Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-06-21
CHAPTER XII


The lawyer read these letters quickly,
mumbling out their contents half
aloud. The first was from the Cover
nor of the colony, and read:
Very happy to be able to render
this small service to Mrs. Fenton,
whose acquaintance it was a pleasure
to me to make soon after my arrival
here. Although ignorant of her family
history'-h'm, h'm-'that she is the
widow of the late Mr.. William Fenton,
who died three years ago in this place
matter of fact-documentary proof
easily obtained All, and this is from
a bishop, 1 see. Admirable talent, ir-
reproachable private life, industry, and
courage above all praise Not much
to the point, but kindly meant, no
doubt And here we have a judge.
Should have no difficulty in proving
her title to the estate May mention
that her relationship to the testator
has been long known to my wife and
daughters, though by her wish not
generally spoken OHM. him. Well,
Mrs. Fenton. I think you were quite
right to provide yourself with these
letters"
will they do?"
Eth? oh, well, they are evidence.
Not, of course, conclusive evidence;
but I imagine that no one is very like
ly to dispute your claim. Let me see,
you would har lily recollect your un-
Gle, Sir James LIE Breton, who is one
OF your fathers executors. 1t was in
India, l think, until after the time OF
your marriage"
yes, fancy So At all events, he
never came to Oxford"
but you will remember the other
executor-the Master of All Saints"
"Of course l do--dear old man! And
so he is still alive?"
yes. and think it would be as well
for you to see him."
Il should like it of all things. Might
I run down to Oxford tomorrow, do
you think? And would you write him
a line to say that l am coming?"
Mr.. Breffit replied that he would dc
so.
And then there is my cousin. oh
dear! shan't like seeing him at all;
1t will make me feel so horribly
ashamed of myself Perhaps 1 might
wait a few days before facing him.
No doubt" interrupted Mr.. Breffit
at would be convenient to you to have
little ready money. If you will allow
me to supply your wants until the nee
essary formalities have been gone
through, / sh feel much honored.'
81 have o, r a hundred pounds left
answered MIS-. Fenton. simply. THANK
you very much for your kindness, but
/ needn't trouble you yet However,
confess that / was going to ask you
whether should have to wait long for
my inheritance"
"Oh, we won't let you starve.' an
swered the lawyer. laughing; you
may make your mind quite easy as to
that"
So she thanked him once more. and,
after giving him her address. took her
leave.
When she had departed Mr.. Briffit
stretched out his legs, threw himself
back in his chair and said aloud:
II know what 1 should do If 1 were
Master Fred-I should marry that
woman"
After all. 1t was not such an impos-
sibIe solution of the difficulty, and. be-
ing a man of much natural kindness of
heart, he rubbed his hands and
chuckled over the idea for some min
utes before he reverted to business.
Mrs Fenton was woman of quick
emotions and varying moods Fhe dis
tress and conjunction whicA she had
manifested at one period of that inter-
view had been quite genuine; but this
phase of feeling had soon passed away
and when she reached the hotel in AL
bemarle street. at which she was stay
ing, she was In the highest of spirits
The establishment In question, which
had been recommended to her by nc
less a person than the Governor OF
New South Wales was as good a one
OF its kind as could be found in Lon
don: and although that may not he
very extravagant praise, 1t certainly
implies an extravagant scale Of
charges. Eat one of the great ad-
vantages of possessing a fortune OF
100000 is that this enables one &c
rise superior to such considerations
and to pay ten shillings for small
dish of Strawberries without wincins
Mrs. Fenton had Strawberries with hel
luncheon, and laughed delightedly al
the thought that Ii really would moi
very much matter If they cost her q
sovereign each. The sitting room
which she occupied could not be called
luxurious; but she knew that the daily
price of it would be rather more than
double the weekly rental that she HAD
been accustomed to pay in Sydney. and
this knowledge invested its RAJ ,e,
shabby furniture with halo OF q I,
in her eyes Her JOY In her newly .. =
quired wealth was childish and undig-
nified, no doubt: but Ii was also very
natural and by means of slight effort
one may manage to sympathize with
IL.
When she had finished her luncheon
she ordered a brougham and drove tc
several houses in fashionable quarters
where she left cards and letters of in
PRODUCTION with which she had been
provided by some of her Sydney
friends: for although she had been
poor. she was possessed of Sits which
had won popularity for her. and In
every one OF these letters stress was
laid upon the circumstance that she
had a perfectly exquisite voice. In an
overgrown society like that OF London
II is we'll that newcomers should
have some special claim or other upon
notice: though. TO be sure. an income
of $4,000 q year or thereabouts might
70 ttuAACA q Nt~tA
The remainder OF the afternoon Mrs
Fenton devoted to shopping. an occu-
patton which. for the time being, com.
pletely satisfied her soul Her taste
and her imagination were alike admir-
able. and never in all her life until now
had Ii been possible for her to give q
free rein to both. She did not hurry
herself; she had good look round and
made careful selection; also she gave
orders which were received with the
respect TO which their magnitude emit
tied them When at leGgth she reach
ed nome. pleasantly tired she did not
feel the want OF q companion. as many
people would have done. OF late years
her life had been rily lonely
and before her widowhood a great pari
OF it had been spent with one whose
companionship was by no means agree
able at all times: now she was quite
contented to curl herself up in an arm