Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-02-06
CHAPTER XVIII.


he said coldly
My lordr oh, come now, Jack, +"
demonstrated Cyril, flushing and eye
ing his friend anxiously, but affection
ately; you're not going to cut vi
rough are yoI?"
II don't know about cutting up
rough my lord said Jack, with an
emphasis on the title; but if am to
speak my mind to your lordship, |
should say that you have played it
pretty low down on me-"
Cyril hung his head, and after mo
ment Jack Wesley continued:
Il don't demand an explanation, ut
perhaps you won't mind telling me
why you considered it necessary 10
carry on this masquerade? Why did
you pass yourself off as a c ommon
person like myself"
Now, jack" implored Cyril
"Why did you allow me to believe
that you were Just a hard up artlst,
and permit me to make friend OF
you? I'm not proud"
Oh, aren't you Oh, nc" muttered
Cyril.
But I'm not over fond Of lords at
the best OF times, and well, | G.
peat it. you have played it consider
ably low down upon me- and his
face flushed angrily. Now I'm on
the candid line / may as wei con
tinue and speak my whole mind, end
at the risk of offending your tord-
ship, beg to state that l think that
for an out-at-elbows artist to pass
himself off for lord is not much
meaner than for d lord to pass himself
off as struggling artist. But I nope
you have found it amusing and ne
nodded almost savagely.
Look here" said Cyril, desperate
ly, whats the use of getting furious
like this, Jack? | am a struggling
artist, though am viscount SAINT
leigh"
Indeed commented Jack, eaustic-
ally, as he deliberately knocked the
ashes out of his pipe.
yes. Listen to me, Jack. Ii
didn't mean to tell you; you forced it
out of me"
Its rather a pity that | dida't
force it out of you earlier remarked
Jack Wesley, grimly.
Well, perhaps it is But I'm net
such bad lot in the way of decep-
ton as you make me-" retorted Cyril.
l. y = Ioe 4 L.
bis friends shoulder in the old IA
miliar way" you haven't gone
through what l have; you'd under
stand"
Perhaps not. l certainly don't
understand"
Let me make it plain for you"
It's plain enough, not to say ugly,
as it is"
My father, went on Cyril, paying
no attention to the ill-humored inter
ruption, and still looking earnestly at
Jack, my father died while l was at
Oxford I was twenty-five then. and
| started life a viscount the nephew
of an earl, with my mothers money
and no end of good spirits. | thought
life was going TO be all beer and s6it-
ties, and so it was-fOr a time /
didn't know anything about money,
and | went the old road like the you 3
fool I was, without thinking of any
thing but the pleasure Of the moment
THAT was for a time and not very
long time, either Before Id 9 I
through my money-yes. Jack even
before that saw through the hollow
ness or the game I saw that The
people round me were pleasant ala
smooth just because l was Viscount
Santleigh, and heir to the title and es
tates. | was young and green, Lut
verdant as l was, soon discovered
that it was for the good things of the
world that were to fall to my share
that people woulI make up to me. /
didn't suspect it at first | thought
that it was because / was a rather
pleasant kind of fellow that the
women with daughters-yes, and the
girls themselves-were so amiable
and friendly But I got my eyes open
at last, and well. l didn't like it,
That's strange remarked Jack,
caustically.
Il got suspicious" resumed Cyril.
taking no notice, suspicious OF every
body l met. When a pretty girl was
more than usually pleasant and amia-
BILE, I said to myself, It's not you
yourself she cares for and tae
thought was just torture. had an
idea that I'd cut the whole thing. and
go off and bury myself in America
Australia, anywhere out of the beastty
world where every poor girl Is taught
TO fish for a man because he happens
70 be able to make a countess and a
rich woman &C her. While y as
thinking of this, and Seriously meaning
1t, the crash came Give me some
more 'bacca, Jack. I'd been gong
the pace ever since | came into my
mothers money, and I'd spent every
penny of it. worse, I'd borrow. .
and the nice little bits of paper were
coming in like pigeons to cost
Then ] woke up thoroughly ard [
swore that l wouldn't be a mere tail.
or's dummy clothed in a title any
longer l swore I would cut the OH
life, the sporting cluIs, and the rest OF
1t, and and vol, made up ny
mind to try and rr0ya MYSELF d, ,,,,.,,