The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-15
CHAPTER XII,

/ CHAPTER XII.
I ON THE TOP OF THE TIDE,
| One of the rules Of Alan Stacey s life
was that when he took Il holiday it
should be real holiday. He was not
one of those persons who combine busi-
ness with pleasure and make themselves
an annoyance to their friends by keep.
ing the bogy Of work ever present with
them.
They left London Immediately after
the wedding. going by slow and easy
stages to Italy, and for three long, de-
licious months they reveled in luxu-
rious happiness. Alan Stacey made
travelling SO easy. He was content to
travel for pleasure; he detested people
! who made it business.
! mo, my dear SIR he said one day
to an enthusiastic American who was
badgering him to go and see an Etrus-
can tomb, II have not gone, and do
not mean to 90"
"But, my Gear sir, it is your duty to
! 60; you ought to go; you ought to i'm
prove your mind; you ought to see all
that there is to be seen. This is won
derful specimen, real old Etruscan
tomb. You may never have another op-
portunity Of seeing one so perfect and
interesting"
~ don'tcare, said Alan Stacey dog
| gedly. II came here to enjoy myself
with my wife. Ny wife doesn't care
about tombs, and I don't care about
tombs. All the Etruscan tombs in the
world will not be the smallest use to
me- They do not interest me, and they
do not. please me- and refuse to be
badgered into meditations which only
irritate and annoy me. Do you go and
look at the tomb and stay there. I shall
not complain. shall never grumble at
your choice Of habitation.
Poor thingi He means well, said
Mary when the energetic sightseer had
departed.
II dare say he does" Alan replied,
with laugh, "but wish he'd go and
mean well somewhere else. Let us move
on. You said yesterday that you would
Nike to go to Bella Villa. Let us go to
Bella Villa and lose him."
They worked their way home from
Italy at last, returning by way of the
Riviera, and the middle Of May saw
Mrs. Alan Stacey settled in the beauti-
full old house at Fulham, with what
was practically the world at her feet.
How happy she was! She had been
used to think that, no matter what fate
awaited her in the future, the horror,
the sickening dread, the terror, the re-
pugnance the shuddering misery, Of the
past would always be with her But it
was not so. Time, the wonderful ply.
stefan, taught her to forget, and by the
time she found herself installed in the
Fulham house she might SO far as her
feelings went, have been Mrs. Alan
Stacey for ten years instead of little
more than as many weeks.
On the very first morning after their |
arrival home she sent for the housekeep.
er who had been left in charge of the |
Sycamores at the time Of their mar |
riage.
II sent for you" said Mrs. Stacey
gently, "because it is better that we
should begin with clear understand
ing of how we mean togo on. You will
quite understand that as l shall con-
time to help Mr.. Stacey with his work
l shall have no time for housekeep-
ing. You understand Mr.. Stacey's
ways, his likes and dislikes. He has
been admirably satisfied with you in
the past, and would like you to know
now that l desire TO make no change.
So long as you continue to satisfy your
master you will satisfy me. You will
please continue exactly as you have
done heretofore-your accounts, your
menus, everything just as before. Oc-
casionally | may make a suggestion to
you if there is some dish that should
like to have, or If we are having visit
ors l may like to make some little al.
terations in the menu, but as general
rule do not wish to be troubled with
any housekeeping arrangements
The hoHsekeeper, who was a French
woman and thoroughly knew the value
of a good place, thanked her mistress
and assured her of her fidelity and de-
votion.
Then Mary rang the bell and when
John came in answer to the summons
she told him to shut the door; that she
wished to speak to him.
"John," she said, II have Just been
talking to Nine. Boniface and telling
her that | wish your masters marriage
to make no difference in the domestic
You have satisfied him
for many years, and l hope You will
continue to satisfy him for many years
longer may have to give you few
orders, but ON the whole wish you to
continue precisely as You have always
done"
lyon would like to have the key Of
the cellar, ma am?' said John politely.
He had no more intention of giving up
the key of the cellar than he had of
giving up the Use of his senses, but to
make the offer was the highest compli-
ment he could pay to his new mistress.
Mary laughed outright. ''No, John"
she said Il do not think the key of tile
cellar would be Of very much use to me.
am frightened of cellars, to tell you
ihe truth, and | shouldn't know one
bottle of wine from another No, John;
You understand Mr.. Stacey's ways, and
7ou will please just do for him as You
nave been accustomed to do. don't
hink that his marriage marriage
will make him more difficult to
please. l hope quite the contrary. But
hank you, John, for offering me the
Key Of the cellar. I am sure it is a very
great compliment, and appreciate it
highly"
And then she smilingly dismissed
lin, and John went away feeling that,
lfter all, his master had done the very
lest possible thing for himself.
Then she and Alan settled down to
eal hard grinding work. He declared
many times that never in the whole
curse of his existence had he been