The Washington herald., 1908-07-07

he had theories He said that public
school boys never got the farther vision.
never saw beyond the little circle of their
own petty interests
Il never saw beyond the Eton playing
fields"
That's what he meant The result was
that I'-he flushed and laughed-"well.
/ was brought up rather like n girl At
seventeen ! was as innocent as Moses in
the bulrushes. but / knew all about the
Eastern question. and I could have out
lined the foreign policy OF the principal
nations fairly accurately. OF course. /
was-and ana duffer at games"
i see said Hugo. This accounted
Tor the Sir Galahad' look. and the al
most vlrginal radiance OF the eyes.
Tall. oagcr. a face To remember
4 flush that could change as the day;
Il spirit that knew not December
That bnghtened the sunshine of May"
He leaned forward and added. ..You
owe your father moro than you think.
Ten years hence you will understand
/ what l mean. Is il indiscreet 10 ask
what you are doing here?
Not at all l oveTworked at Oxford.
And my doctor prescribed fresh air and
exercise. / am related to some of the
Forest people. a dear old man. and
His daughter"
And his daughter You saw US this
morning. We wondered who you were
Joy-Miss Nennable, ] mean-said: a
sporting peer
How very complimentary
IT was. really. She's a country girl
10 the marrow; plays games. rides Ike
| lJl Vernon. and does nearly an her faith
eTs work in the parish. Her mother was
a Motusfont you know"
Hugo had never heard OF the Motifs
fonts, Burgess explained volubly:
They've lived here since the flood. NV
grandmother was an aunt Of the present
man. Sir Giles. The family never quite
forgave her for marrying my grandfath-
or. the poet you know"
You are grandson Of Robert Bur
gess?'
Yes. My father was a Ieader-writor
on the Times The Mottisfonts will arnlse
you They're typical Foresters. deep
rooted IN the soil. with moss growing
| thick upon them. Not single member
| or the family has ever distinguished HIM
SELF Among their family pictures you
won't hnd soldier. a sailor a states
man, a painter. or even q writer OF note.
I
families who can't Justify existence bv
being Of some service 10 the state which
allows taem such astonishing preroga-
lives ought 70 be set 10 break stones upon
the road"
You're a Socialist"
7 belong 20 the New Brooms"
I don't think ever heard OF the New
Brooms"
You VIII We haven't had a chance
[ vet. We're banded together 10 sweep the
cobwebs out OF the old parties. 10 take
from each what Is vital. and cast the
I rest 20 the void"
sounds we'll"
/ Yes The young fellow threw back
his head and laughed Although he used
( phrases obviously intended for the plat.
, form. there was nothing Of the prig about
I LlW. and the dctes-able oxford manner''
was happily absent.
We're Free Traders. anti-tingoists and
sworn enemies OF robbery hurobuo
: monopoly. and inomcieucy We're NOT
demagogues. and we shall never lick the
/ boots of the great unwashed. Our first
object is 70 remove lies and misrepreser
lauons from practical politics. TO present
I the naked truth 20 the public"
Excellent But the British public re-
fuses 10 look at the nude. Does Miss
Ncnnable think as you do?"
She's mad keen: keen as I am In
/ her, you see We get the Mottisfont strain
/ or ioN-hunter crossed with the Vennables.
b Her t-grandfather was lord chan
ceuor. JOY hunts the fox Ike "a Motifs.
Iont but she hunts facts Ike a lawyer.
/ You take me2'
Perfectly"
THAT girl is the queerest mixture Of
II ]
/ Shes never been inside a theater but
she hops in and out of problems that
would mudaie Bernard Shaw"
/ Isn't he bit OF a skirter? Miss Ven
/ nable, probably. goes straight"
lhats IT, ] say, I'm so glad you've
come. It's been a bit dull here. when"
Nhen you're not playing golf"
or shooting. I'm Hcensee"
"A liccnsec?"
Burgess explained. In the Forest Of Ys
a man could take ont n license (on paw
ment Of twenty pounds which entitled
I him to shoot game three DAYS out OF
each week. from 10 20 T. Hen-phcasants
must be spared.
I've been az II a month. It's done me
/ lots Of good. made a new man ont OF me.
/ one mas 10 have beater at ten bob a
week, and dog. I'm such a duner that
/ don't bag much. but it's great fun. and
! one gets 10 know this wonderful Forest %
How do you become a UcenseeY'
You apply 70 the deputy surveyor.
There is no difficulty they're glad
enough 70 get the twenty pounds"
Hugo listened TO 4 detailed description
| OF long stern chase Of a cock-pheas-
ant, evcntu lllv slaughtered on the hoorr'
/ The young fellows artless prattle stirred
vague enthUslasIns in himself which he
( had supposed 10 be dead and buried. He
found himself wondering whether it were
/ possible to begin again to Join this youth.
even IN the pursuit OF cock-pheasants TO
explore with him this still Virgin Forest.
! to rekindle seemingly dead ashes.
When he lay in bed. wide awake. but
easier In body and mind than he had felt
] for many months. he told himself that
| health, in a sense. was as contagious as
! disease. The Forest was a mighty con-
crete example OF regeneration. Outside.
! silence seemed TO encompass all things.
merely because his ears were too dull to
register million subtle vibrations But
the great cleansing forces OF nature
never rested day or night The foulest
stream. percolating through a few Yards
or gravel became pure and lfmpid: the
rotting leaf was absorbed by the vigorous
new growth; the first law OF life this.
but law he had never applied 70 HIM
self
Three days later he was introduced 10
JOY by Burgess. with whom he had been
walking round the golf course. The girl
was coming ont of the clubhouse as the
men were entering. From the tone of the
young fellows voice Hugo knew he had
been the subject of discussion between
Burgess and JOY. Instinctively, also. he
was aware that the girl might be jealous
of his Intercourse with her cousin: an in
tercourse likely to become intimate AS