The morning call., 1893-09-17


over the affair. Joyce Melhuish'S mother.
Sybil Hepburn. was considered the beauty
OF the place. People used tO say that her
father and brothers wanted her to marry
Gabriel Lang, who had Just passed
splendid examinations and bought a
partnership with DR.. Hepburn believe
myself he was very much in love with
her-but she wouldn't hear of him, for her
head was turned with all the flattrry she
got. Then this Colonel Stuart Melhuish
came to stay at the Towers. He was
middle aged man, wonderfully handsome,
but with the look about him of having
been a dreadful rake. which, indeed. he
had been. However, he was supposed TO
have turned over a new leaf. for he was
lately engaged to marry her ladyship's Sis
ter-who was no beauty, but had a hne
fortune | don't think 1t ever came out
how Sybil Hepburn and he scraped ac-
Quaintance, nor where they met; but
anyhow, in a fortnights time they ran
away together-she from her fathers
house ana he from the Towers. DR..
Hepburn followed them TO Paris and saw
them married properly, and then he
washed his hands of her. Colonel Mel
hush had to sell out and disappear.
I've heard he treated his wife very
badly-but that's just what you might ex-
pect. 1t was great disgrace to the whole
town. And then fancy that foolish old
man bringing the girl TO live in his house
right under her ladyships very nosei"
The spring sun was shining cheerily
down nto the placid streets of Fenbor-
ough. The fresh. bright green of the elms
and lines in Lord Fenborough's park
made a tender, youthful setting IN the
time-wOrn, grave houses in Park road
and the iilacs and laburnums lifted clus-
ters of gay blossoms above the dull garden
wall.
Mrs. Hepburn stood at the dining-room
do la int
ing; she was too excited to sit down. She
was thinking of Joyce's mother. She had
not ventured to 90 to the station to meet
the granddaughter whom she must welcome
with such mixed feelings. She had. how
ever. insisted that the doctor should go:
moreover, she had hurried him off
far too early for the train, and be
had had twenty insufferable minutes
to spend on the platform. whittier,
by some curious coincidence, the
Misses Stow and Mrs. Wyeth had bent
their steps that afternoon. They stood at
the boOkstall. engaged in an apparently in
terminable argument over library books.
They we're obviously waiting for the Lon
don train, too.
"Inqusitive old catsw was the doctors
inward comment. He always maintained
afterward that Joyce's reputation would
have had better chance in Fen borough
if these good ladies had not been eye-wit-
BeSS6S OF Der arrival,
1t was easy to single her out at once
among the half-doZen or so of passengers
who alighted; tall, shapely gr, dressed
in deep mourning. First she looked up
and down the platform with an air of self
possession. then she turned quickly to the
door OF the compartment from which she
had alghted.
MY umbrellas. Marshlands," she said,
in clear voice; they are up in the
rack" Then there appeared a young
man, laden with rug-case, a tur cloak. a
traveling-bag and a roll of umbrellas.
He was a small. sther plain young man,
with light hair and a pink complexion,
and he looked rather awkward as be
emerged with bis load.
The Misses Stow and Mrs. Wyeth ex-
changed scandalized glances. porter
hurried uD, touched his hat humbly and
relieved him of the packages.
Il suppose there will be some one to
meet me ?" went on Miss Melhuish. Just
see, will you, Marshands?"
Thank you, my lord" said Dr. Hep
burn, bnrrying up and taking Joyce's
travelling bag from 'he Young mae
How do, Hepburn ?" said tie heir to
the Feub9Tough title. In voice almost as
cOndescendng as that in which Joyce had
been ordering him about You see. Pye
had the pleasure of escorting Miss Mel
huish. Ta-ta, Joyce, l leave you in pro-
per hands,
"Au revoir," is .Joyce's answer. Come
and see me soon"
my DEAR" cried one Miss Stow to the
other as they walked home. what do yon
think OF tnat? ana neither of them found
words to say.
My DEAR" said DIR. Hepburn, as soon
as he had disposed of the necessary maui
ries after Joyce's journey, 81 had no idea
yOu knew arv of the Fenborough family"
Joyce didn't reply at once. She leaned
back in the brOugham and began 10
laugh.
81 can't help IT," she said. "You called
him any lord so respectfully, and lie
looked so important; and it seemed to me
so absurd"
''My dear" said DR.. Hepburn, rsprov-
lngiy. there Is nothing absurd about II.
Every one here treats the ViscOunt with
respect. He will be tho Earl of Fen Dor.
ough some day."
But Joyce did not stand reproved. Der
eyes shOne with the laugh she repressed.
Yes" she said; that alone il enough
to make prig of him. He is prig, isn't
hep"
mo. my dear; certainly not"
as well as l do"
DR.. Hepburn stared in astonishment
well?"
Because I've had exceptional oppor-
tnnltles for studying him. We ran against
him at Homburg three years ago. and
since then we have run up against
him everywhere. He seemed delighted
every time, and / wasn't altogei her sorry
got such lot of fun out of him."
My dear" said the doctor, in a tone
that was meant to be really serious, You
will have to give up getting fun out of
Lord Marshlands here"
"Why? asked Joyce, turning a pair of
liquid brown eyes on the old man.
"Because-because," he began. hesitat-
ingly, now that you have come to Fem
borough your lot IS cast with your moth
er's people, and his lordship does not be-
long to our circle-though he is your
cousin"
For all answer Joyce laughed again.
Then the carriage drew up at Dr. Hep
burns door and Mrs. Hepburn came out
to welcome her granddaughter.
Before bedtime that night every one in
Fen borough knew that Joyce Melhuish
hak Travelled all the way from Paris with
Lord Marshlands aud had ordered him
about at Fenborough Station as though
she were quite used to having an earl's
heir-apparent to fetch and carry for her
which showed great depravity on her part.
Still, that was more eaSv to cOndone than
the misdoIng which was laid at her door
before the LILAC and laburnum flowers had
sohered down into clusters of seed-pois.