Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1910-09-09

chief unconsciously on his writing ia
BILE. and Lady Birmingham smiled d.
yineiy up at him.
How good you are!" she said,
gratefully; "how good and kind you
are"
He smiled back at her. Il am
afraid ! am wax in your hands" he
said. "and | can only hope he will be
worthy of the post"
She rose, and gathered her furs
and laces gracefully about her. How
am to thank you?"
81 require nothing but your grati-
tude,' he said, courteously, "and to be
allowed to see you sometimes during
the winter, If you you can find time
to waste on an old mans society, my
dear"
"Of course | can. Please come and
see me soon-or, better still, come
and dine with me.
1t was a month later, and concert
was being held at Redford House, by
the kind permission of the Duchess
OF Redford, in aid OF one of the hospi-
tails.
The duchess had gently insisted
upon Lord Brentwood's attendance
"You know you are such an important
war man just now that ii is really
your duty to come to my function; so
do come. there's a dear" And Lord
Brentwood promised to go, and. re-
luctantly sacrificing an afternoon,
attended the concert.
Music was no hobby of his. and he
would far sooner have been idle at
home or busy abroad. than listening
to the singer who at this moment was
bidding him Come out. come OUT;
but he sat there listening patiently,
now and again noddng his head with
the every-ready appreciation Of the
skilled diplomatist.
The song was over, the lady who
was bidding every one Come out"
had told them for the last time that
they were "all the world to her; and
Lord Brentwood, giving a sigh OF re-
lief. leaned back more comfortably in
his chair. Two women seated behind
him had kept up the incessant, low
chatter of the fashionable and un-
musical concertgoer, and they now
slightly raised their voices.
My dear. it's perfectly true. Lola
told me herself; she told me the whole
story in her best style you know
what she is-half asleep. but very
wideawake. as livingstone says"
"How did she manage it?"
Lord Brentwood half closed his
eyes. He was thinking Of Lady Burn
ingham and he was glad that he had
been able TO help her. The converse
ton going on behind him was OF no
interest to him. but he heard 1t vague
ly. without consciously listening to IT,
Yes. she told me exactly how she
managed II. She went TO him and told
him that they were inseparable, and
that she couldn't live II he went
abroad. and then he gave II TO her,
and now SHe > gone ~ nOIhDul > AOA
the whole winter?'
why did she do it? | thought she
hated Miriam So"
"Ah my dear, you don't suppose
Lola ever did anything from pure
philanthropy, did you?'
The other laughed. why was It,,
then?"
We'll. you see. she owed Mrs. Stew
enson two thousand pounds. and the
debt was not only TO be Cancelled, but
she was 10 have another five hundred
pounds from the father if it came on"
MOI"
"Yes. It is quite true; and now
she's gone abroad. TO spend and en-
10y the five hundred pounds. Clever
OF her, wasn't it?"
81 always thought Lady Burning
ham perfectly hateful" said the first
woman. decidedly. Fancy poor Lord
Brentwood's being taken in so easily
What a rage he'd be in II he knew! )"
"Oh il doesn't matter about him!
laughed the other. Every one knows
what an old fool he is with a pretty
woman, Why, even the king knows
It."
Lord Brentwood sat very still and
very erect in his chair while they
were speaking but his face paled, and
he clinched his hands to stop their
trembling This talk was a terrible
revelation of the worlds estimate OF
his inner life.
To think that he was accused OF
iobbing-that he was. perhaps, even
the laughingstock OF feminine, fash'
ionable London. Even the King
knows what he is" 1t was impossi
BILE, Even the king" The words
seemed TO burn into his brain, and ht
felt an icy cold perspiration break ou
on his forehead To think that this
woman. like dozens OF others, per
haps. had not only made use OF MIN
and traded on his good nature. Du
had tricked him. 1t should De th'
last time she or any other would have
the opportunity. 1t was momen
of bitter awakening, and even more
bitter humiliation to the courteou'
old diplomatist; but as the vlolnls
ceased playing and was greeted VIII
deafening applause, true to hinseii
Lord Brentwood muttered apprecla
lively. Bravo, bravo." and smiled
and nodded to the duchess, who look
ed half-questioningly toward him.
II was an hour or SO after Lor'
Brentwood's return home, and n
: still sat In his study, buried In renee
tiors that were full OF humiliation
and shame. He had never meant Z
4 work" a job. never, In his weakes
q moments. and he had always. eVel
when giving way to beauty in distress
fully persuaded himself that beaut
Z was true. and that the person 10
. whom she pleaded must be worth
4 recipient OF his help and favor.
He rang the bell sharply and sen
q his valet to her house with note
asking her II he could see her IN
a