San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-18
BAFFLED CONSPIRATQRS
By ". E NORRIS.

frlend might or might not nave been IN
strumental in causing Lady Belvoir to
decline Schneiders millions: but as
suredly these would not be needed in
order to bring about Moreton's dismissal.
That young gentleman was VIGOROUSLY
inconstant and had no money, no tai
ents, nothing in the world except his
handsome face And Sybil would not
abandon all ambition for the sake of
handsome face. She isn't old enough
for that yet" Lord Guise reflected some
what cynically.
1t was, therefore, without any inward
feelings of uneasiness or uncertainty that
he encountered Moreton in Pail Mall a
few days after this, and inquired pleas
antly whether New Zealand was nice
sort of place to spend the winter in.
Not having spent the winter there /
don't know" answered Moreton; las far
as got it didn't strike me as the kind of
place where should care to live. How
ever, as the governor paid my expenses
out and back didn't mind having
look at it, and dare say the voyage did
me good"
You certainly look more fit than you
did when l saw you last" observed Lord
Guise. Come into the club and have
some lunch. / should like to hear wheth-
err your spirits as well as your health
have improved since then"
At first Moreton was not disposed to
be communicative upon this point.
''Oh, bother!" he said when questioned;
what's the use of talking about it?' But
bottle of champagne had softening
influence upon him, and eventually he
consented to crafty his hosts curiosity.
II Jared no better and no worse than
had expected said he. II went
through the form of proposing to her,
because was almost bound in honor to
do that; but it didn't surprise me in the
least to be reminded that last year was
last year. Inever deceived myself about
her; always knew just exactly what
she was, and that if there was the ghost
of chance for me at one moment de-
lay of six months would be enough to
extinguish it six times over. It's odd
how ungenerous women are. She took
up the line of declaring that it was who
had changed and that she had foreseen
| from the first how it would be. Then,
when | accused her of having trifed
with me, she admitted it in the most un-
blushing way She said she had only
wanted to show me that she could bring
me to my knees if she chose That's a
nice sort of confession to make, isn't it"
81 dare say she knew that you wouldn't
break your knees or your heart either"
remarked Lord Guise.
II don't see how she could know any
| thing of the kind. But of course not
seeing person for six months does make
a difference, and then, as l tell you,
had no illusions about her. She's just
what you have always said she was-a
thoroughly bad lot.
81 don't recollect ever saying that"
"Oh, come! Besides it's what every
body knows Well, I'm free to admit
that you and the other fellows did me
good turn, though don't think I'll re-
new my membership at the end Of the
year. One can't tell what may happen.
and perhaps if you sent me to New Zea-
land again l might not be able to feel
that had had such good deliverance
as this time"
1T is pleasant to have ones wisdom
and foresight recognized" observed
Lord Guise; "still, everybody isn't a
weathercock. Schneider and Thorold
have stood the test, and one of them has
had his reward"
"Ah, so | hear. I'm sorry Tor him,
poor chap, because Miss Leslie didn't
strike me as a very amiable young wom-
an. At the same time one must allow
that she hasn't stain upon her charac-
ter--which is more than can be said for
certain other ladies whom we know"
And now, to Moreton's great aston
ishment, he received one of the sharpest
and most dignifed rebukes that had
ever been administered 10 him.
other she fell into the midst of it herself;
more probably her motives, like the mo-
tives of most of us under most circurn-
stances, were mixed. In any case, her
husband does not appear to have repent
ed of his bargain as yet. But he looks
little sheepish when he meets Mr..
Schneider or Mr.. Moreton, and it is GER
tain that he has forfeited the respect
which those gentlemen once entertained
for his judgment.
THE END