The Indianapolis journal., 1899-12-10

about to return home and take up his resi-
dence at the Abbey. At length the rumor
was justified by the event. This neighbor
and that had seen him. Sir Gaspard had
come home.
1t was only six months or so since had
come to live at Lowford Grange, a small
place about five miles from Bourne Abbey,
30 that had never seen the baronet- How
ever, / happened TO be at Chichester, our
market town, one day in company with
my friend Tampley, of Ford Hall. and Tam
ply introduced me to him in due form.
The baronet a big. strong looking
man OF about ffty-as near as could judge
He was stout, yet far from unwieldy. 1
could not say to myself that 1 liked his
face, though / had been hoping that he
would turn out to be good fellow; for We
were rather dull in that part Of Daleshire.
and an addition TO our society was more
than welcome.
Sir Gaspard was in the usual garb Of
country gentleman, but IL evident that
his thick tweeds had been put together in
the neighborhood of St. James's street. and
his manner was distinctly that of a man
Of the world. There was nothing provincial
about him. He wore neither beard nor
moustache. His face was fresh colored-
rather too much so. His hair was jet black;
his lips full. and sensual in their expression;
his eyes surrounded by minute wrinkles
which at first sight passed unnoticed. IT
seemed to me, as / stood and watched the
baronet talking to my friend, that Sir Gas
pard had drunk the cup Of life to the lees.
and that the draught had not altogether
agreed with him.
.I am going to have few Of the neigh
bors dining with me on Tuesday week-sort
OF an informal house-warming. May We
have the pleasure of your company, Mr..
Tampley?"
The squire murmured an assent.
"And you. Major Flint? hope if you
have nothing better 10 do that evening you
will join our little gathering
said 1 would be delighted. and few
moments later We separated
"Sir Gaspard seems a very pleasant fell
low" remarked to the squire on our way
home.
.'Um-yes, oh, yes. Very
81 thought it very good of him to invite
me. man he had never seen in his life
before. to his house-warming.
"Oh, no doubt he lad heard of you, and
knew that you were good company. But
/ wonder If what Billy Noswell says about
kllS luNltdtiOHS 10 tiuC.
What does he say?'
''Why, that he doesn't send out notes of
Invitation because he is afraid of having
a series of refusals. Men don't like to say
No when he has his eye on them, you
See
Il dare say your friend Billy What 's-his-
name is not invited TO Bourne Abbey
remarked.
"Oh. shouldn't wonder if We were to
find him therein the most comfortable
seat in the room. Billy has privileged
tongue-nobody minds him
A minute or two later my friend gave a
snisger.
What are you laughing at?' said 1.
Nothing. 1 was only wondering wheth-
er Sir Gaspard's cousin Jermyn will be
at the festive gathering on Tuesday week"
'.And why should he not?''
Because these two occupy a rather Pc
culiar relation to each other. To all ap-
pearance they are the best of friends, but
/ am tolerably certain that they are in
reality about as friendly as fire and wa
ter. You see. they are first cousins; and /
believe neither of them has any living re-
lation except the other. If 1t were not for
Gaspard. Jermyn would hold the title. and
be head of the family. He would be lord
Ing it at Bourne Abbey. instead OF spend
ing his afternoons cooped up in the bank
parlor at Chichester.
''Then. you see, it Is commonly believed
that Jermyn has the title deeds to the fam
fly estates. having advanced money on
them. which Sir George Gaspart. economize
as much as he chooses, will never be able
to repay. He Is the real owner. Sir Cas-
pard Is only the man in possession"
Rather an unpleasant position for both
of them said. and the subject dropped.
AS Ii turned out, Jermyn Hawke was not
present at the dinner party. He had gone
TO London Unexpectedly on important busi-
ness connected with the banking business
he carried on at Chichester. Sir Gaspard
did the thing In style. He had men cooks
down from London. but doubted whether
their achievements were appreciated by the
guests. who were used TO a palmer style OF
cookery. But If we did not care Tor Sir
Gaspard's made dishes, We certainly did
ample Justice to his wines, which were ex-
cellent- BY the time dinner was over we
were all in a mellow condition-that is to
say, We were ready to speak our minds
more freely than we would otherwise have
done.
And now the character of our host came
out in altogether a new light Hitherto he
had acted the genial man of the world
frank to the verge of imprudence, equally
ready TO ask or bestow favor, without a
thought beyond his farms and the common
affairs OF the county and the parish He
now appeared. TO me at all events, as a
cynical student OF men and manners. a
philosopher, but without much faith either
In his own philosophy or in that of any one
else. IL was difficult 10 tell when he was
In earnest and when he was merely taking
mischievous delight in shocking the re.
spectacle country gentlemen who were
gathered round his board One episode in
the conversation 1 remember well.
The night was chilly, though We were yet
in September, and a fire had been kindled
In the great fireplace, which had the effect
OF causing those members of the party
whose seats were on the opposite side of the
table 10 group themselves after dinner al
the corners Of the hearth, so that the guests
formed an irregular circle round the splut.
tering logs. In the center sat our host, hi.
broad and still handsome face flushed with
wine, and a smile. sometimes broadly good
humored. sometimes plainly satirical, was
seldom absent from his full-liped, mobile
mouth.
The conversation happened TO drift to a
topic that We had hitherto by common CON
sent avoided-a peculiarly shocking murder