The Glenwood post., 1909-03-20

to foil all of the efforts OF Admiral Sir
Peter Hawkshaw to find me; for he
had done all he could to discover the
whereabouts of his nephew's orphan.
'Tis not for me to say one word
against Betty Green, for she slaved for
me as only woman can slave, and,
besides, brought me up in the habits
and manners of a gentleman, albeit
she did little for my education. and to
this day l am prone to be en-
barrassed when l have a pen In my
hand. | can not say that / was happy
in the devoted. though savage, love
she lavished upon me. She would not
allow me to play with the boys of her
own class. and those of my class l
never saw. All my clamorings to
know something about my family on
either side were met by her declaring
that she had forgotten where my
mothers people lived; and as for Sir
Pete, she gave me such horrifying
account of him that l never dreamed
1t possible to receive any kindness
from him. At last, though, on her
deathbed, she acknowledged part of
the deception her desperate affection
had impelled her to play upon me
The poor soul had actually forgotten
about my mothers family, and had
destroyed everything relating to them,
but directed me to go to Sir Peter:
and thus 1t was that on the day after
| saw Betty Green, my only friend on
earth, laid in paupers grave I went
to the house of my fathers uncle, with
the result narrated When got back
to the humble lodgings where I had
lived before Betty's death, looked ur
small box of trinkets of little value
which had belonged to my mother, and
from the sale of them ! got enough to
live upon for a week, and to make my
way to Portsmouth at the end OF 1t
Either Sir Peter had forgotten to tell
me anything about my outfit. or else
| had slipped out so quickly-galled
by the fear of weeping before that
rascally footman-that he had nc
chance. AT all events. | arrived at
Portsmouth by the mail coach, with
all of my belongings in one shabby
portmanteau
! shall not describe my feelings dur
ing that journey toward the new life
that awaited me. In fact | scarcely
recall them coherently; all waa
maze, a tumble, and an uproar in my
mind.
We got down in the inn yard-a
coach full of passengers the only
one who seemed adrift and alone
among them. | stood looking about me
at pert chambermaid who impudent
ly ogled the hostlers and got kiss
in return; at the pretentious entrance
to the inn: at all of the hustle and
confusion of the arrival of the coach.
Presently | saw young gentleman
somewhat older than myself. and wear
ing the uniform of his majesty's sea
service, come out of the inn door He
had very elegant figure, but his face
was rather plain. Within five minutes
of my first meeting with Giles Vernon,
l had an example OF what was one OF
his most striking traits-every WON.
an in sight Immediately fixed her at.
tention on him and smiled at him. One
was the chambermaid, who left of
ogling the hostlers and gaped at this
young OmceT Wlln neT coarse, nAnQ-
some face all aflame; another was the
landlady. who followed him to the
door, smirlting and tanning herself;
and the third was venerable Quaker.
ess. who was about entering the inn,
and who beamed benevolently on him
as he bowed gallantly in passing.
know not why this should have made
such an impression on me; but being
young and fool thought beauty was
as highly priced by women as by men,
and it surprised me that fellow with
a mouth SO wide md with something
dangerously near squint should be
such lady-killer. 1t was common
enough for young gentlemen holding
midshipmen's warrants to come down
by the coach, and as soon as he saw
me this young officer called out:
Halo, my hearty! Is it a ship of
the line or frigate you are booked
for? Or is it one of those damned gun.
brigs which are unfit for a gentleman
to serve in?"
To BE CoNTINUEDJ