Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-12-19

IL IN he who brought the RushertOns into
CarrOnby House, and he tells himself
TINT he cannot see them insulted. SO he
assumes a higher tone to Gladys than he
has ever used before.
1T Is for me to decide whom you re.
ccivc or do not receive. my DEAR" he
answers. "and whOmever / ask to my
house you will be good enough to enter.
tain with the courtesy betting the rank
to which have raised you."
CHAPTER XIII.
Mountcarron's words are perfectly no.
lite, but they are very severe. Gladys
bites her lip, and taps her foot upon the
floor, as she replies:
II shall not receive tho Rushcrtons
again!"
The Earl rises and carefully closes the
drawing.room door, which IL standing
ajnr.
II think we will settle this little mat.
ter before We 20 to bed, The snys. quietly,
rs he reseats himself. II have dr,i.ngs
with old Rushcrton-transnc which
concern the stock-farm-whic.i uJlige me
to be polite to him and to his family"
"That need not neccssitate your ask.
Ing them to dinner" intcrpo)atcs Lady
Mountcarron.
"Will you hear me out. Gladys? II
does necessitatc my keeping on good
terms with Mr.. Rushcrton, and the great
est compliment can pay him Il to ask
him land Of course his wife and daughter)
to dine Mt our table,"
"And the worst compliment you can
pay me-"
II really don't see II. I don't pretend
they nre creme dc Ia creme, but they arc
highly respectable people, and we can do
In the country what We cannot afford to
do In town. And I'm sure you can have
no fault to find with the daughter. She
has been educated mt a high.class school,
and In considered one Of the beauties of
Sussex. She In n splendid ridcr-rcally to
see that girl In the fold IL q picture-and
she Ii clever, and brilliant, and"
II don't care what she Is out Of DOORS"
cried Gladys, impetuously, ''she Is n fast,
prcsuming creature In tho house, and
cannot bear her. Why, she talked to me
40 II she had known me all my life.
Could anything be In more cxecrablc taste
from a woman In her position to one In
miner"
The Earl laughs derisively.
"Ah. l see It oil now. Your ladyship's
pride has been wounded. and you can't
forgive II. You expected these people to
Ike at your feet all tho evening, and you
are Indignant TO find that they treated
you like an equal. And 80 you were their
equal before I made you Countess Of
Mountcarron. You seem to forget that"
II was never their equal" cries Gladys,
firing M. "Do you mean to tell me that
you consider those vulgar old people on a
par with my dear father and mother: or
that their pushing daughter can compare
with mcY ] have some Of the best blood
Of England running In my veins. I am
on equality with any man or woman In
the land, although you do seem to think
30 much Of the coronct condcsccnded to
accept at your hands,"
"You were cominoncr before you wore
u. all the same" retorts Mountcarron.
"fonr father ranks among the gentry Of
Education In nero accident. You all
spring from q common stock"
II think" says Gladys deliberately,
Cnn assume, II think there II no greater
vulgarity In tho world than to boast Of
the rank which has como to us by In.
heritance only. That II an accident, II
you like, and you cannot bring yourself
down to the level OF creatures like the
Rushcrtons, better than by talking 40 II
man Of birth. But rs you seem to admire
them 30 much. perhaps that II the object
you have In vicw."
angry.
ut IL very strange" he says, "that yo,,
have never attempted to speak to me In
you tonight. Gladys? What II the rea.
son Of 1t ailY'
"You have never given me occasion to
speak like this BEFORE" she answers,
"but when ! see you degrading yourself
by assoclating familiarly with such pe0-
pie 40 these. ! consider Il 10 time to
speak. Besides. you 6irtcd with that girl
all the evening, aud you know It,"
The Earl whistles significantly.
THAT'S where the shoe pinchcs, 10 Il?
! cannot try aud make myself agreeable
to a lady at my own table. whom you are
treating with marked neglect, without In.
curing tho Onus Of flirting with her.
Now. Gladys, ] want to put question to
you. Have ] ever tried to thwart any
wish OF yours?"
II have never said you did"
"That IL no answer. Have ever inter
fered with Your companions or amuse.
ments? Have not let you go about free
as air where You chose and with whom
you chose!"
Gladys. recalling her many walks and
rides with Jennie. falters consciously
"Yes."
"Well. why can't you accord me the
same liberty! don't ask you even to be
familiar with them. All l demand 70,
them Is a polite reception when they
come to my house. And that IL what
intend to have"
He speaks with more authority than he
has ever done before. and Gladys thinks
It prudent to give In to him. Did she
love him she would rot be 90 complainant.
But after all (as she says to HERSELF.
what does It signify? MountcarrOn may
control her actions, hut not her. manner.
aud 1t will be easy for her to show these
upstart Rushertons that they are not
welcome to tho hostess Of Carronby. 10
she answers lightly:
"All right. II You are determined on
II, Of course II must be! But for heavens
sake don't inAict me with them Oftener
than you can possibly help. feel as II
I had had enough Of that dreadful old
woman to last me lifetime"
The Earl laughs, aud says no thinks
he has had the same. and the matrimonial
storm blows over. The husband and wife
both learn something from It, however.
MOuntcarron, that Gladys can assert her
rights where she considers they are In
vaded, and Gladys, that MOuntcarrOn will