Dodge City times., 1890-04-24
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The bell in the private room rang at that
moment, and the landlady's daughter, it
Is needless to say, took the opportunity Of
forming her own opinion OF Mr.. Hugh
Mountjoy.
She returned with letter in her hand,
vantaRes Of Il gentle BIRTH Ah. l1f mosher, moi a
II I was a young lady Of the higher classes,
know whose wife I should like to be-"
Not particularly interested in sentimental
aspirations, the landlady asked to see Mr..
Mountjoy's letter. The messenger who
delivered it was to wait for All answer It
was addressed to: Miss Henley. care Of
Clarence Vimpany, Esquire, Heneybuz-
gard" Urged by an excited imagination,
the daughter longed to see Miss Henley.
The mother was at a loss to understand
why Mr.. Mountjoy should have troubled
himself to write the letter at all "If he
knows the young lady who is staying at
the doctors house" she said, "why doesn't
he call on Miss HenleyY' She handed
the letter back to her daughter "Therel
let the ostler take it: he's got nothing to
do"
"No. mother. The ostler's dirty hands
mustn' { uoucn ~, II uan. tne Ietuer my
self. Perhaps may see Miss Henley"
Such was tho impression which Mr.. Hugh
Mountjoy had innocently produced on .
sensitive young person, condemned by
QeSLIuy 10 Iue sputIc VI dCllou al
4Orded by country inn!
The landlady herself took the dinner up
stairs-a first course Of mutton chops and
potatoes cooked to a degree of imperfec-
ton only attained in an English kitchen.
The sour French wine was still on the
choose to drink, sirf'' she asked. Mr..
Mountjoy seemed to feel no interest in
what he might have to drink. I'VE have
some French wine. sir Thank you,
ma'am; that will do"
When the bell rang again, and the time
came to produce the second course OF
cheese and celery, the landlady allowed
the waiter to take her place. Her expert.
ence of the farmers who frequented the
inn, and who had ia some few cases been
induced to taste the wine, warned her to
anticipate an outbreak of just anger from
Mr.. Mountjoy He, like the others, would
probably ask what she meant by poison
ing him with such stuff as that" On the
return OF the waiter she put the question:
did the gentleman complain of the
French wine.
He wants to see you about it, ma'am."
The landlady turned pale. The expires
sion OF Mr.. MOuntjoy's indignation was
evidently reserved for the mistress of the
house. Ibid he swear" she asked, "wheD
he tasted iti"
Lord bless you, ma'am, no, Drank il
out of a tumbler, and-if you will believe
mo-ACluallv hetuleu W llhS
The landiady recovered her color. Grat-
itude to Providence for having sent a Gus
toner to the inn, who could drink sour
wine without discovering it, was the up
permost feeling in her ample bosom As she
entered the private room. Mr.. Mountjoy
justified her anticiphtions He was simple
enough-with his tumbler before him, and
the wine as it were under his nose-to be-
gin with an apology.
81 am sorry to trouble you, ma'am. May
! ask where you got this wine'"
b:nd ae SaS de5y I Mas Of n ae hs cda ans
get from a Frenchman who owed him
money"
tits worth money, ma'am-"
Indeed, sirs"
"Yes, indeed. This is some of the finest
and purest claret that have tasted for
many long day past"
An alarming suspicion disturbed the
serenity Of the landlady's mind. Was this
extraordinary opinion of the wine sincere?
Or was it Mr.. Mountjoy's wicked design
to entrap her into praisiny her claret and
then to imply that she was cheat by de-
claring what he really thought Of it, She
took refuge in a cautious reply:
'YOu are the first gentleman, sir, who
has not found fault with it."
''In that csse, perhaps you would like to
get rid of the wines" Mr.. Mountjoy sug-
gested
w
will buy it of me, sri"
81 will. How much do you charge for it
by the bottles"
1t was, by this time clear that he was
not mischieyous-only little crazy. The
worldly-wise hostess took advantage Of
that circumstance to double the price.
Without hesitation, she said: "Five shil-
ings bottle: SIR"
Often, too often, the irony of circum-
stances brings together, on this earthly
scene. the opposite types of vice and vir-
tue. A lying landlady and guest incap-
able of deceit were looking at each other
across a narrow table; equally unconscious
of the unreasonable moral gulf that lay
between them. Influenced by honorable
feeling, innocent Hugh Mountjoy lashed
the landlady's greed for money to the full
gallop Of human cupidity.
Il don't think you are aware of the value
Of your wine," he said. II have clerat in
my cellar which is not so good rs this, and
which costs more than You have asked. 1t
is only fair to offer you seven-and-sixpence
q bottle
When an eccentric traveller is asked to
pay price, and deliberately raises that
price against himself. where Is the sensf-
bic woman-especially il she happens to
be widow conducting an Improbable
business-who would hesitate to improve
the opportunity The greedy landlady
raised her terms.
On reHectlon, slr tnlnk L ougnt 70
have ten shillings bottle, If you please"
1.-THE wine may be worth It," Mountjoy
answered, quietly; ''but it is more than I
can afford to pay. No. ma'am; will leave
you to find some lover of good claret with
Q longer purse than mine"
It was In this mans character when he
said mo" to mean mo" Mr. Mount ;oy's
hostess perceived that her crazy customer
was not to be trifled with. She lowered
her terms again with the headlong hurry
of terror. You shall have 1t, sir. at your
own price," sald this entirely shameless
and perfectly respectable woman.
The bargain having been closed under
these circumstances, the landlady's daugh-
ter knocked at the door. II took your
letter myself. SIR" she said modestly;
''and here is the answer" fShe had seen
Miss Henley. and did not think much of |
her.) Mountjoy offered the expression OF |
his thanks in words never to De forgotten
BY sensitive young person and opened !
hts letter. 1t was short enough to be read |
in moment, but it was evidently a fav- |
orable reply. He took his hat in a hurry |
and asked to be shown the way to Mr.. !
Vimpany's house.
CHAPTER 1.-THE MAN SHE REFUSED
Mountjoy had decided on travelling to |
HoneybuzZard, as soon as he heard that |
Miss Henley was staying with strangers |
In that town. Having had no earlier on |
poreun1ty OF preparing her to see him. he |
had considerably written to her from the |
INN, In preference to presenting himself |
Unexpectedly at the doctors house, How |
would she receive the devoted friend. \
whose proposal Of marriage she had re. |
fused for the second time, when they had
last met in London!
The doctors place of residence, situated
In . solitary by-street, commanded q view.
not perhaps encouraging to q gentleman
who followed the medical professional
was . view of the churchyard. The door
was opened by a woman-servant, who
looked suspiciously at the stranger. With.
0ut waiting to be questioned she said her
master was out.
Mountjoy mentioned his name and ask
ID for Miss Henley.
The servants manner altered at once for
the better; she showed him into q small
drawing room, sca1tily and cheaply fur
walls q little out of place, perhaps, in .
dector's house, represented portraits of
famous actresses who had been queens Of
The stage in the early part of the present
Dentury. The few books, too, collected on
} little shelf above the chimney-piecc.
we're in every case specimens of dramstic |