The Washington herald., 1908-07-12
CHAPTER VIII.

large one. The guests assembled in the
long saloon. where Sir Giles, arrayed II
the scarlet coat with green faclngs Of the
Forest Hunt. received them with old
fashioned courtesy. The Pundles oil
Pundle Green. the Bungays Of Sluf' er
the Lovibonds Of Broornie and the Jal-
lands Of Queens Jalland were present
These local magnates-men and women
alike-had long lost touch with that world
Of Mayfair in which young Mrs. Giles
MottisfOnt. the wife Of the eldest SON.
sparkied so brilliantly. Col Jalland. Il
IS true. was In the habit Of going to town
once a month TO have his hair cut; Mai
Lovibond never missed his regimental
dinner; but for the most part they and
their wives and daughters remained al
home year in and year out well salts
fed with the station Of life to which II
had pleased an all-wise Providence 10
call them.
Esme Burgess came with the Ven
nables. and was captured at once by Mrs.
Giles II she had not been born a Saver
make. with a nice fortune az her own
disposal the Foresters might have con-
demned her as worldly and frivolous. Sir
Giles refused to listen to a word against
his smart daughter-in-law. because she
had given 10 him two handsome grand
sons. Life at best being such an uncer-
tain affair. Sir Giles hoped that there
would be two more; but young Giles. who
was in the Guards, electrified the aunts
by affirming positively that two were
enough
The aunts were present: Miss Priscilla
in lavender silk. wearing some fine black
lace; Miss Lavinia in gray Upon their
thin, slightly flushed faces, IN their pale
blue eyes, IN their erect uncompromis-
ing department. might be detected a GER
tain protest. They We're cOnversing Miss
Priscilla's word with Mrs. BunRay. OF
Slufter. but their glances rested upon
young Mrs. Giles and Esme Burgess.
Whenever Mrs. Giles laughed Miss Pris-
ella was unable 70 prevent a tiny frown
showing itself between her delIcately
penciled. arched eyebrows: and Miss La
vinia, az the same moment, would ad-
just the Indian shawl about her neck. as
II she were sensible OF a chill
What a lovely gown Mrs Giles has
on said Mrs. Bungay, realizing that
she was feeling unduly heated in a green
velvet familiar for more than a decade
to all Foresters.
From the little I can see OF II. my
dear, II was not chosen for its wearing
qualities" said Miss Priscilla.
Mrs. Giles. indeed. was arrayed I'm pale
blue tulle. Around her slim white neck
was dog collar Of diamonds and tur-
quoises. A diamond ard turquoise aig-
rette quivered in her blonde hair And
yet she told everybody that she never
brought her Jewels into the country,
What she wore upon this occasion would
have rcroofed the Park (sadly In need of
iO, and rebuilt n score Of unsanitarv cot
tages. Such. at least was Miss Prisclia's
computation.
rs that Esme Burgess?" murmured
Mrs. Bungay. we hear he has distin-
guished himself greatly at Oxford. How
handsome he is, but so delicate looking!"
He was brought up on artificial food"
replied Miss Priscilla. tartly.
Dear dear" calculated Mrs. Bungav.
who had nourished adequately. and with
out any extraneous assistance. four sons
and five daughters. II wonder It was
permitted"
We knew nothing Of It at the time"
said Miss Lavinia. The intercourse be-
tween the Park and No. 2 Cheyne
Walk"
Terrace. Lavinia- II was Carlyle who
lived IN Cheyne Walk"
TO be sure, Well. as I was saving
the intercourse between the Park and No.
Cheyne Terrace was never of a very
intimate nature"
Never" Miss Priscilla confirmed the
statement II lunched there once: the
veal outlets were overdone. Esme's
rnther was mere newspaper man. He
always returned home. believe. long
after midnight"
She rose up as a portly butler an
nOUurGn dinnp~ IN
mayonnaise sauce. Sir Giles offered hts
arm 70 Lady Albinia JaIland. and led
the way through the red drawing-room /
and entrance hall into the dining-room /
beyond
Before we follow them, II NAV be well /
20 touch lightly upon the MotHsfonts and /
their history. The father of Sir Giles /
epent much time and a considerable sum /
OF money in tracing his descent To one /
John de In Mothe, Knight Of the Shire |
Of Slowshire, In the reign OF Henry III. |
In his admirable and indispensable work. |
Sir Bernard Burke, 10 whom the nobility
ana gentry OF Britain owe 30 incalculable
a debt. has traced filiatiOn from this De In
Mothe 10 one George Mott, who appears
TO have obtained a deed OF Gift to a field
near Hernshaw Magma in which bub-
bled a remarkably fine spring. spoken OF
~ stu existing charters as Mott Hvs
fonte. or Fontaine Hence. by an easy
transition, we come 70 Giles. OF Giles. de
Mottysfonte grandson Of George MOTH
who married an heiress Of the P,ndIe
family. and held lucrative appointment
under the Crown during the reign OF
Elizabeth
A historian ot the Forest has written NJ
iiles de Mottysfonte that he was well
'ersed In the arts which commend a sub
.ect 10 his sovereign" The particle was
iropped during the troublous times of the
wi war. and never reassumed. To make /
lp Tor its loss. the Merry Monarch (oos-
sibly in moment OF inebriety) conferred
d baronetcy upon the then head of this
ancient family
Ever since the days OF George Mott. the
family seems 10 have justified it's motto
Prohus ct Tenax." by acuuirinR-prin- ,
'ipaliy through judiclous marriaRes-as /
much land as possible and then refusing
lIiueI any circumstances, 10 part with [
IN acre ot It. In addition. an extraor-
unary number Of Forest rights are At \
aehed 70 the manor. pasturage for all {
'ommonable animals. levant or coucbant. I
4sht OF mari digging. right Of turbary. {
llu OF dlgging and cutting heath and I
'urze. right Of fifteen loads of good fuaI
md so on and so forth.
At dinner. young Mrs Giles prattIed
'leverly. She possessed the rare gift of r
Of making others believe q
hat her obiter dicta were Of value % d
oclety. She knew quite Intimately Some
celebrities, whose autographs might ba d
ound in book OF ghosts" which she
arried about with her. and she quoted Z
hese great men as Invariably agreeing
With her.
I sent for fowler at once she would
ay-alluding airily TO the famous Reqius
'rofessor-"and he said: My dear. thinl,
ust as you do Or Il sat next TO Gen c
at dinner the other night. and &
old him frankly that could not quite I