Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-07-12
CHAPTER XVII.

Road on the evening of Mrs. Moore's
little dinner party. They were rather
late, and the remainder of the COM
pany, which consisted only Of some
half dozen persons, had already assem-
bled when they arrived. Captain
Claughton was conspicuous by his abb
sence, which was a relief to Fred for
more reasons than one. In the first
place he naturally did not wish to be
fnterfered with by his rival, and in the
second, he was not particularly anx-
ious to be delivered from him through
the benevolent intervention Of Mrs.
Fenton. Charming though his cousin
was, he sometimes thought that she
was just a shade wanting IN refine
ment
The young man was received with
much cordially by mis- host and nost-
ess.
so glad you were able to comet"
the latter said. I'VE really seem to
have seen nothing Of you for ages"
And then, in a lowered voice. How
very pretty your cousin Isl And so
so nice altogether. Well. I think we
are here now. Captain Claughton
couldn't come: I dare say you have
heard of his loss"
Fred shook his head. IT don't often
see Claughton. What has he lost? His
watch, or his heart or any other val
liable of that kind7"
Mrs. Moore laughed a little. NO.
only his elder brother. At least.
didn't mean to say only but 1t is
his elder brother. Well, 1t seems that
the poor man was subject to the most
dreadful fits, so one can only regard It
as a happy release. Captain Claugh-
ton has gone down to attend the fu-
neral. l believe. OF course, this will
make very great difference in his
prospects, but we all hope he won't
retire just yet"
Fred Musgrave's perceptions were
not abnormaIly acute. but he could
hardly keep approaching the signifi-
canoe of these confidential remarks.
They meant, of course, You are not
to suppose, young man, that you have
been asked here tonight for any other
reason than that we are kind to peo-
pie and unwilling to show cold shout
der to those who have fallen into ad-
Versity. Ten thousand pounds, how
ever, will not do at all, and 1t may
save you disappointment to be told at
one that we take a parental interest in
Captain Claughton. who is now heir
TO more acres than you have sover-
eigns."
All this Fred quite understood, and
he even thought that Mrs Moore was
somewhat needlessly explicit Wheth-
er Susie was of the one mind with
her step-mother remained tc be seen.
After glanclng around the room and
drawing up a hasty mental scale of
precedence, he thought 1t highly prob
able that he would be asked to take
Miss Moore to the dining room, but
this anticipation was not fulfilled, he
being tolled off TO a sprightly middle
aged lady, while Miss Moore walked
downstairs alone. She took the place
on his left hand at the dinner table.
though, and as soon as the sprightiy
one would let him, he endeavored to
enter into conversation with her. She
answered him very much as she had
done at the theater: she was just po-
lite, and that was all. It was in vain
that he attempted to interest her in
matters which she had formerly SEEM
ed to find interesting; in vain he told
her about the play upon which he had
been at work, and which he hoped
would prove the first rung of the lad
der which was to lead him to fortune
and renown: II was evident that she
did not care to hear about that play;
and what was equally evident and still
more omiuous was that she was abb
sent-minded and out OF spirits. Well,
IL she couldn't dispense with Claugh-
ton for one evening without looking SO
dismal about 1t. there was no more to
be said. After a time Fred said no
more and his silence was noted with
some irritation by his hostess.
But IL Mrs. Moore was not best
pleased with this taciturn guest. she
had no such complaint of his cousin,
whose loquacity left nothing to be de-
sired. Mrs. Fenton made a speedy
conquest of the General, to whom she
communicated her impressions of Lon
don society with a mixture of artless-
ness and shrewdness which kept him
hubbling over with laughter from soup
TO dessert: moreover, she managed %
draw everybody within earshot into a
discussion In which she took the prin
cipal part. There are a great many
people who can accomplish that much
and some who accomplish IL rather
more often than could be wished but
It is only genuine conversational ar
list who can do all the work and at
the same time persuade others that
they are taking their full share of II.
Mrs Fenton proved herself true con-
versatlonal artist that evening, and
when she quilted the room with the
other ladies' she left behind her four
or five men who felt that, for once
they had been really brilliant
But 1t is one thing to captivate men
(for we are q simple. unsuspicious
folk for the most part). and quite an
other TO ingratiate yourself with mem
bers of your own sex. Mrs. Fenton,
as has been said. had hitherto been
tolerably successful in this more diff
cult undertaking.; but when she tried
TO be kind to Susie Moore she met
with check. Susie. 90 reasons best
known to herself, did not shoose to re-
spond to the other lady's advances
She was distant: she was reserved
she was even, IL the truth must be
told, a little sulky When Mrs. Fen
ton began to talk about Fred and
praised him up to the skies. she main
tained a chilling silence. All she
would say was, that she had Away:
understood that Mr.. Musgrave wa:
very fascinating. but that she herself
did not know him particularly well.
Mrs. Fanton. raised her eyebrows
Dear met said she. Il fancied from
what he told me that you were a grea'
friend OF hfs."
Il don't think he can have told yot
that" answered Susie. flushing slight
". For few weeks we saw goot
deal OF him. because we were gettins
up some theatricals then and he uset
to come here to rehearse; but since
that we have scarcely met at all. Per
haps. though. he didn't tell you so;
perhaps you only fancied tt"
"Oh. won't swear that he actually
told me So" returned Mrs. Fenton
laughing; hut / certainly had tha
impression. I'm sorry you don't Ike
him; because l like him immensely.
dont think / ever met any one mor'
unaffected and honest and good. II