The herald., 1898-06-19
VII.

I speedily found, after that, my life
in Berkeley square uncomfortable. 1
felt constrained before Lady Arabella,
and what seemed strange to me, little
Daphne, who had hitherto treated me
with the greatest kindness, seemed to
take spite at me, and her gibes and
cuts were hard to bear. Neither Sir
Peter nor Lady Hawkshaw noted these
things, but they were strong enough
to impel me to ask Sir Peter to look
out for a ship for me at the Admiralty.
I saw Giles Vernon every day, and he
continued to come, with unabated as
surance. to Berkeley square. We were
not anxious that the fact of the duel
should leak out, and Overton was espe-
cially desirous to keep it quiet. OF
course, he came no more to Berkeley
square, and withdrew more and more
from his former associates. He began
to consort much with persons of the
John Wesley persuasion, spending much
OF his time, when not on duty, at Ok
ford, where the Wesleyans were numer-
Arabella treated Giles. and me, also,
with more civility than she had hither-
to shown. 1 could not think it sincere,
conciliate those who knew so much to
her disadvantage. But that she made no
effort to overcome her infatuation for
Overton, I very soon had proof. Sir
Thomas Vernon, soon after this, had
the assurance to present himself in Ber-
kelley square, and rare sport it was
Lady Hawkshaw, Lady Arabella,
Daphne, myself, and one or two other
in fha
room when he was ushered in.
Lady Hawkshaw and Sir Thomas
were old acquaintances, and had been
at feud for more than thirty years,
neither side asking or giving quarter
Sir Thomas had shrewd wit of his
own. and was more nearly a match for
Lady Hawkshaw than anyone 1 had
yet seen. He opened the ball by re-
marking on Lady Hawkshaw's i'm
proved appearance, and she retaliated
by telling Sir Thomas that he looked
younger than he did when she first
knew him, thirty years ago. AS Sir
Thomas hated any allusion to his age,
this shot told.
'And allow me to congratulate you,
Sir Thomas" added Lady Hawkshaw,
upon your very promising cousin, Mr..
L
est opinion of him, and he has won the
favor of the bong-tong to an extra
ordinary degree"
HE may have won the favor Of the
'bong-tong,'" replied Sir Thomas, i'm
pudently mimicking Lady Hawkshaw's S
French, ''but he has not yet succeeded
in winning my favor"
That's a pity" said Lady Hawk
say. 1t will not keep you alive a day
longer. And there is your other cousin,
Captain Overton of the Guards. He is
what SO few Of our young men are,
pious and God-fearing."
"And snivelling, John Wesley Meth
odist besides," snarled Sir Thomas, ex-
asperated.
BLESS me, Sir Thomas" cried Lady
Hawkshaw, don't be SO hard on those
worthy people, the Methodists."
I own this surprised me, for if there
was anything on earth upon which
Lady Hawkshaw was uncompromising
1t was Church and State; and, excellent
woman though she was, 1 believe she
would have been rather glad to make
one big bonfire Of all the dissenters in
England.
Slr InOmaS was Iar from 1nSenSible
to Lady Arabella's charms, and after
further exchange of hostilities with
Lady Hawkshaw, turned to Arabella.
She smiled upon him, and seemed anx-
ious to conciliate him; and in a little
while caught enough of their conver-
sation to know that she was telling
him of the meeting between Giles and
Overton, and representing that it had
been forced upon Overton by the insults
Of Giles Vernon Sir Thomas response
to her tale was, that he did not give a
damn for either Of them, and if both
had bit the dust he should not have
been sorry.
When Sir Thomas left, Lady Hawk
shaw called the tall footman.
"Jealnes," she said, when that-per-
son calls again, the ladies are not at
home. Do you understand"
James understood perfectly, in spite
Of Lady Arabella's scowls.
1t y not to be supposed that young