The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-07-19


were jealous for mere money and title,
but the thing itself was altogether apro.
pos, as Mrs. Armour had more naive.
ly than correctly put it. The general,
whose knowledge of character and the
circumstances of life was considerable,
had worked out the thing with much
accuracy. He had declared to Richard
in their quiet talk upon the subject that
Frank must have been anything but so.
Der when he did it. He had previously
called it policy of retaliation, so that
now he was very near the truth. When
they arrived at the dock at Liverpool,
the Aphrodite was just making into the
-harbor.
. "Egad, ]" said General Armour to
himself, Gag evastopol was easier than
this, for fighting / know and being pep.
pered I know by Jews, Greeks, infidelS
and heretics, but to take a savage to my
arms and do for her what her godfathers
and godmotLers never did is worse than
the DEVILS dance at Delhi. "
lni What Mrs. Armour, who was not
quite SO definite as her husband, thought
it would be hard to tell, but probably
grief for and indignation at her son
We're uppermost in her mind. She had
quite determined upon her course None
could carry better that high neutral look
of social superiority than she.
Please heaven, she said to herself, no
one should see that her equanimity was
shaken. They had brought one servant
with them, who had been gravely and
yet conventionally informed that his
young masters wife, an Indian chief
tainess, was expected. There are few fam.
lily troubles but find their way to serv-
ants hall with an uncomfortable speed,
for, whether or not stone walls have
ears, certainly menservants and maid
servants have eyes that serve for ears
and ears that do more than their bound.
en- duty. Boulter, the footman, knew
his business. When informed of the
coming of Mrs. Francis Armour, the
Indian chieftainess, his face was abso-
lutely expressionless. His "Yessir' was
as mechanical as usual On the dock he
was mathematician When the pas.
sengers began to land, he showed no ex.
oitement. He was decorously alert.
When the crucial moment came, he was
imperturbable. Boulter was an excel
lent servant So said Edward Lambert
to himself after the event; so likewise
said Mrs. Townley to herself when the
thing was over; so declared General
Armour many time after and once
very emphatically just before he raisec
Boulter' S wages.
AS the boat neared Liverpool Lambert
and Mrs. Townley had grown very nerv.
Gus. The truth regarding the Indian
wife had become known among the pas
sengers, and most were very curious
some in well bred fashion, some in.
trusively, vulgarly. Mackenzie, Lali's
companion, like Boulter, was expires.
sionless in face. She had her duty to do,
paid for literally, and she would do it.
Lali might have had more presentable
and .dignified attendant, but not one
more worthy. 1t was noticeable that the
captain of the ship and all the officers
had been. markedly courteous to Mrs
Armour throughout the voyage, but, to
their credit, not ostentatiously So
When the vessel was brought to anchor
and the passengers were being put upon
the tender, the captain came and made
his respectful adieus, as though Lali
wereia lady of title in her own right
and not an Indian girl married to
man acting under the influence Of bran.
dyl and malice. General Armour and
Mrs. Armour were always grateful to
Edward Lambert and Mrs. Townley fo1
the part they played in this desperate
little comedy. They stood still and
watchful as the passengers came ashore
one by one. They saw they were the
center OF unusual interest, but General
Armour was used to bearing himself
iwitha grim kind of indifference in pub.
lie, and his wife was calm, and so some
what disappointed those who probably
expected the old officer and his wife &c
be distressed. Frank Armour's solicitor
was also there; but, with good taste, he
held aloof The two needed all their
courage, however, when they saw fig
ure in buckslIin and blanket step upon
the deck, attended by very ordinary,
austere and stability dressed Scotswom.
an But Immediately behind them were
Edward Lambert and Mrs. Townley,
and these. with their simple tact, nat
uralness and freedom from any sort OF
embarrassment, acted as foils and re.
lieved the situation.
General Armour advanced, hat in
hand. "You are my sons wife?" he
said courteously to this being in blan.
ket
She looked up and shook her head
slightly, for she did not quite under.
stand, but she recognized his likeness tC
her husband, and presently she smiled
up musingly Mackenzie repeated u
her what General Armour had said. She
.,.ldod ,,o,rt n fash of 1,loaarro Enht.