Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-01-08
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and shall have to devote all my atten-
tion to it: SO that I'm afraid may not
be able TO see much of my friends for
some months to come.
This was the phrase which caused
Lady Erlvoir to prick up her ears. That
rs bad news for yonr friends" she oh
served srIayely.
"Ah. wish | conld think SO. | wish
some of my friends would miss ne II
hunGredth part as much a. | shall miss
them, But what / feel is that it's iney-
liable. I'm awfully particular about
these things I don't know whether
You'll understand what | mean: its
sort of--of honorable scrupulousness. So
worth one is sailing. as it Were, under
false colors. don't you see:
And when you have found out just
what ynu are worth" asked Lady Bel
voir with perfect gravity. do you pro
pose IL have the sum engraved upon a
silver plate and to hang it around yorI
neck like the label on an old fashioned
lecanteT: Or will you be satisfied with
sending a paragraph to all the news
papers:
All Lady Belvoir, you think want
to swagger. But it isn't that-it isn't
really, Only events might occur-I
might, for instance, be thinking of mar
rying that is, if l could dare to hope
that | had any chance of being accepted.
And then the lady would naturally wish
to know what my fortune amounted to-"
''Oh, quite naturally; should think it
would be the first question she would
ask"
And nice sort Of fool should look
if had to answer that l didn't know.
Sc have determined to go into the mat
ter once for all, and as / say that will
take rather long time; and think that
while am occupied in this way | had
better retire from the world, SO to speak. :"
DO you mean that you will go into
sort of retreat i'll the city,"
''Oh, no: one can't very well disap-
pear. One must see ones horses Hln;
and then there will be the shooting. and
and in short, don't think l need cut
myself off from other men. Only per-
haps it would be wiser-more straight
forward, that is-to avoid the society of
ladies for the next six months. Lady
Belvoir. would you think it very odd if
| asked you to take no notice of me-to
behave as if you didn't know me, in
fact-for the present.
Schneider. as he put forward this re-
markable demand, grew very red in the
face; for he could not but be aware of
the insuffciency of the reasons which he
had adduced in support of it. He was
therefore greatly relieved to hear that
Lady Belvoir would not think it odd
not in the least odd.
when is it that am to be allowed
to speak to you again." she asked. Did
you say six months hence:"
Yes; in January next l hope to be
released from my-er-voluntary exile. "
''Ah! And do you really imagine, Mr..
Schneider, that l believe one single word
of what you have been telling me:''
The unhappy Schneider hung his head,
| and remained silent Of course she didn't
| believe him; yet, since he could not re-
veal the truth, what was he to say?
She enjoyed his discontinue for few
| seconds before she resumed:
Lord Grise is too clever by half, and
you, my dear Mr.. Schneider, are not
quite clever enough. How did he con-
| trive to extort that promise from You
and Mr.. Thorold:'
"Oh," exclaimed Schneider. with Just
| indignation, ''if Thorold has been be-
traying us"-
But he hasn't; you betrayed yourself.
1t was that specified period of six months
that enlightened me, and my mention
ing Lord Guise was only shot-which
l see, was a good one. And now, as know
so much, you may as well tell me all
| Don't ask me-" pleaded Schneider
piteously: Il have let out a great deal
more than ought to have done. am
bound by pledge which rashly took
long before l - But really have nc
business to lie saying this
| "A pledge to abstain for six months
from speaking to the lady who you
hardly dare to hope will accept you. and
who is likely to be SO keen about settle,
ments?'
''Oh, not any particular lady began
| Schneider. and then checked himself
I'm afraid mustn't answer questions.
he said. with an appealing look
1t is certain, however, that he would
| have been made to answer just as many
questions as Lady Belvoir chose to pu,
to him if he had not been saved from
disgracng himself farther by the en-
trance of Eustace Moreton, who was an
nounce1 at this moment. The two me1
exchanged distrustful glances, ant
Schneider, willing enough TO be dis
lodged from position which had be
come almost untenable, hastened to bic
his hostess good-by. He accompanied
his farewell by look full of meaning
in response to which she smiled gra
ciously-
"Good-by. Mr. Schneider" said she
Il hope your election will so the rigf
way, ard if it doesn't | hope the next ont
will. We shall meet again sometime ant
somewhere. I dare say"
DO you want to meet that-that ami
NAL again. asked Moreton in dissatis
fed tone as soon as his partner in mis-
fortune had left the room.
''Oh. I'm simply dying to meet hin
again. What else could you expect? HI
is so good looking and clever and refined
and generally fascinating, isn't he? How
ever, shall have to get on as best | car
without him, for he has just been tellins
me that mustn't count upon renewing
the rapture of intercourse with him be
fore the beginning of next year
"Oh, he has. has he? And what reasol
did he give for infiicting such a crue
bereavement upon your
Lady Belvoir yawned. What rea
son? Let me see: what was his reason
Do yon know, am afraid I have for
gotten. But perhaps it doesn't yer,
much matter. Let us dismiss the alb
sent from olIr minds and give our atten
ton to some one who has the merit o
being present. You had an inteTestin:
confession to make to me. had You not.
Yes" answered Moreton glooinily
but since / saw you l have decided no
to make it. l told you. you know, tina
was in despair then. and now I an
twice as much in despair-if that is pos
sible am not going to cut my throat
because that sort of thing is SO disagree
able for ones relations; but think
| will &c. to Australia"
Il can't imagine any one better fitte'
for the hardships of colonial life. Whel
do You start? And what made that un
feeling woman reject you, I wonderf'
"Yol know very WE'LL returned More
! 49,. AL. i. l. T..