Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-05-24
CHAPTER /.


wish very much to have these people
here, they must be asked. said Lady
Caroline, regarding her husband at
tentively through the handle of the
tea-urn. The children had just lett
the room, so she thought 1t good OPP
portunity Of finally learning his wishes
on this subject without the 1nterven-
tion Of Mildred's rather vehement
opinions. 1T is dreadful nuisance,
she said-.and l don't suppose they are
the very incest people in the world
for the girls to know; but, II you see
no way out Of the difficulty, OF course
there Is nothing more to be said.
Nothing; it cannot be helped. now
at all events" Sir George returned,
running his eyes ruefully over let
ter which he held in his hand. he
was an old schoolfellow Of mine, you
know: and, when he expresses wish
TO come and see me. what can l DO
Int write and say how welcome he
and his family will be-
Exactly so," assentea Lady Caro-
line '.but it is horrible bore for all
that. And how they are to be amused
Is more than can tell you. There IS
n son, is there not. and a daughter"
Eyes. a son and daughter. AS to
amusing them, the young gentleman
will hunt, suppose, and probably
ruin one OF my best hunters before he
leaves: and the girl-oh. should think
she will do very well!' said Sir George,
oayalierly. Mildred will manage
about that, and will get some fellows
to meet her"
"How did he make his money"
Lady Caroline asked presently, and
then began to think with dismay OF
what the whole countryside would say.
It was eminently aristocratic, the coun-
tryside, and never had it as yet intro
duced within the sacred boundaries OF
its circle such a horror as family
polluted by trade.
Cotton" answered Sir George brief
~; and then indeed his wife felt that
the cup of her affection was full.
"If it only had been wine,' she said,
hopelessly. II am sure don't know
what the Deverills will think; and Of
course the girl will be unbearable. Be-
,sides"-with a sight will be such
an additional expense"
True" returned her husband, and
the lines laid by care upon his face be-
came more clearly defined; "but, as /
said before, darling, it can not be
helped, so we must only make the best
of it,
But Lady Caroline could not make
the best of it" just then, and so went
,out Of the room to consult with Mildred,
OF whose sympathy she was certain,
the girl being more opposed to the
coming of their visitors than even she
could be.
Seven children had blessed the mar
riage of Sir George Trevanion and
Lady Caroline First. there was
Charles, the heir, a great, tall, good
looking fellow, with a careless, sweet
temper-"as like his father at that
age" said his mother, .'as ever boy
could be" He was about twenty-six at
cavalry regiment. After him came
Florence, who resembled nobody in
particular, and had married during her
first season-very desirably indeed-a
Mr.. Talbot, Of very prepossessing APP
pearance-when he had any express
sion in his face, which was seldom-and
the owner of considerable property
about twelve miles from Kings Abb
bolt.
1t was always great source of COM
fort to Lady Caroline's anxious mind
that Florence had got off" so well
before Mildred was old enough to
make her bow to the world. Had
Harry Talbot dallied in his lsve-mak-
Ing for two years longer-as some
young men are in the habit of daily
1ng-lnstead of coming to the point
at once-like a much-to- be-applauded
gentleman, as he was-Lady Caroline
would not have answered for the con-
sequences. Mildred, her fathers darl
ing, was so much more beautiful-such
slight, exquisite girl she appeared,
with the darkest violet eyes and the
most enviable golden hair imaginable.
And yet, in spite Of all her beauty,
she had not half the number of lovers
her sister Mabel could count, who was
barely eighteen, and not nearly so
handsome, Mildred being cold and
proud, and almost naughty in her man
ner to strangers. Pride Of birth was
the rock on which she stumbled. Any
family without pedigree, no matter
how rich and how well received by
society in general, was as an abomina-
ton in her sight.
In between these two came Eddie,
who was about nineteen at this time,
erry,reckless fellow, handsome as
an Apollo, and the acknowledged pet
amongst all the women in the county,
lar and near, old and young. -
Eddie and Mabel were something, like.
each other, both being much darker
than the rest of the family, who were
rather Saxon in their general appear
ance. Mabel, or "Queen Nab" or the
~. mi ,iy,u fo1v