The Glenwood post., 1909-05-08

Loose" Behind them marched, WITH
the deepest gravity. a couple of ma
rines, bearing aloft on their muskets
glittering shimmering thing that
futtered Whitley in the air. 1t was
Lady Arabella's satin petticoat; and,
halting before the door, the drummer,
with a great flourish, pounded the
knocker. On the porter's responding,
the two marines handed the petticoat
in with ceremony to him, directing
him to convey 1t to the Lady Arabella
Stormont, with the compliments OF
Lieut. Giles Vernon of his majesty's
service. This the man did, and was
almost torn to pieces by her for doing
so, though in what way he had Of
Tended | know not to this day. 1t was
tritiing thing. and made laughter for
us all Gncluding Lady Hawkshaw), ex-
cept Arabella. She seemed to hate
Giles with more virulent hatred after
that, and tried very hard to induce
Lady Hawkshaw to forbid him the
house. which. however. Lady Hawk
shaw refused to do.
Neither Giles nor l had by any
means forgotten our appointment to
meet Capt. Overton on the field of
honor; and as the time approached for
the meeting, Giles sent very civil
note to Overton. asking him to name
gentleman who would see me to ar
range the preliminares, for l would
never have forgiven Giles had he
chosen any one else. Overton re-
sponded, naming our old first lieuten-
ant, Mr.. Buxton, who happened to be
in London then, and was an ac-
quaintance of his. l believe Overton's
object in asking Mr.. Buxton to act for
him was the hope that the affair might
be arranged; for from what l had
heard Of the deeply religious turn
Overton had taken, I concluded the
meeting was somewhat against his
conscience. But the indig1ity of a
blow in the face to an officer could not
be easily wiped out without an ex-
change of shots. My principal was
much disgusted when Mr.. Buxton was
named.
'I know how it will be, Dicky," he
growled You will sit like a great
gaby. with your mouth open. imagin-
ing the tavern parlor to be the cock
pit of the Ajax. Mr.. Buxton will talk
to you in his quarterback voice, and
you will be SO frightened that you
will agree to use birdshot at 40 PAGES,
provided Mr.. Buxton proposes it
This Indignantly denied, and swore
I would meet Mr.. Buxton as man to
m Nnvarfhn1nSS wha
sitting at the table In Mr. Buxton's
lodgings, did very much as Giles had
predicted. l forgot several things that
| had wished to say and said several
things l wished l had forgotten. Mr..
Buxton did not let me forget, however,
that he had been my first Lieutenant.
and l was but midshipmap. He
called my principal hot-headed jack
anapes before my very face, adding,
angrily:
But for him I should have been
first on the Indomptable's deck" To
all this l made but feeble protest;
and finally it was arranged that the
meeting should take place at spot
very near Richmond at eight o'clock,
on the morning of June 90.
When the date was set, and the ar
rangements made, | began to feel
very much frightened. Not 80 Giles.
There was to be a great ball at AL
mack's on the night Of the 2Sth and
Giles announced that he was going.
| 1t was very special occasion for him.
because the Trenchard, whom he still
called the divine Sylvia, and professed
to admire as much as ever, was to go
that night. She was then the rage.
and had carriage, diamonds, and a
| fine establishment, yet | bOjeve her
conduct to have been irreproachable
She had long been consumed with a
! desire to go to Almack's, but up to
that time no actress had ever yet en-
joyed the privilege. 1t seemed gro-
tesque enough that a young midship-
man, of no more consequence than
Giles Vernon, should succeed in carry
ing this through. But such was actual
ly the case; and Giles accomplished 1t
by that singular power he possessed,
| by which no woman could say him
nay. He worked with much art upon
those great ladies', her grace of Au-
chester and Lady Conyngham, and got
them pledged to it. OF course. the
most violent opposition was devel-
oped; but Giles, who had perfect
knowledge of the feminine heart, man
aged to inspire these two ladies' with
the wish to exercise their sovereignty
over Almack's by doing what was
never done before. Having led them
| ir,t- ha Rtyht he, bod -
running away; and the result was in
Vulnerable heartburnings and jealous
les, and meanwhile card for Mrs.
Trenchard.
CTo BE CoNTINUED)
HAT BROKE UP THE CONCERT.
/ Rs.,a liz RannanclhIa La