The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-01-29
CHAPTER VI.

| btATRlCE TRIUMPHANT.
MISS Clauson carried her po'nt Per
success was due to a curious combina
ton OF events, as well as to her own
persistence and eloquent pleading. She
managed to got Uncle Herbert alone
a dillicult matter, as the "rabb:es"
were almost always together and, after
sundry arguments and cntreates, if
unable to win his con ent to her pro-
| pc ed arrangement, eXacted promise
from him that he would not OBJ Get if
Horace approved of. her keeping the
boy. 10 be sure he had not the faintest
idea that Horace would consent.
MIR. Norde the adviser OF the family,
and Herbert Talbert thus brought on
her SIDE or rendered neutral, Horace
remained the arbiter of the boys fate.
and Miss Clauson directed her energies
toward making him yield.
They tao tly left his fate in allowance
Tor IL ore than week; then Peatrice.
who perhaps trembled lest some child
ish act of mischief might defeat her
ends, and who thought that the boy
had done well his part in the affair by
making himself so easily tolerated, at
tackled her uncles once more. True to
his promise. Herbert said his brother
must decide the matter
$40 you want the child to stavp''
asked Horace, turning to the speaker.
~ told Beatrice you should decide"
Inns answer assured Horace that
Herbert knew all that was to be known.
my dear Beatrice he said, "the
thing is quite impracticable.
Her mouth quivered. 1t was clear
she had set her heart on keeping her
new pet
why is it impraclicablep What
difference can child make in a house
like thisP He will be my sole care.n
Tn lie Horace looked uneasy. "My
dear you forget it may give rise to
Scandal what scandalP'
Horace grew red. One can't talk
plainly to young innocent girls without
feeling how bad mankind In general is.
"Hum-ha,' he said. ''You must
remember, Beatrice, we are two single
men; not elderly men. As soon as it is
known that we have kept the child sent
here so strangely, we give handle to
suspicion and scandal. 20 YOU agree
with me, rerbertP'
"'h "ii"i VIII NC SO, beatrice,
SAID Herbert, regretfully.
Miss Clauson drew herself up proud
". 1t was an action the Talberts al
WAYS liked to see in the girl, and which
had great effect on them.
Surely" she said ''you Of all peo
pie are above suspicion and scandal"
As this great truth came home to him
Horace seemed to purr with pleasure.
But he had no intention of Welding.
lie was for one thing much ANNOYED
with Herbert. Herbert evidently
wanted the 10y to stay. If so he
should say so outright, not let Beatr ce
night his battles. So the most Beatrice
could get him to promise was that the
bov m ght remain few DAYS longer.
In those few days something happen- |
ed. FIRST of all, p zee of gossip went |
round the ne ghborhood and eventually |
reached the ears of those who were
gossiped about-the Talberts. They
heard that they were harboring Lord
hadwynn's eldest son, whose myster-
Gus disappearance had been reported
IN the papers. Lord Hadwynn was an
utter reprobate and it was well known
that his INJURED wife had Struggled the
chid out of his way. | adv Hadwynn
was an acqua NANCE of the Talberts; so
that even Horace was for a moment
staggered when he heard the the Dry
by his neighbors. Then
some KIND creature wrote to the bereft
husband, and his lordship rushed down
10 Oakbury fierce as a consuming flame
"a flame which resolved itself into
smoke when he was shown the boy. and
iound him nothing like his m ssing son
Al er this, gossip should have died n ,
natural death, but it did not. People ,
VINO are termlned TO swallow a mon ,
'trous tale viii lick it into the shane
hey can deal with best. In SD to of
he Ialberis' strenuous den ais and
,laln statement as to how the CHI Id was
brown upon their hands, every. !
'odv would have it thai if not !
ord Hadwynn's son no was {
ONE one clse's meaning some I
nc. a nobleman's probably, whose U
'ife had, for private reasons of
er own. intrusied him TO the Talbcris. !
Even the reputation of being harbor :,
| refuge 20 n duchess or count IS in
or distress is llattcrii thiry; and n
nc Tnloerts, especially Eorace, felt .
leased while laughing at tho absurd
lea, Perhaps 1t was for tbs reason o