The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-01-26


Lord Algernon, neither did she love her
grandfather. She was equally willing
to sacrifice either OF both. She knew
that neither Lord Algernon nor his ia
ther would make her connections an
objection, however they might wish to
keep the fact secret, or otherwise dis
pose of them by pensions OF emigration,
but she could not bear to know it her
self. She never could be happy as the
mistress of Scrooby Priory with that
knowledge. She did not ideaiize it as a
principle. Carefully weighing it by her
own practical common sense, she said
| to herself that it wouldn't pay.n The
highest independence is often akin to
the lowest selfshness. She did not
dream that the same pride which kept
her grandfather from the workhouse,
supported by his daughters, and kept
him from communicating with his own
son now kept her from acknowledging
them. even for the gift of title and
! domain.
There was only one question before
her-should she stay long enough to re-
ceive the proTosal of Lord Algernon
and then decline it? Why should she
not snatch that single feminine JOY out
of the ashes OF her burned up illusion
She knew that an opportunity would
be offered that afternoon The party
were to take tea at Broxby Hail, and
Lord Algernon was to drive her there
in his dogcart. Miss Desborough had
gone up to her bedroom to put on a
warmer cloak ana had rung twice or
| thrice ilnpatiently for her maid. When
the girl made her appearance, apollo
getic, voluble and excited. Miss Desbor-
ough scarcely listened to her excuses:
until a single word suddenly arrested
her attention. 1t was "old Debs. ~
"What are you talking about % said
Sadie, pausing in the adjustment of her
hat on her brown hair.
"Old Debs, miss; that's what they
call him, an old park keeper, just found
dead in pool of water in the fields
the grandfather of ono of the servants
here-and th sre's such an excitement
in the servants hall. The gentlemen
all knew it, too, for I heard Lord
Algernon say that he was looking very
queer lately and might have had fit,
and Lord Beverdale has sent word to
the coroner. And only think, the people
here are such fool, that they daren't
touch or move the poor man, and him
lying there in the rain all the time, I'M
TIL the coroner comes
Miss Desborough had been steadily
regarding herself in the glass to see if
chad turned pale. She had. She set
her teeth together until the color partly
returned. But she kept her face away
from the maid. "That'll do, she said
quietly. You can tell me all later. 1
have. some important news myself, and
l may not go out after all I want you
to take a note for me' She went to
her table, wrote line in pencil, folded
1T, scrubbed an address upon it, handed
it to the girl and gently pushed her
from the room.
The consul was lingering on the ter
race beside one Of the carriages. At
little distance groom was holding the
nervous thoroughbred of Lord Alger-
mons dogcart. Suddenly he felt touch
on his shoulder, and Miss Desborough's
maid put note in his hand 1t con-
tanned only a line:
Please come and in the library, but
without making any fuss about it, at once
SD.
The consul glanced around him. No
one had apparently noticed the Incl
dent. He slipped back into the house
and made his way to the library. 1t
was long gallery At the farther end
Miss Desborough stood cloaked, yelled
and coquettishly halted She was look
ing very beautiful and animated. 81
want you to please do me great ia
vor, she said, with an adorable SMILE
"as your own country woman, you
know, for the sake of Fourth of July
and pumpkin pie and the old flag. I
don't want to go to this circus today.
1 am going to leave here tonight. am,
honest Injin! want you to manage it,
want you to say that as consul you've
received important news for me-the
death of some relative, if you like, or,
better, something affecting my prop
erty, you know little satirical
laugh. 81 guess that would fetch 'em!
So go at once
''But really, Miss Desborough, do let
us talk this over before you decide, !"
implored the bewildered consul. "Think
what disappointment to your host
and these ladies. Lord Algernon expects
to drive you there-he is already wait
ing The party was got up for you.
Miss Desborough made slight grimace.
II mean you ought to sacrifice some
thing but trust there is really moth
ing serious-to them"
eff you do not speak to them, l
will, said Miss Desborough firmly.
eff You say what I tell you, it will
come the more plausibly from you.
Come! My mind is made up. One of
us must break the news. Shall it be
you OF I9'' She drew her cloak over
her shoulders and made a step forward.
The consul saw she was determined.
''Then wait here till / return, but keep
yourself out of sight, he said and hur-
ried away. Between the library and the
terrace he conceived his plan. His per-
L.