The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-11-15
0yD FLETCHER ROBINSON


black pigmies against the drifts OF
snow.
My bachelor host was absent when
l was ushered into the great central
hall where the house-party were met
together for their tea. / am by ma
ture shy Of strangers, taken In large
doses, and It was with relief that !
recognized Jack Talman, the grizzled
cynic of an Academician, sitting in
a corner seat well out of reach of
draughts and female conversation.
Hello, Phillips" he welcomed me.
And what financial gale brings you
here"
What do you mean?"
Don't put on frills with me. I've
come to paint old Stems picture, II
he will give me the fifteen hundred
that I'm asking for 1t. Lord Tommy
Retford yonder is here to unload
some of his old furniture-you know
Tommy's rooms in Piccadilly. don't
you? Furnished by a dealer in Bond
street, and 26 per cent. commission to
Tommy on everything he can sell out
Of them. That's Mrs. Talbot Slingsly
talking TO him. Pretty woman, got
into trouble In New York, was cut by
all America, and captured Slingsly
and London society at one blow.
Scandal never does cross the Atlantic
somehow-all the dirty linen gets
washed In the herring-pond. That's
old Lord Blame by the fire; very re-
spectacle. and lends money on the
sly. Private gentleman will make
advances on note of hand'-you know.
Fine woman. Mrs. Billy Blades-that's
she on the sofa. She's been making
desperate love to Steen, but no go.
The gay old dogs too clever for her.
That long chaps her husband. Watch
him prowling round, looking to see If
he can pouch silver ashtray or
something, I expect. BY Jove, Phil
lips. but it's as good as a play. amt,
IT."
"And this is London society" ex-I
claimed.
mo" he cackled, shaking with
vast amusement. mo, man; no.
It's the Smart Set, that advertised,
criticized, glorious, needy brigade Of
rogues and vagabonds-the Smart Set.
Bless EN- all, say I; they're the best
of company, but it's as we'll to lock
up your valuables before you be7
come too intimate with them"
] finished OF my tea while old Tai
man sucked at his cigarette in great
entertainment
You'd like to See the house." he
again. 'Come along, I'll
show you round-I want q walk be-
fore dinner
1t was q most interesting ramble.
We passed from room to room admir-
ing the carved oak, the splendid pic
lures, tho Sheraton furniture. the
cabinets Of old china, the armour, and
the tapestry. For the manor was
filed with the heirlooms of the de
from whom Baron Steen
rented It. And though the present
peer, a broken-down old drunkard,
was living in little villa at East
bourne on eight hundred pounds q
year, the family had been a great and
glorious one, finding mention on
many a page in English history.
AT the. end of the great dining-room.
set in the blackjack wainscot above
the IRE, was the portrait of boy. 1t
wss a Reynolds, and worthy effort
Of that master hand. The lad could
have been no more than fifteen years
Of age, but In his eyes was that
grave, distracted expression that
usually comes with the painful wis
dom Of later years. In more closely
the picture, I noticed that
q large portion OF It at the bottom
corner had been re-
paired or painted out. I called Tai
mans attention to this misfortune,
asking II he knew the cause.
They painted out the WOLF" he
said, "and with good enough reason,
too"
"A wolf?" said.
"If old de Laune were to hear
me gossiping about 1t he'd kick
me out of the place-he would, by
Jove! But with Steen in possession
It's safe enough. Mind you, though,
you mustn't mention 1t to the ladies
on your word, now"
Yes. yes" said eagerly; ego on"
"Such things frighten the women"
he explained. "Well, It was in this
way. Phillip, and he was the sixth
earl, was our ambassador at st.
Petersburg somewhere about the
year 1890. Once when he was out
hunting he shot an old she-wolf that
was peering from the mouth OF a
cave, and inside they found thriv-
Ing family of four cubs. One Of
them was white, an albino, suspect,
He saved It from the dogs and took
Il home. When he came back to-
the next year, he brought
Il along with his wife and his hoy,
an only son. They say It was a
great pet at first, but 1t grew sulky
with age. and finally was kept chained
In the stables.
"One Christmas eve, Just as dusk
was closing in, de LAune was trot-
ling down the drive-he had been
hunting at q distant meeting-when
he heard fearful screaming from the
over gardens towards the cliff. He
"a --.x~- - Ii A--~~ 81 a.