Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-08-06
fHERiIsLlnOI oFlSlVlrE
By GILBERT PARKER
lcopyrish.. 1893, by tho J. h uppincots oOl

CHAPTER v.
Il is Just as well psrhaps that the
matter had become notoriouA Other
wise the Armours had lived in that un
pleasant condition Of being constantly
discovered. It was simply case Of
aiming at absolute secrecy. which had
been frustrated by Fraak himself. OF
bold and unembarrassed acknowledge
ment and an attempt to carry things of
with high hand The latter course
was the only one possiblc 1t had origi.
nally been Richards idea appropriated
by General Armour and accepted by
Mrs Armour and Marion with what
grace was possible The publication Of
the event prepared their friends and
precluded the necessity for r,scrve.
What the friends did not know was
whether they ought or ought not IL
commiserate the Armours 1t was diff
ficult position A death, IN accident. a
lost reputation, would have bcei easy
to them. Concerning these there could
be no doubt But an Indian daughter
in.law, person in moccasins, was
scarcely thing to be congratulated
upon. and yet sympathy and consolation
might be much misplaced. No one could
tell how the Armours would take Ii,
for even their closest acquaintance
knew what kind Of delicate hauteur was
possible to them. Even the centric"
Richard. who visited the cottages Of the
poor. carrying soup and luxuries OF
many kinds, accompanying them with
the most wholesome advice single man
ever gave TO families and the heads Of
families, whose laugh was so CHEEKY
and spontaneous-and face so uncom-
monty grave and sad at timcs-had q
faculty for manner. With astonishing
suddenness he could raise insurmounta-
BILE barriers, and people not of his or
der, who occasionally presumed on his
simplicity Of life and hSits. found
themselves put distinctly i'll at ease by
quiet curious look in his eye n
man was ever more the recluse and at
the same time the man d the world.
He had had his bitter little comedy Of
life, but il was different from that Of
his brother Frank. Ii was buried very
deep. Not one Of his family knew Of
it, Edward Lambert and one or two
others who had good reason never TO
speak Of it were the only persons pos
sessing his secret
But all England knew of Franks
mesallianca. And the question was,
What would people do? They very prop
erly did nothing at first They waited
20 see how tho Armours woald act; they
did not congratulate; they did not con-
sole. That was left TO those papers
which chanced 10 resent General Ar
mour's politics and those others which
we've emotional and sensational ON ev-
cry subject, particularly so where wom-
en Were concerned
1t was the beginning Of the season,
but the Armours had decided that they
would not 60 to town-thai is, the gen
eral and his wife We're not going. They
felt that they ought 10 be III Greyhope
with their daughter.in- law, which was
10 their credit. Regarding Marion they
had nothing To say. Mrs. Armour in
clined to her going To town sor the sea-
son 10 visit Mrs. Townley. who had
thoughtfully written to her saying that
she was very lonely and begging Mrs
Armour to let her come, If she would.
She said that Of course Marion would
SEQ much of her people in town just the
same. Mrs Townley was a very clever
and tactful woman. She guessed that
General Armour and his wife We're not
likely to come to town, but that must
not appear. and the invitation should
be on different basis, rs ii was.
1t is probable that Marion saw through
the delicate plot, but that cid not make
her like Mrs. Townley less These lit
tie pieces Of art make life poasible-thesc
tender fictionsl
Marion was, however, not In good
humor She was nervous and little
petulant. She had high strung tenn
permanent, a sensitive perception OF the
fitness Of things and horror Of what
was gauche, and she would, III brief,
make q rather austere person II tho
lines Of life did not run Iii her favor.
She had something of Franks inpul.
sivencss and temper. 1t would have
been u great blessing to her il she had
had portion Of Richards philosophical
humor also. She was at n point OF ten
sion-her mother and Richard could SEQ
that. She was anxious-though, for the
world, she would not have had it thought
so-regarding Captain Vidal She had
never cared for anybody bnt him. IL
was possible she mover would But he
did not know this, and she was not alb
solutely sure that his evident but rs yet
informal love would stand this strain.
which shows how people very honora-
bic and perfect minded in themselves
may allow q large margin TO other peo-
pie who are presumably honorable and
perfect minded also.
There was no engagement between
them, and he was not bound In any
way, and conld. therefore, without slash
ing the hem Of the code, retire without
any apology, but they had had that un-
spoken understanding which most peo-
pie who love each other show even be-
fore word Of declaration has passed
their lips. II he Withdrew because OF
this scandal, there might be some awk-
ward hours for Frank Armour's wife ut
Greyhope, but more than that there
would be q very hard hearted young
lady to play her part in the deceitful
world. She would he as merciless as
she could be. Naturally, being young,
she exaggerated the Importance Of the
event and brooded on it. 1t was differ
ent with her father and mother. They
were shocked and indignant at first, but
when the first scene had been faced they
began to make the best Of things all
round-that is, they proceeded at once
to turn the North American Indian into
q European, matter Of no little diff
Guilty. A governess was discussed, but
General Armour did not like the idea,
and Richard opposed it heartily. She
must be taught English and educated
and made possible ''in Christian cloth.
ing," as Mrs. Armour put it. OF the
education they almost despaired-all
save Richard. Time, instruction, vani-
ty and dressmaker might do much as
to the other.
The evening of her arrival Lali would
not. with any urging, put. on clothes OF
Marion's which had been sent In to her.
And the next morning it was still the
same. She came into the breakfast room
dressed still in buckskin and moccasins,
and though the grease had been taken
en4 of har hair IL xxas still c0mhed fat