The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-27
"BEATRICE."
n New and Fascinating Story.
BY II. RIDER HHoGARD.


You look very well. But what an immense
time you have been dressing. Poor Mr.. Dun
stan Is starving. Let NE see. You know Mr.
Dunstan, think. Dinner, Mary"
Godfrey apologized for being late, and
shook hands politely with Mr. Dunstan-
Saint Dunstan he was generally called On ac
count of his rather clerical appearance. and
in sarcastic ailusion to his somewhat shady
reputation. Then they went into dinner.
Sorry there is no lady for you. Godfrey;
but you must have had plenty of ladies' so.
ciety lately. By the way, how is Miss-Miss
Granger? Would you believe it, Mr.. Dun.
stan, that shocking husband of mine has
been passing the last month in the company
of one of the loveliest girls l ever saw, who
knows Latin and law and everything else
under tho sun. She began by saving his life
they were upset together out of canoe,
you know. Isn't it romantic!"
Saint Dunstan made some approprjate-or
rather appropriate--remarh to the effect
that he hoped MIR. Bingham had made the
most of such unrivalcd opportunities, add
ing, with deep sigh, that no lovely young
woman had ever saved his life, that he might
live for her, etc.
Here Godfrey broke in without much cere-
mony. To him 1t seemed dissertation to
listen while this person was making his feeble
| jokes about Beatrice.
We'll, DEAR" he said, addressing his wife.
and what have you been doing with yourself
all this time?"
Mourning for you, Godfrey, and enjoying
myself exceedingly in the intervals. We
have had delightful time. have we not
Mr.. Dunstans Mr.. Dunstan has also been
staying at the Hail, you know"
How could it be otherwise when YOU were
there, Lady honoria.n answered the Saint in
that strain of compliment affected by such
men, and which, to tell the truth, Jared on
Its object, who was, after all, lady
You know, Godfrey" she went on, ''the
Garslngtons have refurnished the large hall
and their drawing room. 1t cost eighteen
hundred pounds, but the result is lovely. The
drawing room is done in hand painted white
satin, walls and all, and the hall in old oak. u
"1ndeedg" he answered, rejecting the while
that Lord Garsington might as well have
paid some of his debts before he spent eieh-
teen hundred pounds on his drawing room
furniture.
Then the Saint and Lady Honoria drifted
into long and animated conversation about
their fellow guests, which Godfrey scarcely
tried to follow. Indeed, the dinner was a
dull one for him, and he added little or moth
ing to the stock of talk
When his wife left the room. however he
had to say something, so they spoke of shoot
ing. The Saint had q redeeming feature-he
was somewhat of a sportsman, though poor
one, and he described to Godfrey a new pair
of hammerless guns, which he had bought
for trifing sum of 40 guineas recommend
ing the pattern to his notice
Yes" answered Godfrey, 81 daresay thew
are very nice; but, you see, they are beyond
me. A poor man cannot afford so much for
a pair of guns"
oh, if that is all, - answered his guest 81
Will sell you these; they are little long in
the stock for me, and You can pay me when
you like. Or hang it all, have plenty of
guns, Ill be generous and give them to you.
II L cannot afford to be generous, don't
know who canln
THANK you very much, Mr.. Dunstan,n
answered Godfrey, coldly; ''but am not in
the habit OF accepting such presents from nv
-acquaintances. Will you have q glass of
sherry?-no. Then shall we join Lady Ho-
noria?'
This speech quite crushed the vulgar but
not Ill meaning Saint, and Godfrey was sorry
for 1t moment after he had made it. But
he was weary and out of temper. Why did
his wife bring such people to the housed Very
shortly afterwards their guest took his leave.
rejecting that Bingham was a conceited as,
and altogether too much for him. "And |
don't believe that he has got thousand a
year." he reflected to himself, land that the
title Is his wife's. I suppose that is what he
married her for. She's a much better sort
than he Is any way, though l don't quite
make her out either-one can't go very far
with her. But she is the daughter of peer
and worth cuitivating, but not when Binr
nam is at home-not if know it,"
What have you said to Mr. Dupstan tn
make him go away SO soon, Geoffreyln asked
his wife.
Said to him? Oh, don't know. He of
iered to give me pair OF guns, and l told
him that | did not accept presents from nv ac-
qualntances. Really, honoria, do not want
to interfere with your way of life, but l do
mol understand how you can associate with
such people as this Mr.. Dunstan.n
Associate with himin answered Lady
Honoria. DO you suppose | want to ascot
ATE with him. Do you suppose that l don't
know what the man is? But beggars cannot
be choosers; he may be a cad, but he has
thirty thousand year, and we simply can
not afford to throw away an acquaintance
with thirty thousand a year. 1t is too bad
OF You Geoffrey," she went on with rising
temper, when you know all that l must put
up with II our miserable poverty stricken
me- to take every opportunity of making
yourself disagreeable to the people I think it
wise TO ask TO come and see us Here re-
turn from comfort to this wretohed place.
and the first thing that you do is to make a
iuss. Mr.. Dunstan has got boxes at several
Of the best theatres, and he offered to let me
have one of them whenever liked, and now.
81 course, there is an end of 1t. 1t is to bad.
saw
1T is really curious, Honoria,- SAID ner
husband, ito see what obligations You are
'eady to put yourself under in search of
Measure. 1t is not dignised of you to ACCEPT
boxes at theatres from this gentleman"
Nonsense. There is no obligation about
:. Ii he gave us a box of course he would
make 1t q point of looking in during the even
ng. and then telling his friends that it was
LADY Honoria Bingham he was speaking to
hat is the exchange. / want to go to the
heatre; he wants to get into good society
here you have the thing in a nutshell. 1t is
lone every day. The fact of the matter is.
1eoffrey," she went on, looking very much as
hough she were about to burst into a flood
# angry tears, las said just now-beggars
annot be choosers-I cannot live like the
wife of a bankers clerk / must have some
and some comfort before | be-
ome an old woman. If you don't like it.
Why did you entrap me into this wrerched
marriage, before was old enough to know
'etter, or why do you not make enough
money to keep me in way suitable to my
,osition7n