The herald., 1898-06-12

age made his place secure. Shortly at
ter we arrived, Sir Thomas Vernon alst
arrived at his house in Grosvenol
, square. We were bound to meet him
for Giles went much into gay society
as 7 did. in the train of Lady Hawk.
shaw. The first time this occurred was
at drum at her Grace of Auchester's
where all of London was assembled.
There was the usual crush and clam.
or of a fine party; and I, being young
and unsophisticated, enjoyed it, as die
Daphne. Names were bawled out al
the head of the stairs, but could not be
distinguished over the roar of voices
happened to be near the door with
Giles,-and Lady Arabella was near by
when heard the name of Sir Thomas
Vernon shouted out and he entered.
| He was man of middle size, and
was between forty and fifty years OF
age. He might once have been hand
some; but the ravages of an evil ma
ture and a broken constitution were
plainly visible in his countenance.
observed that as he stood, glancing
about him before making his devoirs
to the Duchess of Auchester, that no
one spoke to him, or seemed disposed
to recognize him. This only brought a
sardonic grin to his countenance. He
advanced, and was civilly, though not
cordially, received by her Grace. At
that moment, Giles approached, and
spoke to her. Sir Thomas scowled upon
Giles, but bowed slightly; and Giles re-
turned the look by steady glance, and
this singing remark:
Good evening, Sir Thomas. You look
very i'll. Is your health as desperate as
heard it was two years ago?"
A litter went around at this. and
Giles moved off, smiling. Sir Thomas
was unpopular, there could be no doubt
about that.
About midnight the company broke
up, and our party made move to go,
but Lady Arabella announced that she
had been invited by her Grace of Au-
chester to stay the night, and she
wished to do so. Neither Sir Peter nor
Lady Hawkshaw perfectly approved;
but Lady Arabella carried her point,
with the assistance Of the duchess. At
the last moment, her Grace-a fine wo-
man-approaehed me, and said conf
dentially:
"Mr. Wynne,-Glynn, mean,-will
you not remain, and share game with
a choice collection of players?"
I was fiattered at being asked: and
besides, 1 wanted to see how these
great London ladies acted at such play.
so l accepted. But it was another
thing to get away from Lady Hawk
shaw. However, 1 managed to elude
her, by giving a shilling to a footman,
who showed me into little closet, and
then went and told Lady Hawkshaw
had gone home In a coach with a gen.
tleman who had been taken i'll, and
had left word for them to go without
me. This pacified her, and she and Sir
Peter and Daphne went away with the
crowd. There were left about twenty
persons, who, after little supper, and
general expressions of relief at the de-
parture of the other guests, sat down
to play, at one in the morning. There
was a cabinet minister, also a political
parson, two peers of the realm, several
officers of the Guards, Giles Vernon,
and your humble servant. The ladies
were mostly old-Lady Arabella was
the youngest of them all,-but all very
great in rank.
1 had wanted to see London ladies
play-and 1 saw them. Jack, with his
greasy cards, in the forecastle, laying
his months wages, was child to them.
And how they watched one another,
and quarreled and fought!
No one among them played so eager
ly as Lady Arabella; and very badly,
as usual, so that she managed to lose
all her money. She was ever a bad
player, with all her passion for play.
Her last guinea went and then, deter
mined not to be baked, she rose and
said, laughing:
It have on a new, white satin petit
coat, with lace that cost three guineas
the yard. 1t is very fit for waistcoats.
No gentleman will be so ungallant as
to refuse my petticoat as a stake
OF course. they all applauded; and
Lady Arabella, retiring behind screen,
emerged with her satin petticoat-how
it shone and shimmered.-in her hand.
And in five minutes, she had lost it to
i, Giles Vernon.
| There was much laughter but Giles,
gravely folding it up, laid it aside; and
when we departed, in the gray light of
dawn, he carried it off under his arm.
AS for ME, had lost all the money
had with me, and had given my I o u
for three hundred pounds.
Next day Lady Arabella was dropped
in Berkeley square by her Grace of
Auchester. 1t was in the afternoon,
and I was setting in the Chinese room
with Lady Hawkshsw and Daphne
when Lady Arabella appeared.
well, Dicky," she said,-a very Of
fensive mode of addressing mellow
do you stand your losses at play?"
And as I am a sinner, she pumped out
the whole story of my play to Lady
Hawkshaw and Daphne. AS an officer
and a gentleman, scorned to retaliate
by telling of the white satin petticoat.
But vengeance was at hand. Just as
she had finished when Lady Hawk
shaw was swelling with rage, like a
toad before opening her main batteries
on me, and Daphne's fair eyes were full
of contempt for me, we heard a COM
motion outside. None of us could keep
from going to the window, and the
sight we saw threw Lady Arabella in a
perfect tempest of angry tears.
A fife and drum were advancing up
the street, playing with great vigor the
old tune known as "Petticoats Loose"
Behind them marched, with the deep
est gravity, couple of marines, bear
ing aloft on their muskets a glittering
shimmering thing that fiuttered white
! ly in the air. 1t was Lady Arabella' g
satin petticoat; and halting before the
door, the drum, with a great flourish,
pounded the knocker, and on the por-
ter's responding, the two marines
handed the petticoat in with ceremony
to him, directing him to convey 1t to
| the Lady Arabella Stormont, with the
compliments Of Lieutenant Giles Ver-