The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-28

In a makeup that surpassed all poss-
BILE anticipation,
The noble lord at breakfast was such
q study that forgot the tridlng matter
of $500 which my friend had mention
ed and thought only of the refinement
of manner which enabled Colewyn TO
preserve a languid Indifference while
slowing away meal that would have
/ filled an alligator. His valet minlstered
| to his wants with we'll trained defer
| ence and the walters with amusement
tinged with admiration Of his magniti-
cent appetite,
| Tom and | spent the forenoon lazily,
| lunched at his fathers house and about
1 2 o'clock rode all across the city and
1 little way beyond its verge to the Bran
don place. Description had not pre-
pared me for the beauty Of this estate
nor for the remarkable effect of old
world excusiyeness which it produced.
| The great house upon the crest of the
vast green wave of lawn dominated the
scene, and its windows stared haughtly
at the public highway which presumed
to pass within Il thousand yards of it.
Upon veranda at the rear of the
house we found Mrs Brandon and her
daughter drinking tea with select few
culled from Stanchteld's society. Mrs.
Brandon was one of those annoying wo-
men who make up for full face view
with no thought of any other. From
the front and at the proper distance
and in Just the right light she was a
far young creature of less than thirty
summers. Seen in profile, she was a
mask. In figure she was lean and ca
ger as a greyhound, and the placdity
Of demeanor which she affected was as
easily detached from her real nature by
an observing eye as was the film Of
rouge from her face.
Her daughter was an amazingly pret-
ty girl, healthy and natural, but obyi-
ously too young for her years. A glance
at her convinced me that she had not
accepted Lord Colewyn at her mothers
behest or because Of any sinful craving
for title but merely because he had
the good fortune to be idealized in her
childish imagination. | would have
given $1,000, considering it an excellent
| literary investment, to buy an accurate
knowledge Of what Lord Colewyn seem
ed to be when viewed in the enchanted
nists of this schoolgirls dreams. AT
twenty or little later she would be as
sensible as most young women, and
then she would see him at the very best
as a hollow and conceited donkey; at
/ the worst, as selfish and mercenary
1 cad
/ At this moment the appearance Of
! Lord Colewyn's carriage reduced Tom
| and myself to state of invisbility--
( indeed, the miracle went SO far that
our feet made no audible sound upon
the floor Of the vcrauGa as we hur
riedly left that place.
In grove beyond the house we
found Mr.. Brandon. a picturesque fig
ure. tall and active. He was clad in
rough gray suit. and an old straw
hat was tilted back upon his head, re-
vealing his wavy white hair, abundant
as in youth. His face was smooth and
ruddy, and the hand he gave me was
steady and strong He was clearly
cultivated man, and there was some
thing in his manner which suggested
the splendid democracy Of a college
as ii used to be before it was the fash
ion to ride to chapel or the lecture
room in ones private automobile.
Mr.. Brandon was comforting with
his fellow members Of committee on
sports, and the others listened to him
with a Difference which disappointed
me until | discovered that il was due
TO his great knowledge of the subject
and not to any less worthy considcra-
ton. A fine official Of the games was
old Sam Brandon, and under his eye
the best man had TO win
l discovered presently that he had n
great affection for Tom Mason. and as
they stood together therc-ideal figures
of American youth and age-suddenly
the whole truth leaped into my mind.
Here was the man whom Mr. Brandon
had chosen in his own heart. | under
stood In a fash Toms letter TO me,
which had been n cry Of anguish for
the ear of a friend the cry of man
crossed in love-
Then there arose in me the ldesire
TooI too cpt1otr, op1 m =, ,.,,4o,.
summon at will-the desire to do a tre-
mendous amount of work in the short
est possible time Boundless confidence
always accompanies this impulse and n
clearness of thought which vainy
seek 36i days in the year excused
myself TO Tom and Mr. Brandon. and
for the remainder Of that afternoon I
was the busiest man in the state of Hi
nois.
Shortly before o'clock. having had
no dinner meanwhile, though apparent
" 1t was being served all over the
place. ! hunted UP Mr. Brandon. who
was supervising tho arrangements for
the display Of fireworks. which was to
begin at o. | found Tom also, and we
had a serious talk. 10 sum up the
matter in the briefest form, let me say
that laid before them evidence TO
support these allegations:
On the morning when the check swim
die was perpetrated at the bank Lord
C0Iewyn and Bitters bad started from
the S.anchlpld hotel on foot for the