Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-11-24
TILE BASIIISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER x.
A NEW ARRIVAL.

from Hardy. His manner showed
plainly enough that he stood in con-
siderable awe of Mr.. Beautoy, and that
his having left the door of the secret
room unguarded was much more of
care to bis mind than the very vague
possibility that might have discovered
anything of a compromising nature.
As I sat on the garden-seat, and re-
volved. composedly enough, what 1
had seen, I heard a heavy step crunch
ing on the gravel. I turned my head
and beheld Hardy. He had a rather
anxious look on his face, and stopped
beside me evidently wishing to have
some conversation. I was about to
put some question by way of Identify
ing the bystander, when he took the
lead out of my hands.
':Nice and warm here in the sun,
SIR" he said.
A very ordinary remark for anyone
to make by way of starting little con-
versation, or even as passing civility.
But it was not Hardy's wont to in
dulge in stray civilities, and there
was an unusual touch of Difference
in his voice, which aroused my inter-
est. There are certain rough
natures of the meaner sort, who show
at once in their voices when they wish
to conciliate. The humility which they
assume is as offensive as the presump-
ton of their ruling hours. And Mr..
Hardy's wheedling tone set me more
against him than any of his previous
roughness had done. 1t was evidently
the politeness begotten of fear, and
felt stronger dislike to the man than
ever; still his remark demanded civil!
answer; and We got into a sort of con-
versation.
''You have a pretty light time of it
here, l suppose HardyP" l observed.
pretty well; sir. there's plenty to
do sometimes"
''Mr. Beaufoy spends q lot of his
time in the house? Are you anything
of chemist, Hardy?"
''MeP No, SIR" said Hardy quickly.
II am, little,'' said, ''at least I
used to be. Mr.: Beaufoy has labora-
tory, am toldp''
Hardy looked very uncomfortable.
''Master's very particular about no
one getting into his rooms The
began.
''But I could not possibly do any
i~h foil
when I got in there by accident,
through the door being left open -
"Look here, SIR" Hardy broke in
very earnestly, THAT door oughtn't to
have been left open. And what
wanted to ask you was that you would
be so good as to- say nothing about it.
It don't make no difference" he add
ed with a grin, ''but masters a won
der for having his orders obeyed, and
Miss Beaufoy, she's wuss.
"Well, Hardy" said I slowly, II
don't know that I ought to put myself
on the side of slackness, and you are
now deliberately asking me to screen
your fault. 1t is nothing to me, GER
talnly, one way or the other, but will
say nothing about it on condition that
you keep out of my way, and interfere
with me as little as possible"
"All right, SIR" said he, dropping
magically from his respectful and even
cr;nging tone, directly he found he
had obtained the assurance he request
ed. 1t occurred to me, very strongly,
that having almost committed myself
to a course of investigation which
might be anything but safe, even the
most partial alliance of such man as
Hardy, under the influence of nothing
but fear, might have its value, and
would certainly be better than nothing
at all, so checked his confident tone
by saying Significantly:
''1t rests with you whether I forget
it or not"
As l said this, and as Hardy, with q
still more familiar but this time conf.
dental "All right, sir,'' moved of to
the back premises, the figures of the
two ladies came in sight from the
shaded drive, and moved slowly across
the lawn. l had much to do to restrain
myself from advancing to meet them,
or rather one of them, for Mary For:
tescue was the only portion
of wholesome and straightforward
humanity about the place. But wait
ed until their voices sounded, and then
rose and went towards them. Where.
upon they quickened their steps and
met me, talking upon Indifferent topics
In the most melodramatic circum.
stan es, as in the most humdrum, in
the presence of tragedies, domestic OF
national, as in the times when every
man is living at peace under his owr
vine and under his own ig-tree, l i'm
agine that the ordinary observances o.
domestic life and the ordinary canons
of household decorum are regarded
" hen people are shaken out Of thei1
ordinary ways at home, they realize
that strange things are come upor
them. But the battle that decides the
fate of an empire, or the constitutions
quarrel of centuries, will leave less
impression on q household within
sound of the firing, than the mistake
in the peaceful hunting-feld, or the CUR
accident which turns the profound