Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-22

than knaye. That's my house just past the lamp-post I am the blood sucking tyrant, Lord Cranthorpe, who, according to your friends the agita- tors, am battening and fattening on the brow sweat of the starving poor. Here, lend a hand-you with the cart l mean-and we'll carry this poor chap oyer. We'll make up bed for him somewhere in the basement, so that he won't have to strain his foot by hobbling upstairs. You take his head and I'll take his feet It's the first house past the lamp-post, and be care ful how you go down the area steps,"
 My foot was so painful that I winced nervously as he stopped to raise me, but no woman could have been defter of hand or more tenderly considerate than he, and my transit was accom- plished painlessly. They carried me through sort of passage opening upon the street, to an inner room, where was propped up on a huge wicker chair, my injured foot resting luxuri ously upon another chair. Then Lord Cranthorpe explained the situation to the servants, telling them that I was to remain in the house until my foot was healed, and giving strict injunc- tions that they were to make me as comfortable as possible during my so- journ under his roof.
 Comfortable, however, I cannot say l was, for, with one exception, the whole staff of servants appeared to re- sent my advent as an intrusion They were civil enough in attending to my wants, and in their own phrase, passed the time of day with me" when they had cause to enter the room where I was located. But though did my best, for obvious reasons, to get upon good terms with them, they never seemed at ease in my company. This was especially noticeable in the matter of meals, for once or twice, when I asked to be allowed to take my food with them, their awkwardness and silence were most oppressive. They watched me furtively, as if to get an opportunity of conveying fork, spoon or knife to their mouths at the precise moment when my attention was engaged elsewhere, and on one occasion detected the cook in the act of taking lunch on the stairs rather than join a party of which I was a member. I tried to solace my vanity by telling myself that this might be due to some instinct which warned them that they and I were not upon the same social plane; but as the only member of the staff who was at all inclined to accept my advances was wisp of scullery-maid named Amelia, whom the others consistently snubbed, and to whom heard them allude as of mo class 1t seemed likely that the diagnosis of the case should have been the other way about, and that I, as well as Amelia, was considered as wanting in "class' whatever that may be.
 Amelia herself. however, was more than disposed to be friendly, and 1t was from her that I learnt certain facts which had no unimportant bear ing upon my enterprise. The most significant was that she was engaged to marry a .hartist" st"-which engage ment having only been recently formed, she was burning to communi- cate to some one.
 
 prise when she announced this piece of fashionable intelligence; aan artist, eh? How did you come to meet him?"
 ttYes, he's hartist," she replied, as- sertively "He draws the most lovely pictures you ever see in chalk on the pavement, and his colors is hexquisite. met him in the square one night and he told me he'd fell in love with me right hoff."
 Bit by bit I drew the story of her "hartist" lover from the silly but un- suspecting girl, and when I learnt that each night he entrusted to her care parcel, which he called for early the following morning-vwhich parcel was supposed to contain chalks-T be- gan to feel that the case was develop ing.
 'Enery--did tell you his name wos 'Enery-Mr. Emery Talbot-lives a long way hoff," she said, so, e sed, wot's the good of is luggin' his chalks along with i'm hevery time? So e just leaves lem for me to take care of at the harea door of night, and as I'm up fust in the mornin' gives lem i'm out again when e calls. But it ain't so much to save 'isself trouble as to ave word with me as he does 1t. 'E as good as told me so last night. though e is mighty particular abous his ole parcel all the same"
 I was beginning to get interested in that parcel; though I am free to con. fess, that had I known, during the three nights had already passed un- der Lord Cranthorpe's roof, that his hospitality had been extended by proxy to articles in the possession of my friend Number Three, my slumbers would have been less childlike and peaceful.
 My foot was practically healed, and i! was only hanging on as Lord Gran thorpe's guest for my own purposes.