Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-12-20

would n ct allow me to ride alone with you
even II wished it."
The misguided Ellacombe winked again,
and this time his wink was unmistakable.
Don't you believe it." said he; sold Lady
Barnstaple is pretty wide awake, and she'll
let you ride with me just as often as you like.
She's precious deal more likely to forbid
you to ride with her son. can tell you. The
old lady wasn't born yesterday, nor was I, for
the matter OF that. know very well why
was asked to dine here tonight"
There was short pause during which
Chris contemplated her neighbor with undis-
guised establishment and with a vague sus-
picion that he had evidently gone out of his
mind.
"Why were you asked to dine here, Mr.,
EllacombeP" she asked at length.
He laughed rather FOOLS hly and made no
reply. He had not drank so much wine, but
that he was conscious Of having said some
thing which would have been better left un.
said; but he had drank enough not to care.
He drank little more and was proportion.
ately exhilarated.
whats the odds p he exclaimed. "Lets
enjoy ourselves and allow the old women to
scheme and plot till they're black In the face,
if it amuses 'em. Only, if they think don't
see through their little lodges as well as any
body, they make a mistake, that's all.
After that, Chris thought she would have
to give Mr.. Ellacombe up. She did not know
that he vas in a state of Standardization;
but she could not misunderstood his mean
ing, and she regretted having ever imagined
that such a boor could be tanned by civility.
81 suppose" she reflected, "that he judges Of
his animals by his own feelings. He is wrong
about them but he is quite right about him.
self, and if were man shouldn't at all
mind giving him a sound horsewhipping."
30 she turned her shoulder toward him and
talked to the elderly gentleman on her right
hand, who was very willing to be so distin-
guished.
All this Gerald saw, and drew his own de-
auctions. If disagreeable things happen it
is some consolation to have foretold them
and if, in spite Of ones predictions. they
don't happen, one is glad to have been wrong;
so that it is obviously every ones wisest
course to be the prophet Of evil. Gerald was
perhaps not quite as sorry as he ought to
have been that his mothers guest had in
dulged too freely in champagne; but he was
AFRAID that something rude had been said to
Miss Compton, and that made him not only
very sorry but very angry. Consequently,
when the ladies left the dining-room he was
as ready to fall foul of Ellacombe as anyone
In the position Of a host can be.
Ellaeombe, for his part, was ready and
willing for the fray. He, unfortunately, was
both quarrelsome and boastful in his cups,
and after having swallowed three glasses of
port in quick success sion, he gave free rein
to each of these evil propensities. Somebody
having made an innocent remark about the
Devon and Somerset stag-hounds, he must
needs begin to narrsto his experiences with
that well-known pack, and give vivid de-
scription of a perfectly impossible leap which
he stated that he had taken while following
them during the previous season. His anec-
dote was received With chilling silence; but
hs did not seem to be much chilled. He took
deliberate survey of his audience and found
that each member Of it was staring steadily
at the table-cloth, with the exception of Ger
aid, who looked impatient and annoyed.
sit strikes me, Seyerne," said he, speaking
with slight thickness of utterance, yet quite
distinctly, "that you don't believe that
story"