The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-03
THE INTERMEDIARY.


reclaim the wandereT.
He was not sorry to effect his escape
from Appleford next morning. The at
moSphere OF the place was somewhat
too heavily laden for comfort: and his
betrothed, the Lady Hilda, wore an air
which rendered her society a little de-
pressing even for a lover who did not
make too great demands, whose atti-
tude was one Of cOmplacent rather than
of rapturous satisfaction. But If he was
able to glance back at the stately gates
of the ducal deer-park with equaninity,
and even with a feeling Of relief. Capt.
Ives was less able to congratulate him
self upon the prospect of the business
which menaced the other end of his
journey. His companion in the smoking
compartment of the express train, OBJ
serving the young mans puckered brow
and neglected cigar, concluded that he
had been crossed in love, or had dropped
small fortune over the Tsesarevitch-
an inference which in the face of the
eminently successful issue of the cap
tain's wooing and the fact that the sea-
sonable demise of an elderly aunt had
recently made him master of an income
running well into four figures, presented
striking example of the folly which
jumps to conclusions.
At the end of half an hour Capt. Ives
gave utterance to a sigh which If 1t
had been more audible might have eX-
pressed a mild phase of despair, care
fully filled and lighted a pipe, and bur-
led himself in the perusal of his news
paper his lean, sunburned face resum-
ing meanwhile the goOd-natured express
sion which seemed to harmonic so well
with his fair moustache and hair, his
straight nose, and his kind shrewd,
gray eyes. When he had conscientiOusly
exhausted the pages Of his journal he
knocked the ashes out of his pipe, re-
filled that companion of his solitude,
and abandoned himself TO dreamy medi-
tation, wondering what the deuce Lefty
Dit pleased his simple mind to refer TO
the duchess thus familiarly)-whet the
deuce she meant by suggesting that he
should make love to Miss FaunthOrpe.
Entering Lord Noel Cidertons cham
bers soon after midday, he found that
perversely amorOus young gentleman
Whose smooth pink cheeks and some
what ugly boyish features showed no
trace Of the recent conflict with parental
authority engaged in the leisurely dis
cussion Of an apparently early luncheon.
which was in fact his breakfast in dis
guise. sit down, old man. said Lord
Noel Hospitality. 81 thought you were
! at Appleford. Have they chucked you
| out too? What have you dOne?"
Capt Ives smiled uneasily. murmuring
reply which struck him as diplomatic,
that he had been obliged to come up to
town on business BY the way, you're
| a precious young ass he added solemn
~ when the servant had left the room.
ooh. shut up, Ivy rejoined the other
happily I've heard all that before.
The governor said J was a id fool.
don't cave; | know what I'm doing.
| Have some caviare?'
Capt Ives shrugged his shoulders and
helped himself to another piece of toast.
'YOu-you don't really think I'm an
| ass, do YOU" his host inquired presently
in a slightly less rebellioUs tone. you've
been got at, haven't you, Ivy"
lasting young idiot"
But why"
oh well. there are heaps Of reasons.
Er-people don't do these things"
| oh, peoplei" put in the other scorn-
| fully That's all skittles! People are
fools; I'm not people; and it isn't even
! uue-its done every day. ] tell you
/ what; you'd do exactly the same thing if
/ YOU were in my shoes. and you can't
/ deny it,"
Capt. Ives smiled loftily. q think not
] can't quite imagine the case. You see.
! I've never made fool of myself with
, an actress"
well. I have" admitted Lord Noel
! frankly And | like her all the better
1 for being an actress. Not that I wouldn't
/ marry her, even if she was only an or
/ binary woman; / shouldn't care what
I she was"
Does she-er-lil1e your" asked the
/ other abruptly
| Lord Noel glanced at him suspiciously.
( blushing and frowning a little "Oh,
/ think so. She says she does. pretty well ;
and anyway, isn't she going to marry me
! as soon
| "As soon as what?"
''As soon as her decree what's -his-name
| has been made absolute She certainly
/ isn't marrying me for my money, If
/ that's what you mean. I've told her I'm
J a blessed pauper. She makes a pot of
! money at the Imperial. q good bit more
7 than my income. Look here" he added
I with a burst Of magnanimity. Come
( round to the club, or somewhere, for an
| hour or two and then I'll take you to
| have tea with her. You will see for your
! self how awfully nice she is and I'll bet
| YOU a flyer that in a weeks time you'll
/ cOnRra tulate met
Capt Ives protested feebly. but his
| loyalty 10 the duchess and a sense of his
/ present failure led him to consent To
/ confess the truth, il was only at the ex-
| pense Of large drafts upon his loyalty
| that ne was able to maintain the contest
| Ives was no fool, in spite of the sim
| plcity which somewhat obtrusively col
| ored his words and deeds: nor was he a
| victim to blind prejudices. His heart
] was not in this crusade; he already found
/ II difficult task to fix the allegiance
| Of his sympathies with the lady who
/ had despatched him upon it,
Il