Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02

voice; "lt is easy for you TO forget Wnat
have been looking forward to for whole
week. What is your pian-to go out walk
ing with Mr.. Bingham, 1 SUPPOSE"
"Yes," answered Beatrice, ''to 60 out
with Mr.. Bingham"
'Ah! you go out with Mr.. Bingham every
dav now."
"And what il do?" said Beatrice quick
ly; ''surely, Mr.. Davies, L have right to
go out with whom like?"
eyes, of course: but the engagement to
come to the castle was made first: are you
not going to keep it?''
"Of course I'm going to keep it; always
keep nv engagements when / have any,"
VERY well, then; I shall expect you at
o'clock"
Beatrice went on home in curiously
irritated condition of mind She did not,
naturally, want to go TO the castle, and she
did want TO go out with Geoffrey. How
ever, there was no help for it.
When she came in to dinner she found
that Godfrey was not there. He had, it
seemed, gone to lunch with DIR. Chambers,
whom he had met on the beach. Before he
returned they were all three starting for the
castle. Beatrice leaving message to this
effect with Betty.
About quarter Of an hour afterward
Godfrey came back to fetch his gun and
Beatrice, but Beatrice was gone, and all
that he could extract from Betty was that
she had gone to see Mr.. Davies.
lie was perfectly furious, though all the
while he knew how unreasonable was his
anger. He had been looking forward to the
expedition, and this sudden change of plan
was too much for his temper. OFF he
started, however, to pass a thoroughly
miserable afternoon. He seemed to miss
Beatrice more at every step, and gradually
to grow more and more angry at what he
called her 'frudeness." OF course, it never
occurred to him that what he was really
angry at was her going to see Mr.. Davies,
or that, in truth, her society had become SO
delightful to him that to be deprived OF it
even for an afternoon was to be wretched.
To top evervt ing, he only got three good
shots that afternoon. and he missed them all,
which made him crosser than ever.
As for Beatrice, she enjoyed herself Just
as little at the castle as Geofirey did on the
beach. Owen Davies took them through the
great unused rooms, and showed them the
pictures, but she had seen them before, and
though some of them were very fine, did
not care to look at them again-at any rate,
not that afternoon. But Elizabeth gazeG at
them with eager eyes, and mentally ap-
praised their value, wondering if they would
ever be hers.
''What is this picture?" she asked, point
ing to beautiful portrait of Dutch burgo-
master by Rembrandt.
That" answered Owen, heavily, for he
knew nothing of painting and cared less
''that is Nelasquez, valued for probate at
Ga, ,O00-no," referring to the catalogue and
reading, ~ beg your pardon; the next is the
Velasquez: that is Rembrandt in the mas
ter's best style, showing all his wonderful
mastery over light and shade. 1t was valued
fer probate at 1000 guineas."
-Four thousand guineas!' said Elizabeth.
"Fancy having thing worth 900 guineas
hanging on a wall -
And SO they went on, Elizabeth asking
questions and Owen answering them by the
help OF the catalogue, till, to Beatriee's re-
lie, they came at length to the end of the
pictures. Then they took some tea in the
little sitting room OF the master Of all this
magnifcence. Owen, to her great annoy
ance, sat opposite 20 Beatrice, staring at her
with all his ewes while she drank her tea,
with Effie sitting on her lap, and Elizabeth,
observing it. bit her lip in jealousy. She
had thought it we'll to bring her sister here;
it would not DO to let Mr.. Davies think she
was keeping Beatrice OUT of the way, but his
mute idol worship was trying to her feelings.
After tea they went to the top of the tower,
and Efie rejoiced exceedingly In the view,
which was very beautiful. Here Owen got
a word W. III Elizabeth.
'Your sister appears to be put out about
something" he said.
81 daresay," she answered carelessly,
"Beatrice has an uncertain temper. 1 think
she wanted to go out shooting with MIR.
Bingham this afternoon"
Had Owen been less religious person he
might have sworn; as it was, he only said:
"Mr. Bingham-it is ALWAYS Mr.. Bingham
from morning to night! When is he going
away?"
I'm another week, L believe. Beatrice
will be sorry, 1 think; she makes great
companion of him. And now 1 think that
We must be getting home" and she went,
leaving this poisoned shaft to rankle in his
breast.
Alter they had returned to the vicarage
and Beatrice had heard Efie her prayers
and tucked her up in her small white bed,
she went down to tine gate to be quiet for
little while before supper. Geofrey had not
yet come in.
1t was a lovely autumn evening; the sea
seemed to sleep, and the little clouds, from
which the sunset fires had paled, lay like
y7reaths of smoke upon the infinite blue sky.
Why had not Mr.. Bingham come back, she
wondered; he would scarcely have time to
dress. Supposing that an accident had hap
pened to him. Nonsense! what accident
could happen? He was so big and strong he
seemed to defv accidents; and yet had it not
been 1or her there would be little enough
left of his strength to-day. Ahi she was
glad that she had lived to be able to save
him from death. There he came, looming
like giant in the evening mist.
There was small hand-gate beside the
large one on which she leaned. Geofrey
stalked straight up to it as though he did
not see her; he saw her well enough, but he
was cross with her.
She allowed him to pass through the gate,
which be shut slowly, perhaps to give her
an opportunity OF speaking, if she wished to
do SO; then, thinking that he did not see her,
she spoke in her soft, musical voice.
Ibid you have good sport, Mr.. Bing-
ham?"
"No," he answered shortly; 81 saw very
little, and missed all L saw"
'fI am so sorry, except for the birds. 1
hate the birds to be killed. Did you not see
me in this white dress? / saw you 30 yards
away"
"Yes, Miss Granger" he answered, ST
saw you:"
"And you were going by without speak
ing to me; it was very rude of you-what is
the natter?
Not so rude as it was of you to arrange
to walk out with me and then to go and see
Mr.. Davies instead.
81 could not help it, Mr.. Bingham; it was
an old engagement, which 1 had forgotten"
''Quite so; ladies always have an excuse
for doing what they want to do.''
"It is not an excuse, Mr.. Bingham"
Beatrice answered, with dignity; there is
no need for me to make excuses to you about
my movements.
ffOf course not, Miss Granger; but it would
be more polite TO tell me when you change
your mind-next time, you know. How
ever, L have no doubt that the Castle has at
fractions for YOU"
She flashed one loof at him and turned to
~ a,5 &c che did co h,e baarf ralan+a1. /