The Denison review., 1899-06-16
my NAMESAKE.

thing more than the first OF series OF
formal social proceedings that I had
anticipated when promised Bartleet
that would go and visit his people
when came back to the old country.
had returned from 10 years hard
work in West Australia only fort
night before, and what knew Of the
people I was visiting was what had
heard from Bartlett himself. The
young lady that rose at my entrance
was charming. I couldn't deny 1t,
even if l had wished to do SO.
"Mr. - And she stopped short
with look of astonishment
''Mr. Jeffreys"
'But you are not the-the- e-Mr. JEFF
ferries we are expecting?"
AS a rule l am not nervous, but
will own to feeling uncomfortable on
hearing this.
So asked rather anxiously: "But
this is Mr.. Bartleets, is 1t not? Chill
verton hall?" ~
The way in which the lady's eye
brows elevated themselves was any
thing but reassuring. f7
This? No! This Is Chilverton
lodge, and our name is Ferrers."
1t was a decidedly cheerful situa-
'tion, and the consideration of It
claimed my attention so fully that !
hardly noticed the old gentleman who
had just entered and was focusing
-me sternly through hisIeyeglass.' s.
\, "Eh? What is this, GwenM III
"Allow me to explain" 4 broke IN
firmly, rather annoyed, al. the tone Of
his voice HALF an hour ago I came
to Chilverton on my, way to visit Mr..
BARTLETT at Chilverton hall: gave my
hhane to your coachman and he drove
me here. 1 must apologize for intrud-
ing ON you. and express my regret for
q mistake that Is as unfortunateIt to us
both as it is ine3plicable to Me.",.e..s
''But, papa, the gentleman says his
maine is Jefferies." - 9 = 'i'''''ss'
1 HANDED tile fefocious-looking old
chap my cards = SO q a"at ',''
'.Ah, yes! l see. Jeffreysls lspelt with
a,i.y,' The Jefferies whom we are ex-
Meeting is spelt 'ies.' Eh. yes! Very
strange. And you, were to be q guest
of Bartleet's! Very strange. tlr; Yes, yes!
Quite coincidence"
Z was planning a dignified and polite
exit when he politely and firmly re-
fused to- entertain my suggestion oftat
jonee proceeding to. the Bartleets'. L
must stay to dinner, at any rate, 80 he
said, and when noticed the thought
full expression in Miss Ferrers' face 1
concluded that I would not leave the
lodge for an hour or sol ,'lnH's'
The colonel; as I'niukDametl the old
tyra4t for my IQwn private use. his
daughter, and # formed the entire din
ner, party. MY namesake hadn't az
rived, and, to tell the truth, I was glaa
that he hadn't. Tie colonel was /
Study III himself. " I s6on begah too be-
lieve that every one-his daughter eS-
cepted was victim to his powers OF
bullying. 1t was very strangei by the
by, that his name was the same as
that Of imy imother'si half;brother, twhb
had a. untrylwide Reputation for fe-
rocity-Ferrer% Uncommon name,
too-and he had daughter, though
they We're both strangers to me- The
more tried to recollect details of
them the more curious and uncomfort-
able began to feel. The wife Of my
mothers relation was dead, and there
was, but one daughter, though .Ifthad
never heard her name.t In fact, all
that had heard about the family was
from my mother, and she had died a
yeaf' before / left England. ~
',All / was certain OF was that my
mother had married beneath her-in
Eerrers' opinion, at least-and that he
had refused to- acknowledge that she
had henceforth, any. connection with
him.
The man at my side was Just such a
man to- say and keep to a thing like
that; domineering, too, in all things.
even down to gold shares. He actual
ly laid down the law to me on the mer.
its Of the different gold-bearing strata
east Of Coolgardie. ts
| For the sake OF the DlueI eyes tnat
| twinkled on the farther side Of the ta-
Bile had already endured good deal.
But this was little bit too much, SO
firmly corrected his erroneous views,
and pointed out that my 10 years ex-
perience in prospecting and assaying
| in that exact region entitled me to
, some knowledge about the metal.
/ quite expected him to blaze at my
crossing him, but, much to my sur
prise, he grew more affable, and al
most lost the bulldog look that seemed
an essential part of his appearance.
| Did ! know. anything about Whit.
/, sand West? ,o
/ Yes. 1t happened that did know 9
:. good deal about the company that waf
just being floated to carry on opera
tions in that region. I'm afraid that
| spoke my mind on what was known
IL A. >A a