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

|, LADY HoNoRIA MAKES ARRANGEMENTS.
In another moment somebody entered the
room; it was Elizabeth. She had returned
from her tithe-collecting expedition-with
the 1.-THE. The door of the sitting room was
still sjar, and Godfrey had his back toward
it. So it happened that nobody heard
Elizabeth's rather cat-like step, and for some
seconds she stood in the room without being
perceived. She stood quite still, taking in the
whole scene at a glance. She noticed that
her sister held her head down, so that her
hair shadowed her, and guessed that she
did so for some reason-probably because
she did not wish her face to be seen. Or was
it to show off her lovely hair? She noticed
also the half shy, half amused, and alto
gether interested expression upon Geofrey's
conference.-the could see that in the little
gilt-edged looking-glass which hung over
the hreplace-nor did she overlook the gen.
era, air of embarrassment that pervaded
them both.
When she entered the room, Elizabeth had
been thinking of Owen Davies, and of what
might have happened had she never seen the
tide of life flow back into her sisters veins
She had dreamed of it all night and had
thought of it all day; even in the excite
ment of extracting the back 1.-THE from re-
calcitrant and rather coarse-minded Welsh
farmer, with strong views on the subject of
tithe, it had not been entirely forgotten.
The farmer WAS a tenant of Owen Davies,
and when he called her ''parson in petit
coats, and wus," and went on, in delicate
reference to her powers of extracting cash
to liken her to a two-legged corkscrew. only
screwier," she, perhaps, not unnaturally,
reflected that If ever-pace Beatrice
certain things should come about, she would
remember that farmer. For Elizabeth had
a very long memory, as some people had
learned to their cost, and generally sooner
or later, she paid her debts in full, not
forgetting the overdue interest.
And now, as she stood in the room unseen
and noted these matters, something occurred
to her in connection with this dominating
idea which, like ideas in general, had many
side issues. At any rate look of quick
intelligence shone for a moment in her light
eyes, like sickly sunbeam on a faint De-
cember mist; then she moved forward, and
when she was close behind Geofrey, spoke
suddenly.
What are you both thinking about9"
she said in her clear thin voice; 'fyou seem
to have exhausted your conversation"
Geofrey made an exclamation and fairly
jumped from his chair, feat which in his
bruised condition really hurt him very
much. Beatrice, too, started violently; she
recovered herself almost instantly, however.
"How quietly you move, Elizabeth, /" she
said.
mot more quietly than you sit, Beatrice.
have been wondering when ANYBODY was
going to say anything, or if you were both
asleep"
For her part Beatrice speculated how long
her sister had been in the room. Their con-
versation had been innocent enough, but it
was not one that she would wish Elizabeth
to have overheard. And, somehow, Eliza
beth had a knack OF overhearing things.
''You see, Miss Granger" said Geoffrey
coming to the rescue, "both our brains are
still rather waterlogged, and that does not
tend to flow of ideas"
"Quite SC" said Elizabeth. ''My dear
Beatrice, why don't you tie up your hair?
You look like a crazy Jane. Not but what
you have very nice hair" she added, crit
ically. 'DO you admire good hair, Mr..
Bingham?"
''Of course do, he answered gallantly,
"but it is not common"
Only Beatrice bit her lip with vexation.
''I had almost forgotten about my hair, she
said; II must apologize for appearing in
such state. 1 would have done it up after
dinner only was too stiff, and while was
waiting for Betty went to Sleep"
''I think there is bit of ribbon in that
drawer. / saw you put there yesterday"
answered the precise Elizabeth. "Yes, here
it is. If you like, and Mr.. Bingham.wi1l ex-
cuse it. can tie it back for you, and with
out waiting for an answer she came behind
her, and, gathering up the dense masses of
her sisters locks, tied them round in such
fashion that they could not fall forward,
though they still rolled down her back.
just then Mr.. Granger came back from