Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-03-06

Awe. an overyoung young man, sad
eyed. dark and In love with Miss Chit
tendon to the verge of melancholia.
He said be was very much pleased to
meet Lord Croyland and asked If they
were having much fog at home.
Richard had been posted on London
fogs and was enabled to draw a pic
ture sufficiently dismal to meet with
the questioner's desires.
Dinner is served" announced tall
butler. who fortunately CHANGED to be
an lrishman. Otherwise there might
have been whisperings over some Of
the strange earl's characteristics in the
servants hall.
"All right" said Mr.. Renwyck: I'VE
won't wait for Michael. He never
missed an opportunity of being late in
all his life"
Richard. who against his every in
clination was forced to take in the
stately Miss Schermerly, was wonder
ing vaguely who "Mlchael' might be
when suddenly his heart stood still at
the entrance of the gentleman himself,
and again in his ears sounded the
haunting echo of that doubtful compli-
ment:
"Very good seat for all Englishman,
my lord"
Mr. Michael Corrigan was a merry,
hearty little man. brother to Mrs. Rem
wyck. not ashamed of his immediate
Irish ancestry and a thorn in his
brother-in-law Jacobs side. The two
gentlemen had never got on well to-
gether, owing to an utter dissimilarity
of tastes and bulldog tendency to
argue out their respective sides of ev-
cry question to the bitter end If one
made statement the other was sure
to combat it. no matter what his pri-
vate convictions CHANGED to be, and
poor Mrs. Renwyck lived in mortal
dread of tilt la outrance between
the two. Moreover, there had been a
recent discussion, which. had Richard
known it. would have caused him
much distress of mind, for the rock
on which the brothers-in-law had split
was business deal with one Bill Will
liams of San Antonio Tex.
Before the advent of Mr.. Corrigan.
Richard had been pluming himself on
having carried out his role so success
fully. 1t was comparatively easy to
throw sand in the eyes of the Rem
wycks and their guests, but Mr.. Corri-
gan put different complexion on the
face of things. for the Texan recog-
nized the gentleman as a stanch friend
Of hi fatI he;
ranch some ten years before. Richard
was then a mere boy and would scarce
ly be remembered. he hoped. especially
when masquerading as foreigner.
Still he had his quaking doubts and re-
doubled his efforts TO appear un-Amer-
lean. AS the dinner progressed he was
rejoiced to detect no sign of recogni-
ton, but before the salad was served
he found himself in trouble.
For the benefit of his guests Mr..
Renwyck recOunted the afternoons
feat of horsemanship, and Richard
found himself upon the defensive. For
tunately he knew the details Of the
real Lord Croyland's venture in Texas
cattle and told the story with good
effect, thus accounting for his ability
to ride anything that ran on four legs.
yet all the while he felt the steady
gaze of Mr.. Corrigans little gimlet
eyes, which made him most uncom-
Portable.
When this ordeal was passed Miss
Chittendon forced him into one more
complication.
"Oh. Lord Croyand," she gushed
from her seat on the opposite side Of
the table, won't you please tell us a
lot about England? I've never crossed.
you know, and I'm just dying to see
the places I've read of in so many
books"
"My dear young lady" Richard re-
turned with unnatural languor you
wouldn't find it half so jolly as your
own country. Really, you Know, I'm
becoming such good American that |
fancy shall never return to England
again"
He was not to get out of that coil so
easily. however, for the ladies piled
him with difficult questions until he
wished with all his heart that three of
them at least were confined for life in
the Tower Of London, while he talked
to the fourth of bronchos and love and
things he understood. Then Mr.. Corri-
gan took a hand
Lord CroyIand." he began. leisurely
slipping his port. sit has been many
years since | was in London. but
have always retained q most delight
full recollection of Hyde park. Very
few changes there, suppose?"
Richard frightened visibly. This was
a subject on which the astute Bills
had drilled him well. He could speak