New-York tribune., 1897-01-31


pie became wedged en- masse on the stairs un-
able to move backward forward, 1t was
hardly possible to distinguish Jane In the general
press much less greet her as the mistress of the
house and giver Of the evenings hospitality. -.
| They will never get into the supper-room.
rad Jane anxiously: as she gazed at the incTeas,
! Ing stream. my dear Mrs. Maddenharn' am
| sure you have asked too many people,!
| Not a bit Of it, retorted Mrs. Maddea1am.
| 1.-THE more we can keep them squeezed up mere
the less chance they will have OF disturbing
| Is only for the royal set
| This was a staggerer for Jane. and she was
about to enter protest against sucn an sra
arrangement when there was a sudden sur-a
! swaying movement IN the crowd on the stars
and two broadly smiling gentlemen entered. fol-
| lowed by two other somewhat serious yentis ~
| All of whom blandly shook hands with Mrs Mad
| denham. who, in her turn. bobbed lemurey up
| and down to the two smiling gentlemen ana
nodded Familiarity to the two serious gentlemen:
and then pfoted them over to a certain portion OF
| the room where a bevy Of the ripping ladies'
| elsewhere alluded to awaited their coming.
Jane looked about her bewilderedly. t was De.
| ginning to be like the luncheon party at Henley,
| there seemed to be no room for her Mt all HAD
royalty" arrived? Were those two broadly sm-
| ing gentlemen the great ones? and the two
serious gentlemen the equerries In attendance |!
| They had all passed her-they had not houoed
her: Mrs Maddenham had borne them av ay-
| afar but whittier Putting on her gold trimmed
| glasses. Jane peered into every corner ana founu
| no sign of either the broadly smiling or the ser-
| Gus gentlemen at all: as matter OF fact, they
| had passed out through the opposite door with
the ladies they had selected as their companions
| and were gone down to supper The band playen
| gay music-the noise Of tongues and the SWISH
! Of silk dresses became confuslng-the scent OF
! flowers. mingling with the sclSlier odor of arti-
| fetal perfumes. assailed James nose and irritated
| it-and a sudden wrath began 10 kindle In her
usually peaceable mind Was 1t possiple-couu '1. i.
| be likely-that Mrs. MadGenham had gene down
| to supper without presenting her the actual
| hostess Of the occasion, to royalty at All! IL
seemed like tit really seemed very like it! Jane
fat nvtc hprn
! a belated stranger in doubt and perplexity, ;h,n
| suddenly percelving two Of her flunkeys encaScd
| in handing wine, coffee. ices and other refresh
ments among the people who were crowded III
| the drawing room. she becSored one Of them 10
| come up to her The man did so.
Have the royal people come. she an, asked him.
"Oh yes'm. They are in the suppor-room
| "Is Mrs. Maddenham there"
"Yes'm. Mrs Maddonham Is 1T the royal table
| Supper has commenced. them
! "Oh yes'm. Suppers well on now.
Jane asked no more questions. rae ana CAM
| and full OF her grand manner. which gave ner
I an almost regal air. she made her way Slowly
| and with elaborate care and courtesy down the
| broad staircase. apoogizing sweetly II she
| chanced TO brush against a dress or disturb
sde-nirtation-and both men and women paused
| in their gabble 10 stare at her and say. sotto
vcce "Why. believe that's old Miss Belmont.
| Pom my life. it's the woman whose house we are
| in"'
II "old Miss Belmont heard any of these COM
ments she gave sign but pursued the even
tenor of her way till. arriving at the bottom OF
the grand staircase, she paused, hesitating ana
| looking about her The doors of the dining
| room, where the royal supper party was going
| on were closed: but on the lefthand side of the
| hall the smokngroorn was open to view, and
she saw that il was crowded with men. Lea by
| some unaccountab bic impulse she moved thither
| with a kind OF idea that If she should happen 70
any friend Of her own amorg the party she
would ask him to go in TO Mrs. Maddenham and
| tell her gently that she had in the excitement or
the occasion forgotten the existence OF her
| hosttss AS she approached the Threshold how
che ttoh
! spoken which brought ner TO sudden stand
still and made the generous blood in her veins
rush back 70 her heart in quick. angry tide
| that blanched her checks and made her tremoie
who's the woman that's giving this affair to-
night" asked one man. DO know her; er,.o,,-
"Of course do" said anOther .EVery-
body knows the ubiquitous ticker of royal boots
| Mrs Maddenham."
oh I don't mean her said the first man
wbd's ,ena pa wing ing to get in with the set
"Oh that's Miss Belmont: the old maid who
came suddenly into : fortune the other DAY
put In n third man. "NaDid. rapid Jane. as
some people call her. "Sne's pretty tough hen.
you know-over fifty by her own account. But
she's coming out with a vengeance. ShouIdnt
wonder II she married duke In the emo one
got the dbs to do it..
what does she look ke?' inquired another
man.
her myself provided she let me have my own
way afterwaTd.
, a laugh went around the room. followed by
"Are thas James cigars?' said another Ian
guild drawing voice. presently. IT so, she
knows how to choose good brand! Wonder II
she smokes
They laughed again.
II suppose she's in with the Royalties at
supper" the next remark
Not bit OF it, eagerly exclaimed the hrst
man who had spoken. Little Maddenham knows
better than that. The Royalties don't know
her any more than Adam-why should they!
What on earth should royalty want with
Jane?"
The laughter this time WAS prolonged and
boisterous.
Rum old girl she must he" said another Of
the speakers at last. but she's got firstclass
establishment. Rather tempting to me- don cher
know: could do with it very comfortably
Pon my word, think I'll have a try for Jane.
I should like to see her first. though"
At that very moment Jane. pale, composed
and queenly in her demeanor appeared IN the
doorway.
You see her now. sir" she said quietly. Il
am Miss Belmont"
There was a sudden pause-a Mortified pause.
in which each man in the smokng-room looked
painfully conscious of feeling more or less of
| fool
II am Miss Belmont" pursued Jane. speaking
firmly and with most uurufiled composure. This
house the ARRANGEMENTS Of which you are good
enough to approve. is mine. And being mine.
have TO request you all to leave IT,"
The silence grew more deadly. The men
hastily put down their half-smoked cigars and
stared helplessly at one another The rum old
girl" rum indeed
"Ny dear Miss Belmont" began one man
fecbly surely you are too sensible TO take
offence at few words spok n hastily and with
out thought
II have not taken offence. SIR. said Jane,
calmly "I have sim ply been under a misappre-
henson. I imagined was entertaining gentle
men whose code Of honor was ST ch that nothing
could have persuaded them to make vulgar jest
ing out Of the name and fame Of any woman
in whose house they were being Hospitality re-
ceivet. I have now perceived my error. I must
therefore again request all Of you to leave the
premises
by Jove." gasped one young man. turning
quite pale in the extremity Of his amazement.
"ihe means it,
But my dear Miss Belmont" urged another
man. in deepening CONSERVATION. Mrs Mad
| denham"-
Mrs Maddenham is not mistress here" said
Jane II am. Have the goodness. if you please,
| to understand that am In earnest Go quietly