The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-07-04
The British Invader.

BY HOWARD FIELDING.

1-
and my laugh was a tribute uch az I
might have given to a comedian who
had appeared upon the stage in q make
up that surpassed all possible anticipa-
ton.
The roble lord at breakfast was ouch
a study that I forgot the trifling matter
Of $500 which my friend had men
toned n thought only OF h re-
lnement Of manner which enabled
Colewyn to preserve a languid inditrer-
ence while slowing away a meal that
would have filled an alligator. His
valet minlstered to his wants with well
trained Difference and the walters with
amusement tinged with admiration OF
his magnificent appetite.
Tom and l spent the forenoon lazily,
lunched at his fathers house and about
2 o'clock rode all across the city I'M a
little way beyond It's verge to the Bran
den place. Description had not pre-.
pared me for the beauty OF this estate
nor for the remarkable effect OF old
world eyclusiveness which it produced.
The great house upon the crest of the
vast green of lawn dominated the
scene, n the windows stared haIghti-
ly at the public highway which pre-
sumed to pass within a thousand yards
Of it. Gigantic elms flung down broad
masses of shadow Upon the green, and
it is painful to speak Of the number
of the vulgar who were enjoying these
refugees from the burning heat of the
day. The common people are always
most distressingly plebean when ac-
companied by their children, and I
judged hat these could not have left
any at home.
Upon a veranda at the rear Of the
house we found Mrs. Brandon and her
daughter drinking tea with a select few
culled from Stanchfeld's society. Mrs.
Brandon was one Of those annoying
women who make up for a full face
view with no thought Of any other.
From the front and at the proper dis
lance and in Just the right light she
was a air young creature OF less than
thirty Seen in profile, she
was a mask. In figure she was lean
and as a greyhound, and the
placidity of demeanor which she af-
fected 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 pref
ty girl, healthy n natural, but OBJ
viously 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 a title, but merely
because he had the good fortune to
be idealized in her childish ilnaEina-
ton. l would have given $1,000, con
sidering 1t al excellent literary invest
ment, to buy an accurate knowledge OF
what Lord Colewyn seemed to be when
Viewed In the enchanted mtsts OF this
schoolgirls dreams. AT 20 or a Mttk la
ter she would be as sensible as most
young women. and then h would see
hin at the very best as q hollow and
conceited donkey; at the worst. as a
selfish and mercenary cad. The thought
made me look at Mrs. Brandon In
wrath. She happened to be standing
SO that a strong light poured over her
shoulder, and l saw the rouge upon
her cheek as if it had been a great
smear Of blood.
At this moment the appearance of
Lord Colewyn's carriage reduced Tom
and myself to a state Of invisibinty:
indeed, the miracle went SO far that
our feet made no audible soun upon
the floor of the veranda as we h,lr-
riedly left that place.
In a grove beyond the house we found
MIR. Brandon. a picturesque figure, tall and
active. He was clad in a rough gray suit,
and an old straw hat was tilted back upon
his head, revealing his wavy White hair
abundant as in youth. His face was
smooth and rudy, and the hand he gave
me was steady and strong. He was clear
ly a cultivated man, and there was some.
thing in his manner which suggested the
splendid democracy of a ~college-as it USED
to be, before it was the fashion to ride to
chapel or the lecture room in ones pri-
vate automobile.
Mr.. Brandon was comforting with his
fellow member of a committee on sports
and the others listened to him with a de.
ference which disappointed me until I dis
covered that it. was due to his great knowl.
edge of the subject and not to any less
worthy consideration. A fine official OF
the games was old Sam Brandon, ant
under his eye the best man had to win.
l discovered presently that he had &
great affection for Tom Mason, and as
they stood together there-ideal figures O,
American youth and a~ge-suddenly the
whole truth leaped into my mind. Hero
was the man whom Mr.. Brandon haC
chosen in his w heart. l understood II
a flash Toms letter to me, which haG
been a cry of anguish for the ear Of &
friend, the cry of a man crossed In love.
Then there arose in me the desire tina
L feet too seldom and can never summon
at will the desire to do a tremendou.
amount of work in the shortest possibl,
time. Boundless confidence always &C
companies this impulse and a clearness o.
thought which / yainly seek 1854 lays In tn,
year. excused myself to Tom and Mr.
Brandon, and for the remainder of tina
afternoon l was the busiest mar in tn,
state of Illinois.
Shortly before s o'clock, havinE had nt
dinner meanwhile. though apparently 1
was being served eli over the place.
hunted Up Mr.. Brandon. who WIS super