New-York tribune., 1910-10-02
CHAPTER ".


mage The house was filled from top TO bot
tom with trophies won by the kernpton
stables Cups large and small cleaned from
shelf and mantel, and IN the CuDDOardS were
enough blue, red. and yellow TOSetteS TO
decorate the year winners at the Garden
There were collections of bits. spurs. and
impedimenta Of harness from every part or
the world. The sporting prints on the walls
of the library and dining room were IN better
taste than the paintings IN the drawing room
and hallway which keupton pfre had bought
during the early DAYS OF the Hudson River
School The dogs were everywhere. under
furniture and on 1t, two spaniels. a French
bull, and a Russian greyhound. To the little
Marquis, who did not care for dogs, the al
ternoOn call at teat11ne had many OF the
characteristics OF the h1DpOdrOue- To love
Mrs. kempton, he discovered one must love
and be loved by Mrs. Kempton's dogs.
The furniture, like the StanCh brOwnstOne
mansion IN which It was housed, was built
for service, and, If one dldn' mind dog hairs
on ones trousers, 1t was easier to be com
Portable there than IN any house IN New
York. Smoking was permitted everywhere,
and one had only to turn at one 5 elbow 10
discover the materials for its enjoyment
Tommy Mccall called it " The House of the
Gilded Ash Tray" Jack kemptOn liked a
hOuseful, and there were few weeks IN the
season that did not find his spare rooms Oc-
cupied 1t pleased him to have the house
called Liberty Hall. 1t was not unusual for
| him to wander into the midst OF a formal
| dinner party at his own board SOlled and
| travel stained, arrayed IN dust coat and cog
giles. Abby Kempton didn't mind Like
| other New York women, she preferred to go
| her own way, and realized that IncuriOsitv
was a small price to pay for her own I'M
munlty.
| A superficial critic would not have called
| them unhappy or even tlncOngenial IN the
| modern sense. kemptOn admired his wife
extravagantly They were good pals. ne
| bOasted. Her Judgment in horsefiesh was in
| fallible. She rode straight to the hounds,
| beat him shanelessly at tennis, and drove
his roadster as well as he could himself. A
trifie dull, the quickness of her wit put him
| at loss which she was not slow to use TO
her own advantage. But, as Mrs kempton
| had told Miss Jusdon. she was really aw-
| fly fond of him What ne most wondered
| at. perhaps, was her success IN getting what
| ever she wanted. She had way OF achIev-
| ing the impossible.
| A ND it was Miss Natalie Judson who. at
the end of a trying morning with her
| friend at last tossed her hands almost with
an air of fatalisrn as she said, "Oh. well,
| ttDDN, Ol COulSt YOU II IetNt NOt.I OWAl WSAN
| consent. I've only let YOU talk SO that |
could weigh your arguments with my OWN.
MIR. Northrop half convinced me. I've been
very rude to Mr.. Garriott. | was wrong.
| I'm sorry now
| Mrs. kempton was wise enough to con-
Ceal her triumph until she got home. when
she sat al her desk and wrote brief note 20
| Brooke GarriOtt:
| l have had serious morning with Natalie,
| and exhausted with the effort; but shes
| coming tom ght. so do not fail We dine At
eight; but come at seven. want 10 talk 10 you.
| The note lay on CARROTS dressing table
before him as he struggled with his white
cravat. But as he went up the avenue In
hanson he found himself in some doubt as
TO the wisdom of his decision. After all.
| Mrs kemptOn was scarcely more than a
stranger, and he had definite impression
that he was delivering himself into the hands
OF an enemy.
THE Cordialitv of her reception put him
again at his ease. He found her enthroned