La Junta tribune., 1899-03-11
DIPLOMACY.


nections," said Lord Merton, carefully
adjusting his eyeglasses However
charming the Indy herself may BE-, you
must allow that the prospect of welcom-
4 ing host OF unknown relatives Is rather
alarining-cstinabie peopie, am sure, to
/ be classed among those thoroughly good,
respectable persons who carry their praise
worthy Independence to the extent Of de-
clining to submit TO any trammels--even
OF an aitch. Does the father of the young
| lady follow any particular profession or is
! he gentleman at caser'
"Mr. st. Denis has been very unfortu-
| nate" said his son shortly. '.He is. be-
lievc, at present somewhere on the con
| tinent."
.Soincthing somewhere on the CON
tinent! Probably billiard marker at
| Boulognc. Now, hardly think. Talbot,
that you would find billiard marker
congenial companion. let alone an agrcc-
able father -in-law. And Mrs. st. Denis
IL she also on til" continent"
The young man flushed hotly.
II have never seen Mrs. st. Denis," he
stammered. "Shc is too great an invalid
to receive any one.'
$50, murmured Lord Merton swcetsy,
| father unfortunate, mother AN invalid
| promising relations, upon my word. Miss
| st. Denis herself, / understand. is--er--
an nctressf"
Eyes" replied the son, staring moodily
out of the window, Dora Is ON he stage. .
You've II very nice place here, my
boy" said his father after pause. Good
| collection of pictures too. That's charm
| ing looking portrait by the door "
| From his station at the window Talbot
| heard his father rise and cross the room to
| examine the portrait in questlon--a very
pretty picture of girl. Anxious to fore
stall the inevitable question, Who Is its"
| the young man squared his shoulders, bit
| his lip and announced ms coolly as he could.
"Tbat is Miss St Denis
| "Ah!' remarked Lord Merton.
And with a significant sbrug he dropped
his eyeglass and resumed his seat
| The young man pulled himself together.
My mind Is made up, sir, - he said Il
| am determined-i trust, with your con.
tent-to make Miss ST Denis my wife,
| Too old diplomat to affect anger or
| surprise, Lord Merton shifted his ground.
| ''You have OF course obtained the lady's
| consent.'' he said.
But though disconnected the young man
answered AS firmly US before.
Dora will not definitely accept my
offer until she knows my peoples Views
upon the subject You can understand.
| sir, that want the Iuntter settled Have
| your consent or not.
"It would bc unjust both to the lady
and you to decide so Important question
| without consideration" his father an
| swered gravely. Besides, there IL your
mother to be consulted. Take my advice
and leave things as they are until tomor-
row. Come, my boy he added ss tho
| young man showed no signs of yielding,
you haven't given either me or your
mother much OF your time lately, and
we're not getting nny younger Leave
| things till tomorrow and come back with
me to lunch
| Lord Merton WAS SO rarely intimate, NO
| very rarely affectionate, that Talbot seemed
surprised, and even a little touched.
| Twenty four hours was not long-he hn
been ncglectful Of his mother lately-and
| nothing could change his determination
to marry Dora-nothingi
'With the understanding that the mat
ter is settled tomorrow, then, sir, he said.
And Lord Merton, having gained his
| point, accepted the understanding, with
reservation.
| 1t had gone hard with better men than
| Talbot to outwit his father, 10 there was
| no occasion for the young man to call
himself hard names when, the next morn
| ing, he found Lord Merton had left town
ION urgent business connected with the
coal mines on his estate" The annoying
| part was that, after ALL 1t might really be
| the mines, in which case there was no
knowing when he would come back. The
| young man could have kicked himself for
not having clinched matters the day be-
| fore.
Now, in matters Of diplomacy, the truth
| Is remarkably elastic, and therefore no
| one need feel surprised to learn that, In
| this case, the mime was simply one Of
| Information, rs represented by q private
| inquiry agent. Very little time sufIiced
| to place Lord Merton in possession OF
ample information concerning Miss st.
Denis.
Her father, At one time an artist of
some reputation. had drunk aud gambied
his chances ri success away. leaving his
| wife and child to manage N they could,
| whom ut last be retired to the continent.
Dora bad kept herself and her mother
since abe was IL, and. to all accounts, was
| most devoted daughter.
"Disreputable father, invalid mother,
devoted daughter" unused Lord Merson.
Surely devuted daughter would be will
ing to exchange future possibilities, in the
| shape Of good match. for present reali-
ties In the form Of additional comforts for
her mother. But when q discreet and con-
| f1dential agent OF his lortiship hinted that
should the young guarsisman be cured Of
his infatuation recompense in the shape
Of fi0, 900. G15,O0O, even geo, 600. would
be forthcoming, he found discretion the
| better part Of valor. inasmuch ~ the young
actress gave him her mind 80 vigorously
and In such nervous English, that he nesi
| precip'tately down the stairs
Tho move, In fact, proved disastrous in
every way. for, irritated at what she con-
sidered '.unutternbly caGdish conduct"
Miss st. Denis threw over her pride TO the
/ v,A
y.
Lord Merton had received this last piece
of information in curt note from his son,
and all down Piccadilly and 81. James
stEses on his way TO the club the unfOrtu-
nate nobIeinan was haunted by imaginary.