Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-06
CHAPTER ".
WE'RE, THE MARTYR.

ing morning, ''but what little there IS
I want you to see, Vere."
You're very kind, Mrs jock" the
girl returned gratefully.
We'll, 1 believe am kind, !" said Mrs.
Jock, with a delightful candOr which
was one Of her most charming charae-
teristics: -'6ut at til lie same time. as you
will ind out for yourself, my dear, in
way I'm a thoroughly bad hostess, be-
cause l cannot give al my time up TO
my visitors. l have my work to do and
they have 70 look after themselves until
dinner time nine days out Of ten.
which Is perhaps the reason why
the Fish Ponds is such a popular house,
Mrs. Jock" said Lumley, smiling. ut
is very dreadful and unpleasant when
vonr hostess makes out a chart Of your
doings for the day and sends you out
uerhaps tete-d-tete with the lady some
other man In the house is in love with,
10 her chagrin, his despair, and your
unmitigated disgust. Don't apologize
for your charming Liberty Hall-we all
love il too well TO wish 1t altered in the
least"
ssThen I will not But as Miss Nj
gent has never been here before l must
have a sort Of idea Of what she Is going
10 do. or else 1 may find az dinRer-time
thar she has been neglected and lonely
all day"
"Oh! I shall be all right, said We're,
ssDrsv don't worry about me. l shall
be quite happy with the children II you
leave me 70 my own devices"
81 think not to-day, dear-the chicks
will be perfectly wild and unmanagea0le
for a week or so, they love the country
80. By the bye, Jock, what are you 60
Ing 10 dO?'
sOh!I shall be awfully busy all the
morning, darling. I've got TO get all
nv fshing-tackle In order-and at least
q dozen letters to write for you"
And You, George" she asked, high
" pleased az her Jocks ingenuity.
"I-oh; I am quite at your service,
Lumley replied.
"Wen. I'll tell you what l do wish
You would do" Mrs. Jock said eagerly
III YOU would take either the stan
hone or the pOny-trap and drive we're
intO East Court and show her the out
side look OF the place and bring me
some fish. you would be doing me areal
service. $50
~ sbslI only be TOO charmed" he
said promptly.
Miss Nugent, however, sat bolt up
right, for she did not by any means see
being. as she thought, palmed OF on
10 this important man who was prob
ably iva Mats f2ts y that u ne must
company Of girl whom ten chances TO
one, he looked Upen as al unmitigated
nuisance.
Il would so much rather idle about
here. really she said, hurriedly.
There is nothing l enjoy so thorough
u"
"Miss Nugent," exclaimed Lumley in
accents OF deepest reprOaeh.
She flushed little as her eyes met
his.
"Ohi well, of course I didn't mean
anything personal 10 you, Mr.. Lumley,
but" and then she broke of short
AID looked at her TesOlute little hos
tess with every signal Of distress.
"Oh. quite understand, We're. l too
quite hate 10 be parcelled out with or
without my own consent But / really
do want 90 fish; the Squire and his wife
are coming 10 dine tonight, and you
know what q country dinner-table looks
like without ashland l don't think I'd
quite trust George TO choose it-and we
must have some ice-a shiiing's worth
/ think-and-and really 1t would be
very kind of you both il You would help
me out of the dilema. I daresaY you
both think l might send Jock, but Jock
has fishing on the brain, and men are so
intOlerably selfish when they're married
he doesn't care a button whether
give the Squire fish for dinner or not. "
ON catch you some fish il can,
Ruth" said Jock, with impertuSable
good nature-''if can, mind"
Mrs. jock elevated her little nose in
stantly, and laug he'd.
s'If You can-thouSand thanks, dear.
And fancy Mrs. FerguSSOn's face il 1
gave her roach or one carp for dinner.
No, dear Jock. the fSh-ponds are very
charming, but they're not productive or
q saving to our llshmOnger's bill. Then
You will 20, you two dear things?
shall have an easy mind all day, IL you
will"
In the face Of this appeal We're
Nugent had no choice but TO put on her
coat and hat and 70 take her seat in the
smart little cart which Lumlly had
chosen as being the most suitable for
the expedition.
must say that for man who had
pr0faSsedly been avoiding matrimOny all
his life and the intricate and slippery
paths which lead theTeuntO, he proved
himself possessed of a very pretty in
genuity in those little lodges and de-
vices which help the pilgrim OF love on
ON the way toward the goal OF welded
bliss. Il seems TO me as it seemed to
him that day. that no matter in now
cold and stiff a mood you set ont In q
small wObbly pony cart behind a risky
little sleek-cOated person who Is never
two minutes in the same mind, who
wants to crawl up one hill and tear down
another, who stops demurely TO pretend
70 bite yiciously at fly and takes ad-
vantage Of the opportunity 10 get a
mouthful or two Of the sweet young
grass a.grOwing by the wsy-side, you
must end by becoming perfectly friendly
with the other occupant there0f-taking
for granted that there is no positive dis
like or bone Of contention between you.
And so with these two. am bound to
say that Miss Nugent came down dress
ed for the expedition with the air and
feeling Of a martyr. She was very pO-
lite. ard very particular In taking all
Mrs. Jocks instructions as to the kind
of fish and the quantity she was 70
hiring. "Salmon, IL you can get IL, said
Ms. Jock deliberately, well knowing,
wicked little woman that she was, that
salmon was not 10 be had in East Court
for love or mOney-'n you can't md
salmon, bring any good fish that you