The record-union., 1895-07-20

even II they won't obey their parents
especially if the friend has the reputation
OF belng one of the safest and cleverest
men II MS regiment"
This compliment was delivered with q
smile which Illuminated the charming g
little lady's perplexity like a ripple pass
ing over woodland pool, and Captain
Ives was Immediately impelled to prom
ise that he would do his very utmost to
reclaim the wanderer.
lie WAS not sorry to effect his escape from
| ApD!etord next morning. The at,nos-
| phere OF the place was somewhat too
heavily laden for comfort, and his be-
trolhed, the Lady Hilda, wore an air
which rendered her society little de-
pressing even for lover who did not
make ZOO great demands. whose attitude
was one Of complacent rather than OF rap
turoIs satisfaction. But ii he was able
10 glance back az the stately gates OF the
ducal deer park with eQuanimlty, and
even with feeling OF relief Captain Ives
WAS less able to congratulate himself
upon the prospect OF the business which
meuaced the other end OF his journey.
His companion in the smoking compart-
ment OF :he express train, observing the
young mans puckered brow and neg
Iected cigar, concluded that he had been
crossed III love. or had dropped d small
fortune over the Tsesarevitch-an infer
ence which in the face OF the emlnently
successful issue of the Captains wOolng
and the fact that the seasonable demise
OF an elderly aunt had recently made
him muster OF an income running well
into four figures, presented striking
example Of the folly which jumps to con-
ciuSionS.
At the end of half an hour Captain Ives
gave utterance to sigh which, If 1t had
been more audible. might have expressed
mlld phase Of despair, carefully filled
and lighted pipe, and buried himself IN
the perusal OF his newspaper. his lean.
sunburned face, resuming meanwhile the
good natured expression which seemed
TO harmonic so Woll with his iair NOUS
tache and hair, his straight nose, and his
KIND, shreWd, gray eyes. When he had
consclentiouslv exhausted the pages OF
his journal, he Knocked the ashes out OF
his pipe, retilled that companion or his
solitude and abandoned himselTto dreamy
meditation, wandering what the deuce
Lefty III pleased his simple mind to refer
to the Duchess thus famillarly)-W hat
the deuce she meant by suggesting that
be should make love TO Miss Faun-
thorue.
Entering Lord Noel Ciderton's cham
berS soon after midday, he found that per-
versely amOrous young gentleman whose
smooth, pink cheeks and somewhat ugly
bOyish features showed no trace OF the re-
cent conflict with parental authority en-
gagged in the leisurely discussion of an
apparently early luncheon, which was in
fact his break fast in disguise
''Sit down. old man." said Lord Noel
Hospitality. Il thought you were at APP
pIelord. Have they chucked you out.
too? What have you dOne?"
Captain Ives smiled uneasily, murmur-
ing reply which struck him as diplo-
matte, that he had been obliged to come
up TO town on business.
by the way you're precious young
asst" he added solemnly when the servant
had left the room.
"Oh, shut up, IvyW rejoined the other
happily. 1--WE heard all that before.
The Governor said l was damned fool
I don't care. 1 know what Pm doing.
Have some caviare?"
Captain Ives shrugged his shoulders
and helped himself TO another piece of
| toast.
'You-you don't really think Pm an
ass. do vou?" his host inquired presently
in a slightly less rebellious tone. You
have been got at, haven't you, lvy?"
81 DO, straight [ think you're an
everlasting young idiot"
"But why?"
"Oh. well, there are heaps of reasons
Er-people don't do these things"
fully. That's all skittlesi People are
fools. Pm not people; and it isn't even
true-it's done every day! l tell you
what, you'd do exactly the same thing
if you were in my shoes. and you can't
deny it,"
Captain Ives smiled loftily.
II think not. can't quite imagine the
the case. You see, Ive never made fool
of myself with an actress"
al 7 od Il
frankly. ''And / like her all the better
for being an actress. Not that l wouldn't
! marry her. even ii she was only an or
dinary woman. L shouldn't care what
she was"
''Does she-er-like you?" asked the
other abruptly.
Lord Noel glanced at him suspiciously,
blushing and browning little.
"Oh, L think so. She says she does
to marry me as soon"
"As soon as what?o
"As SOON as her decree what's bis
namo has been made absolute. She cer-
tainly isn't marrying for my money. if
that's what you mean. rve told her Pm
a blessed pauper. She makes q pot of
money at the Imperial, good bit more
than my income. Look here" he added
with 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. y You will see for YOUR
self how awfully nice she is, and I'll bet
YOU a liver than in weeks time you'll
congratulate Eler'
Captain Ives protested feebly, but his
| loyalty to the Duchess and 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
| he was able 10 maintain the contest. Ives
| was no fool IN spite OF the simplicity
| which somewhat obtrusively colored his
| words and deeds, nor was he victim To
| blind prejudices. His heart was not in
! this crnsade; he already found it diff
cult task 10 tix the allegiance of his SYM
| pathies with the lady VINO had dispatched
| him upon 1t.
Alighting few hours later at the door
| OF retiring brown house which nestled,
clad III the ivy of antiquity, among the
trees of the older part of suburban Hamp-
stead, Lord Noel and his friend were
ushered INTO an empty drawing-rOom,
| from the windows OF which, however.
| they could see Miss Faunthorpe, who.
closely wrapped IN furs, was pacing rap
| idly (it struck Ives that there was some
thing OF the tiger i'll her walk up and
down the gravel terrace which lay be-
| tween the back of the house and a rather
| desolate eXpanse OF empty autumnal
Hover beds and neglected lawn. She
started when Lord Noel tapped the win
| dow, looking up rom her tattered acting
copy and darting a flashing glance of in
| quiry IN tie direction of The intruders, a
glance which was quickly merged in q
smile as she hasteaed 10 join them.
Al first Miss Faunthorpe seemed to ig-
more the presence ofCaptain Ives, though
| her eyes wandered 10 him now and again
while she overwhelmed Lord Noel with
a ripping stream OF words and laughter
| She had thrown oil her fur cloak on en-.