The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-07-22
CHAPTER xi.
First Appearance Of the Gentleman
With the Pointed Beard.


The lovers travelled up to London
together. 1t was an odd situation.
Three or four hours before this they
had been strangers. Now they were
vowed to each other-never had any
thing been so rapid before. Neverthe-
less. swift as everything had been on
that golden afternoon among the flow
ers of the old rectory garden, both
Captain Marriott and Daisy Hobson
lost sight of the fact. They talked as
il they had known each other for
many years. There was sweet in
terchange of condolences. Already
they felt welded and one.
While Daisy was packing her trunk
another telegram had arrived from
London addressed to Basil. 1t was
from Michael Grant.
Immediately upon receipt of the
wire from the Duchess, Daisy had tel
egraphed her acceptance of the pro-
posal This wire to Marriott was OBJ
viously forwarded after the receipt of
Daisy's message. The despatch had
been sent from the office in St.
Jdiltb Oilttly ohoNSu b'oii
that Michael Grant was with the
Duchess at 100a, Piccadilly II read:
Come up with Miss Hobson. Send
her straight to Piccadilly, and you
come to my chambers. Grant.
The afternoon was over, and dusk
was falling now, as the lovers sat
alone in the first-class carriage of the
train that was hurrying them through
the pleasant English countryside
towards the unknown future.
There is one thing, Daisy darling"
Basil said, (which seems to me quite
extraordinary"
What Is that?"
"Why, 1t Is your father" he an
swered. "the way he took the news of
our engagement, and the fact that
you were going off to Germany as the
companion of the Duchess at mo-
ment's notice!"
Daisy laughed "Oh," she said,
father was always like that. Moth
ing disturbs him very much"
II should think not" Basil thought
to himself, remembering with an in
ward smile of amusement his inter-
view with the rector so short a time
before.
When he and Daisy had come back
to the house at length-the telegram
from the Duchess had brought them
back very quickly from the Nuns
Walk-Basil had rung the bell and
asked to see Mr.. Hobson.
The old gentleman had trotted into
the drawing-room with croquet NAL
let In one hand, his faint blue eyes
peering round the place as IL he was
a little out of his element and dis
turbed in the course of events.
Basil had thought that he had new
er In his life seen anybody more like
the White Rabbit in alice in Won
derland"
"Mr. Hobson," he had said. not
without some difficulty and hesitation,
"Mr. Hobson, have to ask you some
thing OF tremendous Importance.
don't suppose l could ask you any
thing more important than this!"
Dear me! dear mel" replied the
rector. Nothing has gone wrong with
the county championship, hope?
am due to play on that fine green at
Winchester Castle on Thursday, and
the Archdeacon himself is to be my
antagonist. 1 hope"
mo, no, rector!" Basil replied. at
has nothing to do with croquet at all"
"Oh!" said the old gentleman; and
all the interest and emotion died out
Of his voice. He looked up at the
young man with weary and puzzled
expression.
what can I do for you, Captain
MARRIOTT" he said.
Basil took the bull by the horns.
"You can give your consent, Mr.. Hob
SON, to my engagement with your
daughter-your daughter Daisy"
Certainly. certainly" said the old
gentleman, as he might have replied
to some casual request. by all
means. by all means!"
Basil stared at him In astonish-
ment.
do you realize. rector" he said.
"that want to marry your daush-
teri"