The record-union., 1897-04-11

Dell before he became Earl of Drum
leigh. He had friends in the neigh
borhood with whom he used to stay. 1
saw good deal of him when 1 was
young
Really" and Arthur Morvyn. re-
Numbering that she had twenty thou
sand year, sought about in his brain
for suitable compliment-'I shouldn't
have thought you We're old enough to
remember my father
He was just seven years my senior"
replied Jane calmly.
Regularly gives herself awav,"
thought Arthur Morvyn in amazement.
If she We're only up-to-date she'd wear
carroty wig, put on young frocks
and pass for thirty. Rum old truth
teller, pom my life.''
Yet he was so much impressed by
the rum old truth-teller'' that he
could not help thinking a great deal
about her, not only during that Henley
week but for some time afterward.
One day the Honorable Mrs. Madden
ham came to Jane in a great fiutter of
excitement and said:
My dear, l have got a splendid
chance for you. A magnificent op-
portunity to make your mark once and
for all in society and to be acknowl-
edged as one of the very tiptop lead
ers of fashion! You will be charmed"
Shall I?' asked Jane with her silly
smile"
Shall your" echoed Mrs Madden
ham, Il should think so, indeed! What
woman would not be proud and CRATE
full to entertain royalty?"
What sort of 'royalty'?" INQUIRED
Jane, doubtfully. For she remem-
bered His Serene Highness of Lump
fernel with no particular ardor or en-
thusiasm.
Mrs. Maddenham laughed rather
bOisterously.
what a dear thing you arei' she
eXclaimed-"what a quaint. dear thingl
You are positively humorous some
times. l know quite what you mean
when you ask what sort of royalty p
though you know they are all of the
same kind, little and big-all connected
with first-class German houses"-this
as if she were speaking of business
firms with whom she was connected in
some kind of trade But this time
it's tip-top royalty, my deari" and
looking cautiously around she drew
nearer to Jane and Whispered some
thing in her ear. Then she pulled her
self back with a jerk and a triumphant
smile. There! What do you think
OF that? 1t will simply make youi"
Jane did not know what to think of
it. The two names whispered in her
ear had certainly startled her, and a
gentle and old-fashioned loyalty of soul
made her at once DESTROYS of doing her
best to entertain the great personages
whom Mrs. Maddenham had mentioned.
not out of any personal vanity. but sim
ply because she felt that if such exalted
individuals chose to honor her house
by visit nothing could possibly be too
good Tor them. But all the same she
was puzzled and bewildered.
You must forgive me if 1 am rather
dense" she said at last, after a pause
but L do not quite understand. How is
IL that these gentlemen know of me?
And why should they propose to visit
me at all? / have not invited them
and would not have presumed so far"
An, that is my management" ex-
claimed Mrs. Maddenham, triumphant-
ly. Il have been working YOU I'D step
by step. and now l have got you to the
very top of the tree Leave everything
in my hands! All l want to know is
whether you give me carte blanche? T
VIII mango the whole affair Splendidly
for youi''
But" persisted Jane mildly, "why do
they want to come to me? What makes
them think of coming?"
Mrs. Maddenham was a little bit con-
fused. 1t would never do to tell the
whole truth to Jane-she would never
understand. She would never see the
necessity, the convenience. them
short, the everything of the matter. So
she said, evasively:
They wish to do you honor. nv dearr
That's all. And if you are not pleased
and proud. you are very ungrateful
Shall 1 say you will be happy to receive
them, and get the day fixed? 1t will
have to be a late supper party, 1
think?'
Jane considered a little-then. with a
slight sigh, folded her hands meekly.
and with an air of resignation.
DO as you think best she said.
but please say everything that is re-
spectful and right on my part to their
royal highnesses."
Mrs. Maddenham grinned to herself
at the words respectful and right"
Poor old Jane! She's too funny for
anything" she soliloquized LAS if anu
one cared hang for her respectful
and right greetings She ought to
have lived in the Middle Ages!''