Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-30
HIS FIRST CLIENT.

ing, and rounded it neatly off with the
rolling laugh of the professional raconteur
There was no doubt that Mr.. Stanmore
was enjoying himself He was an over.
worked Observation-Disclosures usually are
overworked unless they are starving; there
is apparently no middle course-and it was
extremely pleasant to him to come down
for an absolute change of scene and ideas
to Lady Dugdale's country house in Berll
shire.
Most of the party had already heard the
story he had just told. In fact, if the truth
were knowing was rather a well worn
one, even to tue extent of having appeared
in more than one legal biography, but il
was greeted with none the less hearty ap
piause for all that. The listeners at the
farther end of the room, who had not quite
caught the point, and some who had
caught the point without having heard the
beginning, laughed, as is the wont of those
deaf ones, still more strenuously than the
rest
What delightful store Of anecdotes
you must have, Mr.. Stanmorer' said the
hostess, smiling at him from behind her
silver tray.
"Oh no doubt I've come across many
queer things in my time" said Stanmore
pouring cream into his tea with an air OF
unctuous enjoyment.
How ] should like to hear some OF
them" said Mrs. Meredith, a young
widow who, although her intentions to.
ward Mr.. Stanmore were strictly platonfc
was certainly making the most of the few
days she was passing in his agreeable so
ciety.
"Oh they'll come out by degrees" said
Mr.. Stanmore; you mustn't have toe
many of them at time"
mo; we must be patient" said Lady
Dugdale. Don't let us run through ali
our property at once"
''But you forget" said youth, who was
standing with his back to the fireplace,
that Mrs. ClGnmorris is coming presently,
and after that we shall not be allowed to
listen to any festive stories-in the drawing
room, at any rate"
MRS. Clanmorrisl Who is she9' said
Stanmore.
A chorus of various epithets answered
him. 'She is so very particular" $50 very
straitlaced;" 80 intensely respectable,'
80 extremely decorous."
''But still don't know" said Stanmore,
with twinkle in his eye, "why you are as
Stunning that my stories are not likely to be
fit for the ears Of the straitlaced and deco
rous"
CHATS true; | don't know why we
need" said Lady Dugdale, laughing
"Only that one imagnes," said Mrs.
Meredith, that barrister must be con
stantiy listening to dark revelations Of the
most hideous crimes"
"Hideous crimesV said the young man
on the rug. Mrs. Clanmorris wouldn't
like that
What time is she comingS" said an
other.
Il suppose by the 5 o'clock train" said
Lady Dugdale. "She promised to let me
know, but she has not done So"
Suppose in that case we were to adjourn
to the billiard room until it is time to dress
for dinner" said one of the younger mem
bers of the party, and they all trooped out,
filling the hall and passages with noise
and laughter as they passed along. Lady
Dugdale and Mrs. Meredith remained sit
ting over the fire with Stanmore, who was
much too comfortable to move.
At this moment a servant came in with
q telegram.
'ShaIl be with you 10y 5:15 train" Lady
Dugdale read aloud. "Will take Fly from
station. Clanmorris."
"Five-fifteenr' said Mrs. Meredith, as the
servant left the room.
Eyes, she will be here in quarter of an
hour" said Lady Dugdale 80 your
petite chronique scandaleuse," she added,
smiling at Stanmore, twill have to be OF
the most rapid and sketchy description if
we are to enjoy any of it before her ar
rival"
But this is positively awful" said Stan
more, ito be called upon for "A story at the
swords point in this wayl I feel as If I
were in the Arabian Nights and should
have my head cut off if | cannot produce
one"
"Onei You can surely tell us one" said
Mrs. Meredith imploringly, with a most
telling glance of entreaty.
"You need not tell us the names, you
know, SO that it can't possibly matter to
any one," said Lady Dugdale. Tell us
something thrilling that really happened
to yourself"
Mrs Meredith went on, HAS some
thickly yelled, mysterious lady never come
to your chambers and told you some dark
story of crimer
"Of course" said Lady Dugdale. 81 am
sure that must have happened often"
Nov you mention it," said Stanmore,
laughing, cit has happened to Ise, but not
quitssso often as you seem to think, Lady
Dugdaie-oniy once in my recollection"
"OnceS But that once is enough" cried
Mrs. Meredith. ooh, quickly tell us about
it before those people come"
"Yes," said Lady Dagdale, II don't
think Mrs, Clanmorris could bear to hear
of lady thickly yelled. She wouldn't
think that at all nice. She would like to
be told of lady with a thin veil with
black spots"-
mot large ones" interiected Mrs. Mere
ditb.
"No, small spots" said Lady Dugdale,
between which her responsibility could be
clearly seen-a black silk gown and a sol
emD bonnet"
"Well, l believe she had o black silk
gown and bonnet" said Stanmore.
"Sbe-who2 Oh, how tantalizing You
arep' said. Mrs. Meredith. "Do go on
with it."
Eyes. Now, begin at the beginning and
go on to the end" said Lady Dugdale.
"End2 There is no end to it, dear ladies'"
said Stanmore; that's the worst of this
story--it only has beginning"
"Oh, this sounds better and better"
cried Mrs. Meredith. Come, now, when
was it' how long ago"
Glow Iong2 All, a long time" said Stan
more, rejecting. LET me see, thirty-no,
nearer thrty-fve-years ago. ! was not
much over twenty"
The two women exchanged glaaces OF
amusement as they saw him fairly en-
barked upon the story.
''My uncle, James Stanmore," the mar
rator went on, twas barrister, most
successful one-a man who had n reputa-