Middletown transcript., 1904-10-03

You have relapsed into laziness ever sine
/ left you"
ooh, l never try to do any better
What is the good of life if one does no
suit oneself? Do you know all the peopl
here? Mr.. Daryl has made careful
selection, and every one whom lie ask
always comes. There are few unhapp,
wretches who are biting their nails viii
vexation at being left out"
'How do you know?'' the girl asket
curiously. "It seems to me as if every
body must be here"
Il miss the party from Monkton Cas-
tie. For my part, never could see th
sense Of interfering with people or both
ering about whether they are straight
laced or not. One does hear queer storie
ahnnt Lord Monkton. and they are wiIt
set, if one is to credit all that people say
hut what is that to anybody e!se?"
'It ought to make difference. On'
ought to choose ones friends. I am glat
to know, for instance, from what yor
say, that everybody here is the right sor
Of person. 1 like Mr.. Daryl for that"
do you? Well, it seems quite differ
ent to me- Then there is Warrender-
Warrender of Merridale. / never quite
believed that any OF the stories about
him were true until | missed him to-
night"
"Mr. Warrender?" Kilmeny said un
certainly.
eyes. He lives quite close to Mr.
Daryl, and belongs to good family.
suppose it is because our host got toe
much of that kind Of thing from his own
people that he is SO particular now"
"What do you mean? What kind OF
thing?"
"Oh, well, one does not speak of it
| openly. Sowing ones wild oats gener-
| ally takes pretty much the same form.
And there was some excuse for him, for
he did not expect to be rich, and | dare
say he wanted to get some enjoyment out
of his money"
Il do not believe any stories. l know
Mr.. Warrender, and 1 am certain that
they are not true, if they are bad ones r.
Lord de Bruyne brought his gaze to
her face with look of concern and COM
Function.
II beg your PARDON" he murmured.
81 would not have said word if l had
known that Warrender was an acquaint-
ance of yours But l understood from
you that you were stranger and knew
nobody. You are quite right to stand up
for your friend, and, for my part, am
sure that nothing they say about him is
true. |, too, never believe these things !;
they are no concern of mine"
. "Then you should not speak about
them" kilmeny said, holding her head
very high. 'It is not right to take away
a mans character first, and then to say
that you don't believe the stories. Be-
sides, | know that you do believe in
them. You said what you did only when
you found out that knew Mr.. Warren.
der. He is much better away from this
place if people talk as you do"
81 am really awfully sorry" lie an
swered, with look of what seemed to
the girl to be genuine contrition. "If lie
is your friend that is enough. l will be-
lieve that he is everything that is good. |
Please forgive me for retailing gossip,
and forget what has been said. l shall |
not rest until you tell me that l am OBJ
solved"
Il thought that nothing mattered to
you? Let US say no more about it,"
"some things matter to me. If l am
careless and let people manage their own
lffairs, | do not want to be unjust"
"Let us change the subject Don't tell
ne any more of the exclusions from the
oall. Tell me about the people who are
iere. They are all good and irreproach-
Ible, and have never done anything
wrong in their lives. l know you and
lady Penryth and Mr.. Daryl. Tell me
bout some of the Others"
Lord de Bruyne had to look away to
tide his smile.
Il don't pretend that l have never
one anything wrong" he said. "Good- i
ess knows, have many sin on my
onscience. Your rebuke is just, Miss
richmond. But of late, you see, l have |
lrned over new leaf, and am quite t
teady now. Mr. Daryl, too, has become q
man Of benevolence, and Lady Penryth a
reconciled to her brother. So we are g
Il on the good side, and deserve some t
e
But kilmeny's brow was clouded dur I
e the rest of the time that they were J
gether. Il
CHAPTER Y
Kilmeny had taken the latchkey, and a
e let herself in on her return home.
|