him!'
81 had the honor of being introduced to
Mr.. Hardyman at our last flower Show" Miss
Pink replied. He has not yet favored me
with a visit"
Lady Lydiard's anxiety appeared to be to
some extent relieved
"I knew that Hardyman's farm was in
this county," she said, ''but had no notion
that it was in the neighborhood of South
Morden How far away i he-ten or a
dozen miles, ehF'
''Not more than three miles," answered
Miss Pink "We consider him quite a near
neighbor Of ours"
Renewed anxiety showed itself in Lady
Lydiard. She looked round sharply at
Isabel The girls head was bent SO low over
the rough head of the dog that her face was
almost entirely concealed from view. So far
as appearances went, she seemed to be en-
tirely absorbed in fondling Tommie. Lady
Lydiard reused her with tap of the green
fan.
Take Tommie out, Isabel, for run in the
garden" she said He won't sit still much
longer, and he may annoy Miss Pink. Mr..
Troy, will you kindly help Isabel to keep my
illtrained dog in orderg'
Mr.. Troy got on his feet, and, not very
willingly, followed Isabel out of the room.
"They will quarrel now, to dead certainty"
he thought to himself, as he closed the door.
slave you any idea of what this meansa" he
said to his companion, as he joined her in the
hall. ''What has Mr.. Hardyman done to
excite all this interest in hing
Isabels guilty color rose. She knew per-
fectly well that Hardyman's unconcealed ad-
miration of her was the guiding motive OF
Lady Lydiard's inquiries. If she had told
the truth, Mr. Troy would have unqliestion-
ably returned to the drawing room, with Or
without an acceptable excuse for intruding
himself But Isabel was woman; and her
answer, it is needless to say, was, II don't
know, Pm sure"
In the meantime the interview between the
two ladies began in a manner which would
have astonished Mr.. Troy-they were both
silent. For once in her life, Lady Lydiard
was considering what she should say, before
she said it Miss Pink, on her side, natur-
ally waited to hear what object her ladyship
had in view-waited until her small reserves
of patience gave way. Urged by irresistible
curiosity, she spoke first.
''Have you anything to say to me in pri-
vate" she asked
Lady Lydiard had not got to the end OF
her reflections. She said EYES," and she