The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-03-01

one Vi the nearset she's got, l lay"
And Mr.. Brambleby chuckled. And l
want to speak to her. No offense. miss:
1t won't do no harm to recognize an
old friend, even if he did happen once
to be pork butcher"
Lillian had been backing for a min
ute or two, as if she wanted to get as
lar away from this extraordinary per-
son as possible, but she now found her.
sell arrested by the branches of a
stanuard rose-tree, and was obliged to
STOP Mr.. Brambleby would have gone
on again, but she interrupted him with
a low cry of pain.
On, please stop" she said. "of coursa
you DO not know-you are stranger
uefe-put my dear mother died this
nioinlhs at three O'Clock. l am gather
ing these lilies TO put beside her." And
sne turned aside as if to pluck another
oiossom, but in reality to check the
rising tears. She could not bear TO
weep before a stranger-eyen for her
mother.
MI Brambleby brought down his
hand on his thigh with a resoundjue
slap.
Darn 1t ALL" he cried. "Amintv
dead! Dead. And me come all the
way 10 the Old country to see her! Well.
that DO beat everything. If 1t hadn't
peen Tor that blessed old fool at the inn.
should have come on last night. and
then L should ha' been in time for a
word with her"
My mother would not have been ab,,
to see you," said Lillian, coldly. "Shn
OF hers'-which she did not believe
i am sorry YOU did not come sooner.
Good morning"
she bowed her dainty head, and was
ABOUT to move slowly, but decidedly
away, when shout from Mr.. Bramb
leby stopped her. "Hullo! Hold on!
III walk up with you to the house" "
Ihen moderating his voice. and put
ting one big leg carefully over the big
wire fence: IF l don't see her living.
III see her dead. I'm bound to look I
her face once more"
Sir. said Lady Lillian haughtily.
your presence is an intrusion"
"All right, my dear; no offence" re-
turned Mr.. Brambleby, painting a lit
tie with the efforts to get over the
-N''NN oAAN w Ci ldhe lHt NOu02 Id0N,
VINO was now walking swiftly towards
the house. you can't deny me. you
know; I've the right; you don't want
to make a scandal; you just let me
speak to your papa, and he'll see the
rights of it,"
The short sentences, bolted out one
after another, produced some effect or
Lady Lillian. who in the midst of hel
grief was very rea asonable. II suppos
I had better let him come to tn,
house" she reflected, "and tell pooi
papa about him. l don't like to threat
en- him with the servants, he looks 81
very determined. Besides, it would no
be nice for him to talk to them abou
my dear mother as he is talking to me
A friend Of hers, indeed How dar,
he? And Lady Lillian curled her lii
disdainfully, even while the hot tear!
started to her eyes at the idea.
1t was with scant courtesy that sh,
turned at last to the flushed and per
spring Mr.. Brambleby, who was toll
ing up the rising pathway at her side
Il will take you into the library" sht
said, land ask my father if he will
speak to you; but of course he is very
much overcome. and is not at all likely
to be able to do So
Mr.. Brambleby nodded, quite unim
pressed by the severity OF the young
lady's tones. He was thinking thai
when once he had got into the house II
would be difficult to get him out again
until his object was attained. He fol-
lowed Lady Lillian's footsteps, there
fore, with submission.
She ascended fight of steps leading
to the terrace, walked down the terrace
a little way. and then opened a glass
door which led into the room of which
she had spoken. Here she bade
Mr.. Brambleby remain. She did not
even ask him to take a chair; but Mr..
Brambleby not being troubled by shy
ness, sat down and gazed about him
with admiration and delight.
ITO think now" he said to himself,
"of all this belonging to Aminty! I'm
glad I've seen it--that I am. 1t does
credit to old England and a bloated
aristocracy after all. sir! A pity she
had to go and leave it, but she was
always frail and sickly, was Amintyi
Poor Amintyl Poor little girlr'
Gus silk handkerchief and looked up
and down the room. The ceiling was
painted with nymphs and dryads in a
style which he felt that he did not un-
derstand. The walls were lined with
rows OF richly bound volumes: the very
chairs were works of art, carved oak
and antique: the carpet and rugs were
softer than velvet and full of rich and
harmonious coloring. The blinds. of
course, were down. but Mr.. Brambleby
could see that old heraldic devices were
painted on the lozenge-shsped panes,
and that the velvet hangings OF each
window recess were of those exquisite
shades which only splendid old age
can give. The Chicago pork butcher
was no doubt Philfstine at heart, and
would have preferred ormolu and Grim
son satin for his own apartments; but
he was not unmoved by the beauty Of
his surroundings, at which he was still
staring open-mouthed when Lord Aire-
dale came quietly into the room.
The Earl was not a very tall man,
nor perhaps a very handsome one; but
his appearance was undoubtedly inn
posing We in Underwood village al
ways spoke of him as an aristocratic-
looking man. He had snow white hair
very little of it-a slight amount of
whisker an aquiline nose, thin lips and
steel-gray eyes. He was not perhaps
very clever. but he was reputed one Of
the most honorable and conscientious
of English gentlemen-no light praise,
surely, even In these levellng times.
The Thoroughbred air SO characteristic
Of his daughter was apparent In every
line of his features, every movement OF
his erect little figure. Even his late
vigil, his grief. his long fast--for ne
had forgotten to touch food in his anxl-
ETY., since the previous days luncheon
hour, had not ruffied his outward de-
meanor; he was as composed, as tran
uuil. as outwardly neat as on any or