Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-06-14

share my poverty, could | be mean
enough to drag her into such n slough
OF despond? No, Jim, 1t Is q hopeless
case. My pretty one and | must part.
! to dreary old bachelOrhOod, she to
fulfill her mission, and make one Of the
grand matches Of the season"
81 think know the lady" said James
Wyatt, slowly. Lord Clanyarde's
youngest daughter; the new one, oh,
Cyprian? The Clanyardes are neigh
bors Of yours In Kent, ! know"
"Of course can trust you, Jim. Yes,
you've hit 1t, But what made you fix
upon Constance Clanyarde?"
Have I not senses to understand,
and eyes to see, and have not seen
you and Miss Clanyarde together at
least three times? Why, Cyprian, the
infatuation on both sides Is patent to
the most unsophisticated observer.
It's pity you've only four hundred a
year. That would be rather a tight
squeeze for a Clanyarde. They're a
VIGOROUSLY extravaganza set, know,
and have been up to their eyes in debt
for the last forty years. Yes, have
seen the lady, Cyprian, and she is very
lovely, Upon my word, | IN sorry for
you.
"Thanks, old fellow. | needn't ask
you not to mention my name in con-
junction with Miss Clanyarde's. And
now | suppose we'd better go back to
our friends"
81 think so. BY the way, what do
you think of the lady we were asked to
meet?"
Mrs. Walsingham? She is very
handsome. A widow, SUPPOSE"
"She is rather silent on that point,
and have heard it hinted that Colonel
Walsingham-he was Colonel in the
Spanish Contingent, believe, and
Count Of the Holy Roman Empire-still
walks this earth, and that the lady
owes her agreeable freedom to an
American court of divorce. The ante
cedents are altogether doubtful, and
Mrs. Walsinghams set is OF the order
fast and furious Gilbert Sinclair likes
that kind OF thing"
"And / suppose Mrs. Walsingham
likes Gilbert Sinclair.
"Or his money. Sinclair's about the
biggest fish in the matrimonial waters,
and she will be u happy angler who
lands him. But really believe Mrs.
Walsingham has q weakness for the
man himself, independent Of his money
Strange, isn't it? Sinclair's the dear
est fellow in the world, and as his
friend of course / dote upon him; but
| confess that if | were q woman |
should regard him with unmitigated
lOathing.
That rather strong"
"Of course he's most estimable Crea-
ture; but such an unspeakable snob,
such pompous, purse-proud cad. All,
there he is at the window looking for
us. If ! were woman, you know,
Cyprian, that man would be the object
Of my aversion; but Pm not, and he's
my client, and it is the first duty of
solicitor TO love his clients. Coming,
Gilbert"
The two men crossed a little bit of
lawn, and went in through the open
window. The room was lighted with
wax candles, and merry party was
crowded round table, at one end of
which a lady was dispensing tea in
quite a homelike fashion. She was a
very beautiful woman, of snowy type,
dressed in white muslin half covered
with lace; dressed just u little too
youthfully for her fiye-and-thirty years.
There were two other ladies present,
one fashionable actress, and the
other her friend and confdante, also
an aspirant to dramatic fame The
first was engaged in an agreeable fir
tation with cornet of dragons, the
second was listening with delight to
the lively conversation of Mr.. Belling-
ham, manager Of the Phoenix Theater.
A couple of gentlemen belonging to
the stock broking fraternity and Gil
bert Sinclair, the giver of the feast,
made up the party.
Mr.. Sinclair was man whom many
people admired, and who was in no OBJ
vious manner deserving James Wyatt's
unfattering description. He affected
certain bluntness of style, which his
friends accepted asevidence of a candid
and open soul and warm heart
The chief claim which Mr.. Sinclair
possessed to notoriety was comprised in
the fact of his wealth. He was the
ow ~ of q great estate in the north,
an estate consi sting of iron-works and
coal-pits, the annual income from which
was something stupendous, and he had
shares in more railways and mines and
foreign loans than his friends could cal
culate.
81 wish you would give me little
assistance with the teacups, Gilbert, I"
Mrs. Wal.ingham said, rather i'm
patiently. 1T is all very we'll to talk
Of tho plea antness of having the tea
made in the room in this way, but one
requires some help. Thanks. Take
that to Sir Cyprian Davenant, if you
please, and bring me SOphy Mortons
cup"
Mr.. Sinclair obeyed, and when he
came back with the empty cup Mrs.
Walsingham motioned him to vacant
chair by her side and detained him
there till the carriages were announced.
She called him by his Christian name
in the face of society, and this party of
tonight was only one OF many enter
tainments that had been given at diff
ferent times for her qualification. 1t
was scarcely strange, therefore, if
rumor, especially loud on the part of
the lady's friends, declared that Mr..
Sinclair and Mrs Walsingham were
engaged to be married. But the ac-
quaintance between them had con,
tinued for long time, and those who
knew most Of Gilbert Sinclair shook
their heads significantly when the
matrimonial question was mooted.
Mrs. Walsingham detained Mr.. Sim
clair in conversation some time after
the carriages had been announced.
She was very bright and animated,
and looked her best as she talked to