The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-07-15
CHAPTER ri.
A clAsu or VILLA

evident cohIunlOh.
His usually alert mind seemed inca
+ pabe of concerted effort IN the proper
1 direction, and the dazed look on his
I face remained there until Mariana
came TO tell him that his rooms were
I ready aud that Herr Won Grollerhagen
was awaiting him. Then for the first
/ time be awoke, and, with a sigh OF res
1 EQUATION as be realized the battle be
had before him, he gave a curt order
4 ,hat the automobile, which had broken
down on the road TO the hotel, should
be placed IN the entrance garden, fol-
be proposed to do some tlnkerlng upon
| II.
III that don't beat he muttered
| TO himself and then allowed the re
mark TO remain unfinished, for he
could not imagine one thing that the
Incident could be supposed TO have
beaten. 1t stood alone In a little hol
low square by itself and positively re
fused TO surrender TO any comparison
whatsoever
"And that-that--nine cent imitation
Of a man." he growled at last-"thai
yilificatlon upon the - the - genus
honor he 6nished. with fash Of
pride. Then he went of to his rooms
and tried to adjust himself to the mat
ter as he saw II and incidentally to
bring some Of that astute legal train
ing CLEANED from contact with farmers,
promoters and other citizens TO bear
upon the case.
Horace In the meanwhile had walked
along the cltf. wrestling with the stu
alton as 1t appeared TO him. There
was not the faintest doubt In his mind
that the noble earl would break off the
match because of the humiliation his
equally noble family had been sub
jected to by the incursion OF this vul'
gar guardian.
Hot and tired, he returned TO the
hotel with some OF his anguish worked
of and sought his sister She, how
ever, was locked up In her own room
and would only insist that he 60 away
SO It was from Lady Creeeh AT last
that he CLEANED some inkling OF wEat
had occurred
II was nearly @ o'clock when he
made up his mind to search out Pike
and 'have Il out with the beggar." as
he puAit. and he found the obstacle In
the entrance garden. As Horace came
upon the scene Pike was pounding
f,,tt, ..stt hn, n
head Of the motor car.
He was In his shirt sleeves and wore
long workman's smock close but
toned at the neck From between his
teeth came the unfamiliar strains Of
"The Blue and the Gray" With
revulsion Of feeling Horace approached
him
"Mr Pike" he said politely.
zone lies down at Appomattox,'
went on the song, and Horace stamped
impatiently upon the turf
"Mr. Pike! Mr.. Pike! wish
word with you" Horace went on, quite
angrily. Pike looked up mildly and
regarded Horace with interest.
"Ehr' he said and moved TO the
other side of the machine. rubbing his
lean chin with the handle of monkey
wrench
Il wished to say that the surprise OF
this morning so upset me that ! went
for long walk. have just returned,
said Horace.
He waited cxpectantly, but Mr.. Pike
went on abstractedly, zone wore
clothes Of gray" and seemed to be abb
sorbed IN his work. so that Horace
was forced TO go on.
Il have been even more upset by
what ! have just learned"
"Why. that's too bad" answered
Pike. fishing for a nut In the bottom
Of the tonneau.
1T Is too absurdly -monstrous-
ly badl Lady Creech tells me that my
sister did you the honor to present
you 20 the family with which we are
forming an allIance-at least TO por
ton OF IT,
"Yes, sir" answered Pike, "and
promised to present me TO the whole
possetucky Of EN-
"Iil not listen to youl" cried Horace
In a rage And warn you that we
shall act without paying the slightest
attention to your
Pike Strengthened up a trifle.
"Yonr sister kind Of hinted in her
letter that you think a good deal Of
this French lady--the widow. ! sup
pose you have made up your mind to
take her for richer or poorer. eh I
Now. what's she going TO give your"
Horace stopped short In horriied
Amazcment
why. ] thought you'd charge her
something just a little, Amt that the
way over hercf'
III seems impossible for you TO un-
lerstand our motives In trying to lift
ourselves above the common herd,
You are trying TO interfere between us
aud the flne flower of Europe" went
% Horace excitedly.
PIKE Strengthened up aud looked him
IN the eve quizzically.
u never heard none OF the folks
around Kokomo speak Of your pa as
a 'fne flower but we thought heap
~ him. and when he married your ma
he WIS glad 10 get her. and ! never
heard that ne asked for any settle
mcut When she took him be was
poor man. but II he'd had $4,000 rIi
bet he'd a. given Il for her
Horace turned short about and re
tired from the scene. II was evidently
impossible 10 argue wiih this plebeian
As be went toward The gales be met
Aimeric and Lady creech and Inform
ed them eloquently of the ~ success
of bis aitempi 10 reason with the law
yer Thea be- went oui again 10 the
ciia.
Aimeric accompanied bin few