The morning times., 1896-01-19

! her husband. The late duke, in the family
vault at Luugiauds; now, when she had
| Just managed to retrieve the sha ttercd
| ducal fortunes by bringing of the engage
ment Of her ugly dissipated son, the pre5eit
| Duke, To Claudia Putnam, the richest Ameri-
| can heiress OF the season. now for this blow
| 10 fall upon her, IL was really too bad. The
only balm to her anguish was mat u had
| fallen at LOnEIands, in the wilds of York
shire. and That the whole thing might he
| hlshed up and hustled into oblivion with
out any one being any the wiser. She had
| gone TO Lonelauds 10 recruit after her
superhuman expenditure of energy during
| the London season; her only guest was
Claudia Putnam. her sons fiancee, with
whom she was busy planning alterations
and IenovatiOns for the new regime.
But the moment was robbed OF all its
| SAVIOR by TINS horrible catastrophe; this
what else could she call it?-this drivel-
ing idiOcy of the least plain and most hope
ful of her SIX ungainly daughters She
would have kept the hateful story entirely
TO herself If she could, but her heart was
too full for silence, besides, Claudia mad her
fair share of Yankee sh rewducss-she
might suggest a brilliant solution OF the
problem-so. as they sat over u cup OF tea
in her boudoir, the duchess opened her new
trouble to her future daug ghter-in-law.
I'm afraid, Claudia dear" sne began,
that we are going to have serious trouble
with Henrietta" Claudia was very fond
OF the duchess, so she tried 10 look sym
pathetic, though with Lady Henrietta,
who was wrapped up in parish work,
who wore impossible clothes, and did her
hair grotesquely, sne had no sympathy
whatever.
Dear me,' she replied. I'm sorry to
hear it; l hope she's not sick"
Sick" repeated the duchess. Il wish
she were, or anything half so sensible.
The fact is, she has been aud got herself
entangled Il u most unbcCOming love
affair"
Miss Putnam opened her blue eyes very
wide and set down her teacup with a Jerk.
N.Y. she exclaimed, and who on earth
has been making love to,Henrietta?"
The duchess lowered her voice. My
dear" she sad impressIvely, 1t IS Mr..
Gibson, the curate She vows she VIII
marry MIN. Isn't 1t awful?'
Rather awful for the curate," thought
Claudia TO herself; aloud she said. Have
ever met Mr.. Gibson?"
Certainly not, dear; we never invite him
here. He is not gentleman
Then where did Henrietta meet him?T
"Oh, in cottages and at the school. You
see she likes parish work, and | encouraged
her, it sets such good example, and we've
always had a married curate before; how
ever, when Mr.. Gibson came, never thought
OF, chaperoning her, because, you see, he
isn't a gentleman"
But, l suppose, Henrietta thinks he will
make her a suitable husband?'
My dear" cried the duchess, she can't
possibly think so. Why, his father keeps
a saddIers shop. He hasn't been To The
university. Oh, it's altogether dreadful,
and she's q obstinate as q mule about it
She broke off as the door opened 10 admit
a young man in a shooting suit. He was
plain. tnsignificdnt-looking parsonage, with
an air OF extreme self-approval.
I've Just been telling Claudia about this
stupid affair Of Henrietta s." went on the
duchess.
And what does Claudia think about it,
asked the plain young man, who was
Claudia's accepted lover, and who de-
posted his long limbs on the sofa beside
her and tried TO bestow a festive caTess On
the hand nearest 20 him.
Il guess I'm pretty well taken by sur
prise" said Miss Putnam, dra wing her
hand out OF her lovers reach.
Som L. said the duke plaCidly. I'm
dashed il l can imagine what he sees in
Henrietta. She amt pretty; t'otheT way
about rather. she's EOtnc money; and she's
years older than he i. I'm dashed II l
marry a woman like Henrietta, even il
was a saddler's son. I'm dashed II l
could even feel spoOny on her
Miss Putnam looked at him, She was
going TO marry man very like Henrietta,
and sse did not feel very spoony on him;
Size had accepted him for sundry reasons,
love being by no means the first or fore
most.
He must be an awfully susceptible chap
went on his grace, Ito lose his heart To
girl like Henrietta. And he's so obstinate,
too. about 1t. seems as il lie really cared
about her. thought perhapsit was mostly
ambition-her title and that sort of thing,
YOU know-and I've offered him all my in
fueuce in the way Of a leg up 70 prefer
ment but he won't 'thear OF it. Funny thing,
amt it? Now, il 1t had been girl ike
you, Claudia"
duchess" cried Miss Putnam, suddenly
interrupting her lover, Il have an in
spiration. You just send Henrietta away.
She can go to Jericho, or anywhere
else, for month or so, and when she
comes back the engagement VIII be broken
off. I'll manage it, you bet.'
She wouldn't answer any questions. She
said she thought she understood the exact
lie of the land. They might leave it all
TO her, So TO her il was left, and the
next day Lady Henrietta was packed off
to a married cousin in South Wales.
The following day, at Lady Aenrietta's
customary hour Miss Putnam walked into
the village schoolroom. She wore a dainty
blue cambria frock, which fitted her as
no frock in Henriettas lifetime had ever
fitted her. The little boys and girls
opened their eyes wide to look at her.
so did the schoolmistress, and so did Mr..
Gibson, the curate, who was hearing the
whole school in its church catechism.
GOOD morning" said Miss Putnam.
sweetly, Il am staying at the Towers. l