The record-union., 1895-05-11
AN UNPRINCIPLED WOMAN.
CHAPTER T.

parish. A visitor! Really it is intolera-
blei'
The street was suburban, and the gar
ments Of the speaker and of her compan-
ion were suburban also. The two had
come forth from the house at which they
had been calling in an expressive silence,
broken, as they found themselves on the
damp pavement in the half foggy No
vember twilight, by the above indignant
words
II don't consider that position would
excuse Mrs. Cotgreave in the least" was
the biting response.
How any one can possibly be so blind!
| The most excellent man that ever livedW
Then with sudden change of tone !:
Have you thought him looking quite
himself lately, Miss Adams?"
Miss Adams shook her head.
Very far from it," she said. 'Yester-
day. at the Ladies' Bible Glass. he looked
absolutely haggard. He is worried; that
is the cause. The spirit ofopposition en-
gendered by Mrs. Cotgreave is a contin-
ued distress to him. I consider her an
absolutely unprincipled woman"
The person thus disposed of was stand
ing at that moment warming one foot on
the fender in the 0rawing-room which
the two ladies had just lett. She was
tall woman, clad in tailor-made tweed
dress cut by no dressmaker known to the
suburbs. Even about her pose there was
vigorous freedom ana self-confidence,
as she stood, skirt a little lifted and held
back, glancing carelessly over her shoul-
der towards the other occupant of the
room-a large and placid-looking woman,
who sat by the teatable. Her face was
dark and well-ieatured, full of quick hu-
NOR and vivid, uncOmpromising force.
Magdalen Cotgreave was not a subur-
ban production. She had married, as an
unusually clever girl of six and twenty;
and she had spent the six years OF her
not very satisfactory married life in vari-
Gus continental Capitals. She had friends
all over Europe IN every rank OF society,
and when, after two years OF widowhood,
she arranged to spend some time in the
household of one of her brothers, every
reason for the step Was assigned by every
creature by whom it was discussed, ex-
cept the right one, namely, that her
brother was not well off, and it had oc-
CURED to Mrs. Cotgreaye that sharer in
the expenses Of his housekeeping would
be a not unwelcome addition to his
family.
Magdalen Cotgreaye had been in the
| habit OF creating interest and entertain
ment for herself out of any surroundings
among which she happened TO find her
self, and she had made no doubt of find
lug both in the life of her brothers. neigh
norhood. She was born leader-if not
OF the Government, then of the opposition;
and the Government, in the sphere in
which she now found herself, being al
ready amply provided for, her opposi-
ton was obviously preordained. Her
activity in that position, and her appre-
citation of the situation alter six months
trial of it, was being set forth by her now
to her sister-in-law, as it had frequently
been set forth before, i'll terse ana decis-
i've but not unmuslcal speech.
This is not neighborhood," she was
saying; it's not a set even! It's par
ishl Its every notion is parochially
bounded. My dear Agnes, have you
single idea in life beyond your duty to
your husband and your duty to your
vicar? l know it's joy TO you, and to
all the other ridiculous women. to hang
on Mr.. Marvin's words and obey his
slightest nod, and l know it's joy to
him TO receive your reverent alteration.
But how the process can delight heaven l
altogether fail to understand"
al wish you wouldn't say things like
that, Magdalen, DEAR" answered Mrs
Haldane placidly. "Of course, l know
clever people always have odd ideas, but
it sets bad example. That horrid Mrs.
Smithson wasn't talking at all nicely
about the vicar yesterday. And by the
by, Magdalen, she was saying that you
said that his little boys were at a very
cheap school. and that it was very odd."
a brusque exclamation broke from
Mrs. Cotgreave, and she turned sharply.
"Really, Agnes" she said, 81 think
you might know better. l detest gossip.
Your horrid Mrs. Smithson gave me the
piece of information you have repeated,
two years ago, and il did not interest me
in the least-as l told her."
Mrs. Haldane hastened to reply depre-
catingly.
"Of courser' she said, 81 knew there
must be a mistake somewhere. Only
you see it is really so very distressing TO
us all to have the dear vicar talked about
| like thatW
She rose as she spoke to look for some
thing on the writing able, and in mo-
ment or two she appealed to her sister
in-law.
"Magdalen." she said, where did you
put the charity account book?'
Parish account books were by no means
uncommon objects in the Haldanes'
house. Mr.. Haldane was the Rev. Paul
Marvin's church warden, and undertook
the parish accounts. But the question
had more effect upon Mr.. Cotgreave than
the ordinary nature OF its subject seemed
to warrant. She moved abruptly, so that
her face was invisible to Mrs. Haldane.
Then she raised her head abruptly.
Its in my room," she said. ''I'll get
it for you" She crossed the room with a
quick, characteristic step; but with her
hand upon the door she paused. Gag
knes," she said brusquely, 'do not tell
7 Mr.. Marvin that l did the account for
Richard. don't wish him to know it,"
Nearly ten minutes had passed when
she came down again. and as she drew
near the drawing-room door the sound
of voices-one of them mans voice
was audible. Mrs. Cotgreave's brows
contracted sharply, and she opened the
door and went in.
The Rev. Paul Marvin was sitting in
the most comfortable chair the room
afforded, drawn up to the fire in his honor.
He was tall man, with powerful, we'll
made figure, conspicuous for an air of
restless energy or vitality, which dom-
mated even his present attitude of luXri-
Gus repose. The same air was perhaps
the first characteristic which struck an
observer OF his handsome features, and in
his face it produced an expression of au-
thority and assurance. His eyes were
very pleasant, kindly and keen, and ab-
solutely direct in their gaze. If there
were lines about his mouth and nose en-
luSHtlJ suggestive VI SupeICillOusuoss
and vanity, it needed more penetration
than was possessed by the majority of
his parishioners to detect them.
He was speaking to Mrs. Haldane as
Mrs. Cotgreave came in; and though he
deliberately finished his sentence as he
rose. his full, mellow. slightly dictatorial
voice became trlfie stiff and constrained.
Mrs. Cotgreave crossed the room, laying
the book she carried upon the writing
table as she passed, with quick glance
at her sister-in-law.
"Resting from your labors, Mr.. Mar