Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-08-25
VOL. III.
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
From the very first step he made inside
the outer hall, with Its oaken nail-studded
door. tesselated pavement and diamond
paned windows, Armathwaite felt that the
atmosphere of this spick and span man
sion was as different from that of the
desolate-looking, rambling old house In
which he had passed the previous night
as light from darkness. A great hrs
burned In a high tiled fireplace. square
brass lanterns hung from the roof. and
the sunlight streamed through stained
glass, and made the armor shine and the
tiles of the fireplace glitter. until the In
conner was dazzled whichever way he
looked.
Lady Kildonan darted through the
Marie Antoinette curtains with the grace
full agility which recalled to Arma-
thwaite's mind the movements Of a grey
hound, and leading him along a passage
which was evidently a reproduction of a
convent cloister, opened the door of one
of the rooms with an arch pOut of peni.
tential occurrences.
"For what we are about TO receive"
she whispered. and sprang into the room
like a ray of sunshine.
1t was the morning room, entirely in the
taste of fashionable London room, with
bent-wood furniture and plush-betasseled
cushions, Japanese vases and Japanese
screens, reed curtains and dried bulrushes,
with an antique" cabinet, and a lot of
little tiresome tables, laden with objects
of no value to the owner or to anybody
else. Half a dozen figures sprang up like
Jacks In the box from different parts of
the room as Lady Kildonan came in, and
Armathwaite recognized each individual
by hasty sketch he had received from
his hostess on their way hither. Lady Kill
donan, after few words to everybody,
and a glance round the room in apparent
search for some one who was not there,
went to take her hat off, leaving Arma-
thwaite to the tender mercies of circle
whose powers of entertainment his hos
tess had not maligned. He passed the
time endurably until Lady Kildonan re-
entered the room and carried them off to
tennis in a covered court at the end of
the clOister. This WAS a spacious place,
sufficiently warmed by hot pipes, with
high glass roof and a carpeted gallery at
one end, from which the non-players could
watch the players luxuriOusly In lounginf
chai-s IS
slAy are working th.ho was a far bette,
4exico for all it is present except Arma-
Zs,. =: a. I, BE- oa1fs iaF poor
girls, as thel looked ill-shapeo and clum-
~ beside her, ran up Into the gallery to
rest after half an hours play, and calling
the young doctor to her, was chatting
merrily with him when they both caught
sight of a man standing half-hidden by
the plants In the conservatory.
''Ned!' cried Lady Kildonan, springing
up with flash of excitement
Edwin Crosmont came forward, sullen
and silent. She stood looking at him for
one moment: then, with hasty apology
to Armathwaite and an anxious express
sion In her eyes, she joined the agent,
and they walked away together, affecting
to stop from time to time to gather q leaf
or smell flower, but evidently intent on
some exciting subject of talk. Arma-
thwaite, who was sitting at one corner
Of the gallery where he could look both
Into the conservatory and into the court
below, saw them disappear together be-
hind the central grove of camellias and
other tall plants, and tried to interest
himself In the game going on below. Just
as d little excitement was caused In the
court below by the entrance of tall man,
very much wrapped up, and wearing blue
spectacles, whom the rest greeted az
"Lord Kildonan," he suddenly heard the
voice of Lady Kildonan In tones of pas
sionate excitement
II tell you you must insist upon her
staying. Use any means you like, but
make her stay. Am nobody? Are my
wishes, Is my life, nothing to your
Into Armathwaite's mind rushed tho re-
membrance of the poor lady who had saw
ed his life, as It seemed miraculously. the
previous night; and even before he could
argue with himself whether or not he
should listen to this talk, which might
prove to throw some light on the mystery
Of the unhappy wife's position, he heard,
after a whispered answer In the mans
voice. the lady's clearer, shriller tones.
"If you are tired Of doing my pleas
ore. can soon find somebody else tor
Another short, angry, inaudible speech.
Then Lady Kildonan's voice again.
"Well, and haven't / made use Of doc
tors before now? Answer me that!'
Crosmont said something, to which she
replied In a whisper, having apparently
been warned that she might be overheard;
and Armathwaite caught no word more,
though faint tones of their voices came to
him from time to time for the next few
minutes. Presently they both Joined him
where he still sat watching the group be-
low, and Lady Kildonan, who seemed al
ready to have recovered her usual man
ner, told the young doctor that he must
come down and be introduced to her hus-
band. He followed her down the narrow
iron staircase into the tennis court, where
breaking up the group which surrounded
her husband, she tripped gaily to him. and
Slipping her arm within his, told him she
had brought a visitor to see him, who was
almost as learned as himself, and intro
dnced Armathwaite, who was stnpefied
with SURPRISE both at the appearance of
his host and the manner in which the lat
ter received him.
Instead of the cross grained, withered-
looking person he had been led by descrip-
tion to expect. he saw a tall broad shoul-
dered, fresh-colored man. with scant
sandy hair and plain Scotch features that
seemed to shine with an expression of
mingled shrewdness and kindliness which
made the whole face irresistibly attrac-
tive.
When luncheon was over. Lord Kill
donan afrectonafely asked his wife how
she was going to amuse herself during the
afternoon. and whether she would drive
him as far as Piasmere, where he had
some business.
"Oh, Archibald. I simply cnn't!' she an
swered at once. 81 am expecting the Stan
rords. and il were TO be out when they |
.ame, Mrs. Stanford would cut me for |
ever. Take Lady Croydon or Aunt The |
resa-and BERTHE South TO talk to you,"
she added in low voice.
"NO; If you can't come with me, I'll |
put it off until Tomorrow" replied her |
husband. IFS not n very urgent matter. |
And | will show DIR. Armathwaite my |
books" he added, evidently finding con-
ISOLATION in that prospect.
We had led the way across the mediae- !