The Lamar register., 1909-04-28

gained very high himself at one time"
had seen no particular marks of in
terest on Overton's part toward Lady
Arabella; but, watching her, / saw,
in a very little while, the deepest sort
of interest on her part toward him.
She even left the cardtable for him.
and kept fast hold of him. / recalled
the way she had striven to attract his
attention at the play that night, more
than two years before. and my jeal-
Gus soul was Illuminated with the
knowledge that she was infatuated
with Overton-and l was right.
Some time afterward, whom should
! see walking in but Giles Vernon!
Lady Hawkshaw received him most
graciously. l went up to him and
asked: How came you here?"
Did you think, Dicky, that I meant
to let you keep up a close blockade
OF the lovely Arabella? No. indeed: l
got card Mt seven o'clock this even
ing. by working all day for it. and
mean to reconnoiter the ground as
well as you"
I thought when he saw Lady Ara
bella with Overton that even Giles
Vernon's assurance would scarcely be
equal to accosting her. He marched
himself up with all the GOODNESS in
the world, claiming kinship boldly
with Overton, who couldn't forbear
smiling. and Immediately began to
try for favor in Arabella's eyes.
But here l saw what l never did be-
xifh rflac
woman who was utterly Indifferent to
him, and actually seemed to dislike
him. She scarcely noticed him at first,
and. when he would not be rebuffed.
was so saucy to him that wondered
he stood for it for a minute. But
stand it he did, with the evident de-
termination to conquer her indiffer-
ence or dislike. whichever 1t might be.
Overton seized the excuse of Giles
approach to escape, and left the house,
which did not cause Lady Arabella
to like Giles any better. She returned
to the cardtable. Giles with her. and,
by the exercise of the most exquisite
ingenuity. he managed to lose some
money to her. which somewhat re-
stored her good humor.
At last the rout was over, and soon
after midnight all had gone. | was
shown to bedroom, with only parti-
ton wall between me and Sir Peter
and Lady Hawkshaw: so / had the
benefit of the nightly lecture Lady
Hawkshaw gave Sir Peter, with the
most unfailing regularity. On this
particular night. they came nearer
agreeing than usual, both of them dis
cussing anxiously Lady Arabella's
marked fondness for play. And Lady
Hawkshaw told of a late escapade of
Lady Arabella's in which a certain ace
of clubs was played by her; the said
ace of clubs being fashioned out of
black court-plaster and white card
board. When detected. Lady Arabella
professed to think the whole thing
a joke, but as her adversary
at the time was very old lady
whose eyesight was VIGOROUSLY de-
fective, 1t took all of Lady Ara
bella's wit and youth to carry it
OF successfully. which, however. she
did. AS for her trinkets. Lady Ara
bella was always buying them. and al
ways taking distaste to them, so she
alleged. and Lady Hawkshaw sus-
pected they took the place of shillings
at the card-table. Sir Peter groaned
at this and remarked that the earl, her
father. was the worst gamester he
knew. except her grandfather. l do
not remember any more. l tried to
avoid hearing what they were saying.
but every word was distinctly audible
to me, until, at this point, fell asleep
and dreamed that Lady Hawkshaw
was appointed to command the Ajax
and l was to report on board next day.