New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-17
CHAPTER ".


The court crowded every day, ana pets were
freely laid on the double issue.
Was the gold digger Squire Chiltons grahu-
son? Was the squire in his senses wneh ne
wished to make new will? and II so. would that
abortlve attempt be held valid?
! Outside the court there was always more o'
| less dense crowd.
The great attraction was the gold digger
The romance OF his history excited general cur
| oslty and just before the hour for the court 10
rise the crowd became thicker
At last he came out tall. dark fekow WIN Il
iovisl manner He elbowed his way with some
| POPULARITY through the people. and nearly causeu
a collapse of some dozen hansoms that eagerly
rushed forward and having deliberately CHOSEN
one and got into 1t with his solicitor, he threw
! a handful Of coppars to the gutter boys, and
waved his hat in acknowledgment Of the cheer
with which ne greeted
After this the crowd lessened and enabled a
| lady with gray curls, who had timorousiy "al'eu
on the outskirts for nearly an hour' 20 come
| toward the entrance She looked about her IT.
| resOlutely and sometimes advanced then re-
treated At last she spoke to a policeman, but
in too low a voice TO attract his attention
constable. constable, want to
| Then there was a rush behind her. Some one
shouted out "Theres Thornton Chiffon That s
Gringle." ,
Afraid Of being knocked down. the lady seized
| the pOliceman's sleeve. .
stand back he called. swerving round He
| knew what was due to y. G. ana gentle"ah
like Mr.. Thornton Chiffon.
The people receded a little, all but the lady,
who still held his arm and who again began;
Constable. will you please tell me'-then
| nausea. for now the persons. for WnOm the police
man making way, arrived near ner WIN
a sudden change Of tone the lady stepped
toward Mr.. Gringle.
oh Mr. Lars POrsena, ] have been wanting 10
! thank YOU SO much for your goodness.
To understand Mr.. Gringe's feelings at this
moment 1t must be remembered that, TO appease
| his father-in-law, and with the assistance of ms
! old friend James, he had kept his nom de plume
strict secret and secure in his incognlto. nad az
/ lowed himself more latitude I'm crticsing puDnc
persons and Institutes than was eXpedlent Tor
professional etiquette. Many had been the futile
guesses and great the universal wish to know
who Lars Porsena" was, and now to De thus
| publicly greeted.
Mr. Gringle yielded to an impulse which Is prac-
tised by some persons an art He cut the
lady walking past her as though he saw her not
| But worms will turn, and the gentlest creatures
sometimes evince unwOnted courage.
Undaunted. the lady exclaimed more audibiy;
Mr.. Lars Porsena. Mr. Lars Porsena. please
! let me thank you
In angry desperation Mr.. Gringle was turn
ing round but the crowd had surged forward On
hearing the name Lars Porsena' ana ana dnr
policeman visiting the obstruction on the poor
lady who had addressed Mr.. Gringle, roughly
thrust her aside, as be again ordered the people
to stand back The lady was damned III or or
ner In the thickest part Of the crowd ana was
unable to extricate herself until the people DIS
persed Of their own accord, when there was notn-
ing more 10 be seen
Che was go shaken and upset that when at
last she escaped, and had adjusted her some
what dlsheveed dress with trembling fingers;
she Abandoned the purpose for when she Lad
gone TO the court and thankfully sheltered ner-
self In an omnibus tina, slowly logged her nome
ward. IL.
Mir. Gringle was seriously annoyed at his en-
counter with the lady with gray curls. but ne had
no Immediate leisure for nursing his wrath. MS
! attention was claimed by Mr. Thornton Chii'Ih'
! IA =, Ia pha m NJ
was much depressed at the apparent Deht oi the
! trial against him. , +, - -,
81 might just as we'll have thrown u up at
/ once" he said; II shall be ruined
oh we shall find some iaw in his evidence
yet" emended Mr. Gringe cheerfully
you weren't able to shake him at an today,
and then gee how popular he is. WINE was
! waiting for YOU could hear the people cheering
/ him; they don't cheer me. 1t must influence Tue
! jury" NJ c,u.or =, tho end Of a con-
eultation in which his solicitor had been SUP
hitting some fresh points OF evidence 10 Ht.
| Gringe-"I wish 20 goodness had let raItn nI.
| Lane go FOR nothing at all then we shoulu never
have heard Of this mpostor 49,.
| "Farthng Lane recalled the events or the
| afternoon to Mr.. Gringle, and as soon as ne was
! free he began to consider his personal ollenlina
| He was able now TO consider the matter calmly
| and the longer he reflected the more dissatlsned
! he became He had been so taken d! SURPRISE
when suddenly addressed by his nom de plume
! that he had acted impulsvely and as he now
felt with little prudence.
| Had he stopped as soon that woman be-
gan TO speak 10 him. he might have hushed her
! up instead Of leaving her to proclaim his
identity to the crowd II she chose he had peen
an errant fool certainly IN betraying himself
| but he always thought he could read character
and he had decided that she was poor sensl-
| tive geHtlewoman, who would starve before she
would accept aims from a stranger, unless
yelled under some pretence or service rem
dered.
who in the world would have dreamt of her
being In such mob?
Mr.. Grlngle finally concluded that the quickest
way Of settling the matter would be FOR MIN TO
go and see the lady and trust to his cross
examining skill to discover what mischief had
been done. and II not 100 iate 10 ensure ner
silence In the future.
| on leaving his chambers in the Temple, Mr.
! Grlngle walked out into the Strand. and selected
a good hanson from the string of empty ones
creeping along.
NO. 81 Tatling-st.. Islington. and go as fast
Mr.. Gringle who liked to observe every
! variety OF life. Interested az the lines of
thronged trans and laden omnibuses conveying
the daily toilers to their dlngy homes. His at
tention was caught. too. by the normal con-
course of people outside the Angel, and the
hosts Of newsboys shouting the alluring
! tents Of their papers. The Chiffon trial
! evidently the piece de resistance and was set
forth In various impressive phrases.
"Tatling-st.. did you say. sir?' inquired the
! driver pausing at gloomy turning.
'I'll get out. Wait for me-" and Mr.. Gringle
/ on foot went up the street scanning the num-
| beers till he arrived al 81.
He knocked at the do)r. and after repeating
his summons it was opened by an untdy
servant girl
rs Miss Farthing Lane at home?"
"She don't live here replied the girl prepar
ing to shut the door.
NO. not Miss Farthing Lane of course"
! said Mr. Gringle. Iddenly remembering that
it was also nom de plume. but there's lady
living here. What's her Nance and he slid
| half-a-crown into the girls hand
The girl stared at the coin, then at Mr.
! Gringle
Well what is her nance" he continued i'm
patiently.
The only lodger we've got" said the girl. I'M
! whiting the importance of her answer-"the
! only lodger we've got is Miss Chiffon"