The Lamar register., 1909-05-26
cHAprER VI.-continued.

eddy entered this room rev moments
ago, and the sight that met my eyes
was Arabella struggling in the arms
of this young ruffian, Richard Glyn.
who was kissing her with the greatest
fury imaginable
Sir Peter looked at me very hard,
and after a moment said:
Have you nothing to say for your
self, young gentleman"
Sir" l replied, trying to assume a
firm tone, Il will only say that Lady
Arabella, meaning to treat me like heI
Iap-dog. kissed me on the nose, as she
does that beast of hers; and as an
officer and gentleman. l felt called
upon pay her back; and for every
smack she gave me on my nose, l gave
her two back in the mouth, to show
her that an officer in his majesty's
sea service is man. and not lap
dog"
do you hear, Sir Peter?" asked
Lady Hawkshaw, with terrible earnest
ness. He does not deny his guilt.
What think you of his conduct?"
Think. ma'am!" shouted Sir Peter,
81 think If he had done anything else,
1t would have been clean against the
articles of war and l myself would
have seen that he was kicked out of
his majesty's service. | shall send
for my solicitor tomorrow morning to
put a codicil to my will. giving Richard
Glyn 1000 at my decease."
At this the gentlemen roared, and
Lady Arabella, Selling the lap-dog, hid
her face in his long hair. while even
Daphne smiled and blushed. AS for
Lady Hawkshaw, for once she was dis
concerted and walked out, glazing over
her shoulder at Sir Peter.
There was much laughter, Sir Peter
Joining in; but after while the gen.
tlemen left, and Sir Peter went out.
and Daphne, who I saw was disguised
with my conduct, walked haughtily
away. in spite of Lady Arabella's play
full protests that she was afraid to re-
main alone in the room with me.
One thing had puzzled me extreme
ly, and that was her calmness, and
even gayety when she had no means
of knowing how Overton had come off
in the meeting, and I said to her:
How did you know. or do you know,
whether Philip Overton and Giles Yer
non are alive at this moment?'
by your face, Dicky." she answered,
trying to give me flip on the nose.
which | successfully resisted. Il was
in agony until saw your face. Then
/ gave one great breath of joy and re-
lief, and my play with my lap-dog,
which had been torture to me, became
delight But tell me the particulars.
NO, madam" said 1; Il tell you
nothing"
This angered her. and she said, aft
er a moment:
81 presume you will take an early
opportunity of telling Sir Peter and
Lady Hawkshaw that l saw Philip
Overton alone in this house, at five
o'clock yesterday morning."
81 am quite unaware, madam" re-
piled ], stung by this, 'of anything in
my character or conduct which could
induce you to think such thing
of me-"
you made me no promise not to
TELL" she said.
Certainly not But some things are
considered universally binding among
gentlemen and one is to tell nothing
to the disadvantage of woman.
neither made, nor will make, prom
ise about that affair; but If 1t is ever
known it will be you or Overton who
tells It, not L.
And I walked out of the room.
/ speedily found. after that. my life
In Berkeley Square uncomfortable.
felt constrained before Lady Arabella,
and, what seemed strange to me, little
Daphne, who had hitherto treated me
lrt,
take a spite at me. and her gibes and
cuts were hard to bear. Neither Sir
Peter nor Lady Hawkshaw noted these
things, but they were strong enough
to impel me to ask Sir Peter to look
out for a ship for me at the ad-
miralty.
saw Giles Vernon every day, and
he continued to come, with undated
assurance, to Berkeley Square. we
were not anxious that the fact OF the
duel should leak out, and Overton was
especially DESTROYS to keep 1t quiet
OF course, he came no more to Berke'
ley Square, and withdrew more and
more from his former associates. He
began to consort much with persons
Of the John Wesley persuasion, spend
ing much of his time, when not on
duty, at Oxford, where the Wesleyans
were numerous at the time. l noticed
that Lady Arabella treated Giles, and
me, also, with more civility than she
had hitherto shown. l could not thinR
1t sincere, but attributed 1t to natur
al desire to conciliate those who knew
so much to her disadvantage. But tha'
she made no effort to overcome her In
fatuation for Overton, very soon had
proof. Sir Thomas Vernon, soon after
this. had the assurance to present him
self in Berkeley Square, and rare sport
1t was. Lady Hawkshaw. Lady Ara
bella, Daphne. myself. and one or two
other persons were in the Chinese
drawing room when he was ush
cred in.