The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-07
she would make him wish himself q. .,.v

Those were the only words winch had I'M
pressed him in his friends well-meant speech.
"Oh, bother Hereward, let's have no more
of this Your wound is only skin deep, old
fellow, take my word for it, and before this
time next.year-aye long before it-you will
wonder how you could have kicked up such
Shindy about it.
Blount is carefully filling brown teapot
with boiling water as he speaks. Hereward
still stands in the sunny window, with bis
hands in the pockets of his rather shabby
coat. He is tall dark complexioned fellow
with deep-set eyes, large nose, and droop-
ing brown moustache. Rather sad face,
face not easily interpreted, unless its
owner chose. And there he stands while
Blount sets out the tea-cups-a truly HAIR
iequin set-cuts bread and butter, and finally
pours out the ten.
Come now, do be scciable, old boy, or
shan pay you another visit in hurry.
Have you got only one spoon
If there is any hidden banter in the ques-
ton, Heleward will not see it. But he does
take his place at the table, and pulls the ears
of Blount's wiry-haired terrier, who has taken
up commanding position on chair, whence
he can rake the table with his one unswollen
eye.
The early winter twilight closes in while
they drink tea, and chat and smoke as they
used to do in the old days. The pleasant
freight dances on the old red curtains, ON
the faded carpet, on the yellow little dog
now snoring on the rug, on Blount's jolly
face, and Herewards close-cut dark head
Then Blount mentions, the errand on which
he has come
First and foremost, I must tell you that
my mother is third cousin to the present
Countess of Kingscourt
"Well?" Hereward asks, when his friend
pauses as if to give his announcement due
weight.
"Well, would you 90 down to Kingscourt to
coach Lord Heriot for an Army examination?
Science, you know, trigonometry and all
that"
mo would not, Hereward answers sui
lenly pulling at his pipe.
But why not? You would have the run
of that fine old place, and it would do you
all the good in the world"
Nothing would do me any good now,
Hereward asserts gloomily.
Nonsense ]" Blount exclaims, giving his
terrier an unexpected kick, 81 won't have
any more of such folly. You would like
Kingscourt. The Earl is at Homburg, as
usual, gambling away the remnant of his
fortune, and his family are living very
quietly, as it behoves them to live, having
neither money nor credit left; but it is a
grand old place. The young fellow wants to
get commission in the Guards, and if you
can pull him through the necessary subjects
you ought to try"
II could do it well enough"
''Then you must do it. He is as stupid
fellow as ever lived but perhaps in this in
stance he may be anxious to get through.
May tell the Countess that have found an
Admiral Gric xuI,n holr har x,yl,it
headed boy into the household troops?"
81 think not"
''But they will make it well worth your
while. And, in fact, 1 have promised to
send you down next week, and it would be rs
much as my life is worth to disappoint her.
SO down you 60, if have to come here my
self to pack up your things"
''Who is at kingscourt now?"
The dawning interest evinced by the qucs-
ton gives Blount some slight hope of pre-
vailing But there is no undue display of
alacrity in his reply.
The Countess is there, and of course the
Countess's pet physician, Doctor Jones. and
Lord Heriot is there, and the little chap the
Honorable Everard Palliser. Lady Gladys
may be there too, for aught know; ana, if
| she is SO is also her whilom governess, Frat
lein Schautfenhoff So probably is her
friend Miss Middleton"
II hate house full of swells. Nothing
could be so disagreeable to me-"
Because you lived up here for so many
years like a mouse in hole Now if you had
| come down to Lansing for the wedding"
Eyes She had the cruelty-the-b arbar-
| ity-to ask me! Hereward mutters saw
agely, knocking the ashes out of his pipe.
''The fact of her having done so ought to
have cured you if anything could But you
won't find Kingscourt SO gay, assure you
| They asked me down for few days shoot
ing but ran away as fast as could"
''And yet you want to send me there for a
shaking up" Hereward says, with half
smile.
1.-THE change of air and scene will be good
for you and" Blount was about to add
1.-THE good dinners )" but he substitutes,
''and the Countess will use her influence to
help you by-and-by,"
Il want nobody interest, says Hereward
throwing up his naughty head.
II don't say she would use it-but she
might. She is awfully proud, though you
may not think 80 at first. You will after
wards. However that is beside the question.
In earnest Hereward, 1 wish you would
think it over 1t would please me so much.
II would do good deal to please you,
Dick" Hereward answers holding out his
| hand.
Blount clasps it across the table, and both
are silent for little while, staring into the
| tire.
1T would please my mother too and the
girls"-Blount pulls his dogs ears to hide
little awkwardnoss as he speaks '"They feel
1.DEh ~,,. 81