The times., 1901-04-07

First. what is the meaning of the
preamble?''
Il have been your lordship's secreta ry
for six months / have therefore perused
| all your lordship's letters. l have also in
my zeal for your iordship's interests look
ed about me, and | discovered what |
ventured to state in that preamble.
"Weil, sir?"
Namely. that the Fylingdale estates
are gone so far as your lordship's life is
concerned, but in a word all is gone, and
tllat-your lorclship will pardon the plain
truth-youf lordship's credit cannot last
| long and that now touch most deli
| cate point to a man of your lordship S
nice sense of honor-the only resource left
! is precarious.
You mean
Il mean certain lady and a certain
How. sir? DO you dare? What has
| put this suspicion into your head?
Nay, my lord; I have no thought but
! for your Iordships interests, believe me:
! And so you tell me about the rustic
heiress, and you propose plan
Il have had the temerity TO do 50.
Yes. Tell me once more about this
! girl and about her fortune.
''EIer name is Molly Miller. She is an
| orphan Her guardian is an honest sail
] or who has taken the greatest care OF
her property. She was an heress already
| when her father died 1hat was eighteen
years ago. She is now nineteen.
rs she passable-to look at? a holden
with a high color, l warrant;
a
| with red and pink light hair in curls and
! blue eyes the face and figure of Venus,
the sweetest mouth in the world and the
| fondcSt manner.
| her himself If she is all this, man, why
not apply yourself for the post OF
! spouse?'
wouid-be lovers and destines his ward
! for a gentleman at least, for a nobleman
lie is ambitious. Now as to her for
| tune
She has fleet of half d dozen tall
| vesseis-nay there are more bat / know
not how many. l was formerly clerk IN
| a counting house OF the town ana /
| learned q great deal-what each is worth
and what the freight of each voyage may
| produce-but not all The captain, her
| guardian, keeps things close. My lord
| can assure YOU from what / learned in
that capacity and by looking into old
books that she must be worth over &lO0,-
600, over &1D,0OO.
II can take this fortune without your
sW-ith submission. my lord, you cannot
/ know too much. The girls fortune when
you have it will go the same way as your
rents and woods have gone. Provide for
me, therefore, before you begin 10 spend
Il viii give you life position with
goo year. The girl, you say, has no
She has no lover. Your lordships
rank, your manner. your appearance, VIII
certainly carry the day, By contrast
alone with the country pumpkins the
heart of the girl will be won"
Mr. Semple, his lordship yawned. do
you suppose that the heart of the girl
concerns me? Go and complete your
scheme"
The Lady Anastasia was in her dress
ing room in the hands of her friseur the
French hairdresses, and her maid She
was the young widow OF an old baronet.
leo ba of RI nd
the sister of his successor. She there
fore enjoyed the freedom of a widow. the
happiness natural 10 youth and all the
privileges of rank No woman could be
happier 1t was reported that her love
of the card table had greatly impaired
her income. The world said that her own
private dowry was wholly gone and
large part of her jOinture-
She kept a small establishment in
Mount Street. Her people consisted of
no more than two foOtmen, butler, q
ladys maid, a housekeeper, and three or
four maids, with two chairmen. She did
not live as a rich woman. She received,
it is true, twice a week. on Sundays and
Wednesdays, but not with any expense
play cards, and she held the bank for
them. On other evenings she went out
and played at the houses of her friends.
While the friseur was still completing
The lady blushed violently. She sat up
and looked anxiously in the glass.
Betty" she cried, "a touch OF red; not
much, you clumsy creaturel VIII YOU
never learn to have u lighter hand? So,
That is better. | am horribly pale. His
lordship can wait in the morning room.
You have nearly finished, monsieur?
Quick, then-the last touches! Betty, the
lowered satin petticoati My fan, The
pearl necklacei SOi' She looked again
at the glass. Am l looking tolerable,
Betty?'
Your ladyship is ravishing." said Bet
Lady Anastasia swan out of the room
with gliding movement, then the fash
ion, and entered the morning room, where
Lord Fylingdale awaited her
'Anastasia"' he said softly, taking her
hand. 1T is very good of you to see me
alone. / feared you would be surrounded
with courtierS and fine ladies or with
singers. musicians hair dressers, and 9th
er baDoOns. Permit me-" and he raised
her hand to- his lips. You look divine
this morning. II is long since | have
seen you look so perfectly charming
The lady nlurmured something. She was
one of those women who like above all
things to hear praises Of what most they
prize, their beauty and 10 believe what
they most desire 10 be the truth, the
preservation and perfecting of that beau
But you came to see me alone. Was il
to tell me that | look charming? Other
men tell me as much in company
Not altogether that, dear lady. though
that is something. 1 come to tell you of
a change of plans"
You have heard that the grand jury
OF Aliddiesex has presented me by name as
a corrupter of innocence, and | know not
what, because / hold my bank on Sun
day nights?'
Il have heard something of the matter
It is almost time, 1 think, to give these
presumptuous shopkeepers lesson not TO
interfere with the pursuits Of persons of
rank. Let them confine themselves to the
prentces who play at pitch and toss
oh, what matters their presentment?
! shall continue to keep the bank on sun
about these plans? What is changed?"
we thought, you remember, about go
ing TO Tunbridge in July.
well. shall we not go there -
Perhaps But there is something to be
done first. Let me eonfide in you"
My dear lord, you have never confided
in anybody.
Except in you. I think you know all
my secrets if ! have any. In whom else
can / cOntide? In the creatures who i'm
perfume me for places? In friends of the
green talIe? In friends of the race
course My dear AnaStaSia. you know, /
assure you, as much about my personal
affairs as / know myself"
IF you would always speak so kindly
Her eyes became humid, but not fearful.
A lady of fashion must not spoil her
check by tears.
We'll, then, the case is this: You know
of the condition of my affairS-no ono bet
ter. An opportunity presents itself to ef-
feet a great Improvement. / am invited
by the highest parsonage to take more
active part in the affairs Of state No one
is TO know this. For reasons connected
with this proposal | am to visit certain |
toWn-a trading town. q town of rough |
sailors-there to conduct certain enqui- |
ries. There is to be a gathering at this |
county. Would you like to go, my dear
friend? 1t will be next month.
TO leave town and in May, Just be- |
fore the end of the season.