Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-14
BY cLAvER MORRIS
Author Of John Bredon, Solicitor"
CHAPTER 1.

Hnt WIS " hahhabAiA0f bNAiNiN 49,
On Of 3d. with dark, quiet eyes and black
hair.
For nine years she had been widow,
and her only son, the present marques
and heir to the great wimberley estates,
had never yet been taken from her
charge and care She had taught him
herself until he was seven. Then for two
years he had had a governess, and after
that a private tutor. But he was now
Is, and the time had come for him to
leave home for the rougher world Of a
public school
"After all," Lord Arthur Meriet con-
tinued, stroking his mustache, and
staring at his highly polished boots, lone
can't do better than Eton. It's the fashion.
now to run the place down, but I'm
hanged IL won't stick up for Il. George
was there, and was there, and we've all
been there-the whole lot of us-genera-
tions back. 1 know George anted the
boy to go to Eton."
"I--I don't think he cared very much,
Arthur. He just put Guys name down
WE'LL MS a matter Of form"
Lord Arthur laughed. He was big,
ad-shouldered fellow with bronzed
face and keen blue eyes. For two years
he had been abroad, shooting big game
in Central Africa, and now he had re-
turned he was not unwilling to be dragged
into the family councils AS the younger
brother of the late marques and heir
presumptive TO the title, he had a certain
right to give advice in a matter where
woman was liable to make a mis-
take.
what put Harptree into your head?"
he queried, after a pause.
''Well. it's so near. AIthur-only 10 miles
away from nksilver. George was one
OF the hereditary governors, and Guy
will be, of course, when he comes of
age. 1t seemed to me"
MY dear Anne" he interrupted, Harp
tree is much too near. l know quite well
what will happen. You'll be over there
every day and all day Fatal for the
boy. You'll unsettle him. He might as
well be a day boy at grammar school,
and have done with it.
"Oh, Arthur, 1 promise you--'
Don't" he said with laugh. you'll
never keep your promise If you'll take
my advice you'll send Guy to Eton That's
long way off, even in these days Of
motors. Harptreel Who on earth has
heard of Harptree2"
Everybody, Arthur, nowadays. They're
taking all the scholarships"
"Scholarships? Pshaw!'
They've two men in the oxford eleven
this year and one In the Cambridge. and
they won the racquets and the Ashburton
shield"
''My dear Anne, what does all this mat
teras'
"And they beat the county in Rugby
football last winter" she continued, "and
you know, or perhaps you don't, how
good the county is"
Lord Arthur threw up his hands. spare
me-" he said with laugh. But seri-
ously. Anne, all this doesn't matter.
Cricket? Football2 Racquets? Schol-
arships7 That for them" and he
snapped his fingers. TITS the tone OF
the place that matters. Eton is-well,
Harptree-in this generation, at any
rate"
Lady wimberley sighed and poured out
Ia cup OF tea.
"sugaI?" she said gently. IT forget"
''No sugar, thanks"
''AIilk?"
''Yes, Just a little Now, look here
Anne. I know we'll enough what you're
driving at You don't care what the
school is like so long as It's close to
Monksilver. You can't let your precious
darling out Of your sight. That's what
II amounts to. doesn't it2"
Lady Wimberly smiled and a faint color
fame into her ivory white cheeks.
''No, Arthur" she said after a pause
PIN not quite so foolish as that. 1t
matters everything to me what the school
~ like II Harptree were 500 miles away
rom here I should stlll wish Guy to go
laere think 1t is the best school in
bgland,"
oh, really. Anne"
-Yes." she said firmly. the best school
~ England, It's the headmaster that
axes a school-its past history doesn't
natter. Erleigh has done for Harptree
bat Thring did for Uppingham."
fErleighH Oh, yes he's very decent
allow"
Hes rather more than that. Arthur.
He's a great mana man could trust 70
look after Guy-and then he's a personal
friend OF mine"
Lord Arthur slipped his tea thought
fully, ana stared out OF the open window
81 the boudoir at the sunlt lawns. that
Hoped down TO the edge OF a great lake.
Beyond the broad expanse of water the
sround descended again into the valley.
Almost as far as the eye could reach the
and belonged to the young Marquess of
kimberley. IL was a vast and splendid
Inheritance. Great responsibilities would
Ile on the hnOu OulQeIa OF the landlord. Inc
boy would have 20 be trained to be a
great and honorable man, Up to the
present he had been kept in cottonwood.
lie was a fine lad. but he knew nothing
of the rough side OF life. His first ex-
perienee OF that would be at a public
school. Everything might depend on the
training for the next four years, Lord Ar
thurs experience OF school life had
taught him that the masters did not mat
ter 50 much as the boys companions,
Above everything they must be gentle-
men. with family traditions OF their own.
-Of course" he said after a long
pause "Erleigh has done a lot for the
school. Seven years ago there were $50
boys, and now there are, I believe, more
than doube that number. But what sort
OF boys are they? A very mixed lot.
should think"
sfoung Faueonberg Is there, and Dali
las ana Etehinghami but l don't want
Guy 10 become a snob, Arthur, "a just
a. soon he made friends with the sons
Of local doctors and country elergymen.
The tone OF the school Is thoroughly
good. ] would rather trust my boy to
John Erleigh than 20 any one else in the
world."
LORD Arthur glanced keenly at his sis
ler-in-law, and set his cup down on the
table. She had spoken rather more
warmly OF the hsadmaster than the oe-
easion seemed 10 require. Undoubtedly
her and had talked her into sending the
noy 60 Harptree. The young MaTquess
81 Wimberley would be q great asset 10
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