The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-08

He grew very red in the face at re- ceiving this check. "You will not in that event get my good word, he said. (Which has no weight with the lady, answered, politely but plainly.
 "How dare you speak 30 to me?" his lordship cried. "You are an imperti- nent fellow! "But there-how much do you want2"
 "A hundred pounds"
 "A hundred pounds for a mere days delay, which will do no one any harm."
 Except Mrs. Wigrsm," I retorted dryly. "Come, Lord Wetherby, this lease is worth thousand year to you. Mrs. Wigram, as you know, will not voluntarily let the house to you. If you wHnld have Wetherby house you must pay me. That is the long and the short of it."
 "You are an impertinent fellow l" he repeated.
 "So you have said before, my lord"
 Iexpected him to burst into furi- ous passion, but I suppose there was something of power in my tone, be-
 
 words expressed, for, instead of doing so, he eyed me with thoughtful, ma levolent gaze, and paused to consider. "You are at Poole < Duggan's," he said slowly. "How was it that they did not search this cupboard, with which you were acquainted?"
 shrugged my shoulders. "I have not been in the house since Lord Wetherby died," I said. "My en- ployers did not consult me when the papers he left were examined"
 "You are not member of tbe firm?"
 "No, I am not" answered. I was thinking that, so far as knew these respectable gentlemen, no one of them would have helped my lord in this for ten times hundred pounds. My lord Faugh!
 He seemed satisfied, and, taking out a note case, laid on the table a little pile of notes. "There is your money" he said, counting them over with re- luctant fingers. "Be good enough to put the will and envelope back into the cupboard. Tomorrow you will oblige me by rediscovering it-you can manage that, no doubt-snd giv- ing information at once to Messrs. Duggan & Poole, or Mrs. Wigram, as you please. Now," he continued, when I had obeyed him, twill you be good enough to ask the servants to tell Mrs. Wigram that am waiting?"
 There was slight noise behind us. "I am here," said some one. I am sure that we both jumped at the sound, for though I did not look that way, I knew that the voice was Mrs. Wig rams, and that she was in the room. "I have come to tell you, Lord Weth- erby," she went on, "that I have an engagement from home at twelve. Do 1 understand, however, that you are ready? If so, I will call in Mrs. Will liams."
 "The papers are ready for sigma ture," the peer answered, betraying some confusion, "and I am ready to sign. I shall be glad to have the mat ter settled as agreed" Then he turned to me, where I had fallen back, as seemed becoming, to the end of the room, and said, "be good enough to ring the bell, if Mrs. Wigram permit it."
 As I moved to the fireplace to do so, was conscious that the lady was regarding me with some faint surprise. But when had regained my position and looked toward her, she was stand ing near the window gazing steadily out into the square, an expression of disdain rendered by face and figure. Shall I confess that it was a joy to me to see her fair head so high, and to read even in the outline of her girlish form a contempt which I, and I only, knew to be so justly based? For my self, leaned against the edge of the screen by the door, and perhaps my one hundred pounds lay heavily on my heart. As for him, he fidgeted with his papers, although they were all in order, and was visibly impatient to get his bit of the knavery accom- plished. Ohl he was 8 worthy man! 1! And Welshman!
 "Perhaps," he presently suggested, for the sake of saying something, ,"while your servant is coming you will read the agreement, Mrs. Wigram. It is very short, and, as you know, your solicitors have already seen it in the draft"
 She bowed and took the paper neg ligently. She read some way down the first sheet with smile, half care less, half contemptuous. Then I saw her stop-she had turned her back to the window to obtain more light and dwell on particular sentence. I saw-Godl had forgotten the hand- writing !-I saw her gray eyes grow large and fear leap into them as she grasped the paper with her other hand and stepped nearer to the peers side