Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-16
CHAPTER vi.


The luncheon at Beaumanoir, although
lacking the young lady for whose delecta-
ton it has been proposed, came off to the
satisfaction of at least four of the five
people present. viz, Miss Blocker. whom
1t had been impossible to omit; NJ. de
Mariol, who, cynicism to the contrary, was
delighted with a chance of showing Helen
Carstairs the noble old place in a lambert
day of mid-October; Helen, herself, frankly
pleased with the entert anment, and good
old Lady Campstown, whose mind having
long set itself upon the thought of her
nephew's remarriage with wealthy Ameri-
can girl. happy issue out of all his
difficulties. chose to construe the occasion
into presentation to her of the future
Chatelaine whose dollars were to stop the
chinks in Clandonald's ancestral roofs, and
her virtues to gid anew the escutcheon
dmmed by her unworthy predecessor,
IF she's an American she'll probably go
straight" tho .ght Lady Compstown. after
having first Informed herself through a
New York lady long resident in London
as to suffer acute pangs upon being re-
minded of the place of her nativity, that
Helen's father the Mr.. Carstairs
whom everybody had heard about" When
Clandonald had proposed to his aunt to
preside over his little party her ladyship
had not dared ask him the direct question
that was burning upon her lips. She had
contented herself with his answer to her
rallying query whether upon his travels
he had met any of those wonderful girls
from the states the modern novelists write
about that he fancied the supply would
always be equal to the demand for that
commodity. And when Miss Carstairs, so
quiet lovely and distinguished in mien and
manner. appeared amid the faded chintZ of
the great drawing room at Beaumanoir, ad-
miIing its choice contents with knowledge
nd r-ith fiv,1r nlx "
town exactly as she ought to be treated,
the reality of the old gentlewoman's hopes
seemed as near as it was grateful.
Even Miss Blocker shone In a reflected
light, and Lady Campstown pronounced
her. afterward, a most agreeable, chatty
person. AS she conducted both visitors
through the principal rooms of her child
hoods home, her little ladyshipS frail face
and figure seemed to have stepped down
for the occasion from a frame Of which
the gliding had worn away. Helen was
in turn charmed by her simplicity and
frankness. and the two gravitated together
naturally. The men found them in the pic
ture gallery, where Lady Campstown was
destined to receive her first disillusion, in
the fact that her nephew In asking Miss
Carstairs If she were ready to the
white peacocks their famous strutting
ground. invited NJ. de Mariol to come too,
But the good aunt utilized her talk alone
with Miss Blocker to speak openly about
Lord Clandonald's excelences, his wrongs
at the hands of Ruby Darien, his desirable
domestic traits. the subjects, in fine, rarely
neglected when the female proprietor or
hacker of a man in the marriage market
sees her chance. Lady Campstown was so
genuinely unselfish in her desire to build up
again the shattered fabric of her dear
Clans life. that another than the pachyder-
matous Miss Blocker would have perceived
the pathos of the situation and condoned
the openness of the attack. Miss Blocker.
however, was quite on her guard. She did
not consider Clandonald anything to Jump
at in the-way of a match for Helen. She
was certain of Mr. Carstairs disapproval;
she knew that he could not be brought to
supply cash for the palpably exigent repairs
at Beaumanoir, and lastly, and more to the
point, she had no idea of relinqushng
while she could hold 1t, her comfortable
billet Miss Carstairs' chaperon. But
she was aware that Lady Campstown, while
possessing but small and meager estab-
lishment in London had a pretty villa at
Cannes. where she was parsonage of un-
doubted influence and wide acquaintance
And as Miss Bleecker's doctor had advised
the air of that favored resort for her re-
Taxed throat, and Helen did not care where
they went, Cannes was the secret object Of
the chaperon's intended movement south
ward at the seasons height.
Therefore. the conversation, while the two
elders strolled or sat under immemorial
yeWs, and enjoyed grapes and peaches
plucked in an enchanting old walled gar
den, waxed upon one side, more gracious
and evasive, on the other, more perplexed
and yet more hopeful. From all she could
that Helen had been sent by Providence
for Clans regeneration. The hint given on
their return to the house. that the Ameri-
can ladies would be in Cannes after Christ
mas, TO remain there until Joined probaL,y
by Mr.. and Mrs. Carstairs in the we'll
known yacht Sans Peur," seemed to ut
into her plans. A further suggestion from
the dowager, that Miss Blocker and her
charge would allow Lady Campstown to
have the pleasure of introducing them to
some people and places In the south came
1fnl lxr nyNA I'D
that the stately little lady was herself a
little startled and taken aback by 1t.
AT this moment Clandonad and his other
guests stepped In through a window OPEN
ing upon a stone-paved court with foun-
tains and statues and ancient trees, in
closed in walls of ivy and maiden-hair
fern. reproducing prettily one of those
haunts OF Pan at Villa d'Este In Tivoli,
adored by former owner. Helen had been
sitting upon lichen-grown stone bench,
too Tapped In pure pleasure to want to
move. stable-clock striking somewhere
back OF strawberries, had warned her that
it was time for them to be thinking of
their train up to town; and she rose regret
fully.
"It has been a day to string upon times
rosary" she said to her host to whom she
yielded the greater credit for his hospital
lily. because she saw that he had been
worried and distracted, and that Il was
MariOl's continued sparkle of wit and bon
homie that had really lent the occasion Its
subtle charm.
IL Is very KIM or you 10 nave been will
Ing to give me much of your valuable
Time" he answered, with an effort to throw
OF what was possessing him, "and 1t has
been pleasant second chapter OF our voy-
age"
Il wanted to tell you and NJ. de Mariol be-
fore we separate" went on Miss Carstairs,
who had all day been trying for an oppor-
tunity to bring this in. and failed. simple
as the matter seemed, that I had, this
morning only. q letter from Miss winstan-
ley. They decided. you know, to put of
their visit to London till some later date
and have been wandering through the apple
country Of South Devon. to see the orchards