The Press., 1894-09-27

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 Inen Lam bert began to see the mat ter in different light, and his sym pathy for Francis Armour grew less as his pity for the girl increased. In fact, the day before they got to Southamp- ton he swore at Armour more than once and was anxious concerning the recep- tion of tthe heather wife by her white relatives.
 Had he been present at a certain scene at Greyhope day or two before he would have been still more anxious. It was the custom at breakfast for Mrs. Armour to open her husbands letters and read them while he was engaged with his newspaper and hand to him afterward those that were important. This morning Marion noticed letter from Frank among the pile and with out word bounced upon it. She was curious, as any woman would be, to see how he took Miss Sherwood's s action. Her father was deep in his paper at the time. Her mother was reading other letters Marion read the first few lines with feeling of almost painful won- der, the words were so curious. cynical and cold.
 Richard sat opposite her. He also wa:' engaged with his paper, but chanclng to glance up saw that she was becoming very pale and that the letter trembled in her fingers. Being a little short sighted, he was not near enough to see the handwriting He did not speak yet. He watched. Presently, seeing her grow more excited, he touched her foot under the table. She looked up and caught his eye. She gasped slightly. She gave hum warning look and turned away from her mother. Then she went on reading to the bitter end. Presently little cry escaped her against her will. At that her mother looked up, but she only saw her daughters back, as she rose hurriedly from the table, saying that she would return ill moment Mrs. Armour, however. had been star tied She knew that Marion had been reading letter, and with a mothers instinct her thoughts were instantly on Frank. She spoke quickly, almost sharp ly, Marion, come here"
 Richard had risen. He came round the table, and as the girl obeyed her mother took the letter from her fingers and hastily glanced over it. Mrs. Ar mour came forward and took her daugh ter's arm. Marion" she said, "there Is something wrong-with Frank What is it?''
 General Armour was now looking up at them all curiously, questioningly, through bis glasses, his paper laid down, his hands resting on the table.
 Marion could not answer. She was s6ck with regret, vexation and shame. At the first flush death-for Frank had been preferable to this. She had considerable store of vanity. She was not very philosophical. Besides she was not married, and what Captain Vidal, her devoted admirer and possible hus- band, would think of this heathenish alliance was not cheerful thought to her.
 She choked down 8 sob and waved her hand toward Richard to answer for her. He was pale, too, but cool. He un- derstood the case instantly. He made
 
 ought to be-must be-done.
 Well, mother" he said, ''it is about Frank. But he is all right-that Is, he is alive and we'll ill body But he has arranged hateful little embar- rassment for us. He is married. :"
 "Marriedp' said his mother faintly. "Oh. poor Lady Agnesp'
 Marion sniffed q little viciously at this
 "Marriedl Married!" said his father. "Well, what about it, eh? What about it?"
 The mother wrung her hands. "Oh, I know it is something dreadful-dread- full He has married some horrible wild person or something"
 Richard. miserable as he was, re- mained calm. 'Well," said he, 'I don't know about her being horrible. Frank is silent on that point, but she is wild enough-a wild Indian, in fact. |"
 ''Indianl Indianl Good God, red ly, starting to his feet.
 "An Indian! A wild Indianp' Mrs. Armour whispered faintly as she drop ped into Q chair. And she'll be here in two or three days" fiuttered Marion historically.
 Meanwhile Richard had hastily pick ed up The Times. "She is due here the day after tomorrow" he said deliber- ately. Frank is as decisive as he is rash. Well, it is 8 melancholy tit for tat. ''
 What do you mean by tit for tat?'' cried his father angrily.
 '"Oh, mean that-that we tried to hasten Julia's marriage with the other fellow, and he is giving us one in re- turn, and you will all agree that it's pretty permanent one. "
 The old soldier recovered himself and was beside his wife ill an instant. He took her hand. Don't fret about it, wife," he said. ''It's an ugly busi- ness, but we must put up with it. The boy was out of his head. We are old now, my dear, but there was time
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