Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-01-15

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could make no allowance Tor was her
marked and persistent neglect of an old
| friend.
| Ever since the es.a of the London sea-
son-such long time ago now-he had
been perpetually encountering Lady Bel
voir. He had met her at Goodwood; he
| had met her at Cowes: he had met her
| in Scotland, and at Doncaster and at
| Newmarket; and now, as sure US ever he
! accepted an invitation to a country house,
so surely was her face among the first
that he deserted after his arrival. Well
1t was not an unpleasant face to contem-
! plate-quite the reverse--but it was in
variably turned away the moment that
he drew near, and this method of treat
ment, which at first had scarcely stirred
his curiosity, had ended by provoking
him beyond all endurance. What the
deuce did she mean by it: That was all
he wanted to know.
| Whatever she may have meant by it
she evidently did not propose discon-
| tinuing it that evening. The friend of
her childhood was requested to escort
| her to the dining room; but scarcely
word could be got out of her, though
he did what in him lay to be amiable
and conciliatory. No sooner had they
taken their places than her shoulder
was turned toward him, and from that
time until the departure of the ladies
all his efforts to attract her attention
| FRI, Ef, Il II
appear to hear what he said, and even
when she did reply it was in the brief
est possible terms. Lord Guise, like the
generality of phlegmatic men, was OBJ
stinate and persistent. He was not 60
ing to be put off in that way any longer
without knowing the reason why; so he
waited patiently until an opportunity
occurred, later in the evening, of ad
dressing Lady Belvoir privately; and
very likely he did not think of asking
himself by whom that opportunity had
been created.
| He drew chair up beside hers, seated
himself with determined air. and said:
| Now. Sybil, I'm going to have it out
with you. How have offended you:''
Have l ever said I was offended"
she asked, raising her eyes slowly to his.
mo: because that would have been
supertiuous. But perhaps. after all, it
isn't offense; perhaps it's aversion. If
so, l should like to be told what | have
done to incur it. We used to get on
pretty well together once upon a time"
Lady Belvoir sighed ever SO slightly.
Il think" she remarked, that that was
before you took to saying unkind and
spiteful things about me behind my
back.
What thingsg' asked Lord Guise,
reddening little. ''Of course one does
sometimes say things-everybody does
about ones best friends which one would
be sorry for them to hear, but it is the
talebearers who are unkind and spiteful.
have called you flirt, admit"
''And you don't consider that a spite
full thing to say?'
Come now, Sybil, you surely won't
deny that You are a flirt.'
Il do deny it. Is it my fault if | can't
make myself in the least pleasant or
friendly to any man without his at once
jumping to ridiculous conclusions? But
it is useless to attempt excuses. and in
deed it isn't worth while. I used to
think that you were different from the
others, but | have discovered my mis-
take. Pray go on slandering me to your
hearts content. l haven't complained,
and L don't mean to complain"
Though this was said very proudly it
was not said without IA perceptible fall
tering in the speakers voice which
caused Lord Guise to feel both sorry and
ASHAMED. He answered quite humbly
that he had no wish to slander anybody
least of all one for whom he had al
ways had the sincerest regard. Would
she mind telling him of any particular
instance in which he had slandered her?
''Oh, you wouldn't allow that it was
slander," she returned. Besides. really
don't care; you are welcome to say what
you please. Only perhaps it is a little
too much to expect that l should be over
Ijoyed when meet you. Have you seen
anything of Mr.. Schneider lately?'
Lord Guise knitted his brows and
scanned her face sharply, but her low
cred eyelids told no tales.
'Schneider:' he repeated; ''yes, l saw
him few weeks ago. He has been in
high favor with the bigwigs since he re-
duced the Radical majority in Scotland,
and now they are going to put him i'll
for Slumberton, You know
II know nothing about him or his
plans; he has ssan fit to cut me dead.
How delightful it is to be cut dead by a
Mr.. Schneider! And how pleasant it is
to think that he has been warned against
me by friend who has always had the
sincerest regard for me. u wonder why
Mr.. Moreton has fled to New Zealand.
and 1 wonder who persuaded Percy
Thorold to circumnavigate the globe!''
"Not I, at all events" answered Lord
Guise; 81 am innocent of having advised
that circular tour. Or, at least, If did
tell him-and now that l come to think
of it believe / did-that it would be
a good way of spending the recess, il
wasn't in order to get him out of youi
way that did so. In fact I happen to
know
"Oh, so do r. interrupted Lady Bel
vUir Il am quite aware that 1 had
ceased to be danger. You had already
delivered him from me-
, ana you IrOIn HILL
Eyes, if you like. But your opinion
of me was as bad as ever, and dare say
yor may have thought that no friend o.
mine was likely to be much better thar
myself. Very well; opinion is free, ant
you can keep yours. You can do you
best to deprive me of my friends, an(
you can object to everything that do
and put the worst construction upon al
my actions, only you must really not ex
pect me to look as if / liked it,
Again there was that unusual quave
in her ladyship's voice, and again he
conscience stricken hearer felt touched
and penitent. What she had said wa
so very nearly the truth that he coull
, not; set up much Of a defense for him
self; but he assured her that il he hat
ever spoken unadvisedly or III naturedi,
of her he was very sorry for it. and tina
he wouldn't do it again. As for More
ton and Sehneider-
..Oh, what do care about Moreton
and Schneiders:" she interrupted, hal
;, laughingly, half impatientIy. Then al
| of sudden she jumped up and crossed
the room to join a group of young nel
and maidens. leaving it to be inferre'
that what had vexed her had not beel
so much the loss of her admirers as tn