White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-06-01
1NsTA1LMENT NO. 8.

lNSTALLMENT NO. 8.
Lady Lydiard waved away the con.
clusion of the sentence with her hand.
find somebody else. Where did you
fin dsomebody else. Where did you
go next?"
ITO your ladyship's lawyer. Mr..
Troy wished me to say that he will
have the PLEASURE of waiting on you"
pass over the lawyer. Moody.
want to know about the painters
widow. Is it true that Mrs. Tollmidge
and her family are left in helpless
poverty7"
mot quite true, my lady. have
seen the clergyman Of the parish. who
takes an interest In the case"
Lady Lydiard interrupted her stew
ard for the third time. you have not
mentioned my name?" she asked,
sharply.
Certainly not, my lady. followed
my instructions, and described you as
benevolent person in search Of real
distress. 1t is quite true that Mr.. Toll
nudge has died. leaving nothing to his
family. But the widow has a little
income of 70 pounds in her own right."
"Is that enough to live on. Moody?"
her ladyship asked.
Enough in this case. for the widow
and her daughter" Moody answered.
sThe difficulty is to pay the few debts
left standing, and to start the two
sons in life. They are reported to
be steady lads; and the family is
much respected in the neighborhood
The clergyman proposes to get few
influential names to begin with, and
to start subscription"
mo subscription" protests Lady
Lydiard. "Mr. Tollmidge was Lord
Lydiard's cousin, and Mrs. Tollmidge
is related to his lordship by marriage.
II would be degrading to my hus-
bands memory to have the begging
box sent around for his relations, no
matter how distant they may be-.
Cousins!" exclaimed her ladyship,
suddenly descending from the lofty
ranges of sentiment to the low. II
hate the very name of them! A per-
son who Is near enough to me to be
my relation and far enough off from
800 - No ~, o1uoath ~ 10 q douh1o.
faced sort Of person that don't like
Let's get back to the widow and her
sons. How much do they want?"
"A subscription Of five hundred
pounds, my lady, would provide for
sverything-if 1t could only be col
lected."
ut shall be collected, Moody!
will pay the subscription out Of my
own purse" Having asserted herself
in those noble terms. she spoiled the
effect Of her own outburst of gener-
osity by dropping to the sordid view
Of the subject In her next sentence
Five hundred pounds is q good bit
Of money. though; isn't 1t, Moody?"
1T is indeed, my lady" Rich and
generous as he knew his mistress to
be, her proposal to pay the whole
subscription took the steward by sur
prise Lady Lydiard's quick percep-
ton instantly detected what was
SocojDU IN hio MIND
"You don't quite understand my po-
sition in this matter" she said. when
read the newspaper notice Of Mr..
Tollmidge's death, searched among
his lordship's papers to see If they
really were related. discovered some
letters from Mr.. Tollmidge, which
showed me that he and Lord Lydiard
were cousins. One of those letters
contains some very painful state
ments, rejecting most untruly and
unjustly on my conduct-lies, In
short" her ladyship burst out, losing
her dignity, as usual. Lilies, Moody,
for which Mr.. Tollmidge deserved to
be horsewhipped. would have done
It myself II his lordship had told me
at the time. No matter; it's useless
70 dwell on the thing now" she con-
tinued, ascending again to the forms
Of expression which become lady
AZ rank. This unhappy man has done
me gross Injustice; my motives may
be seriously misjudged If appear
personally In communicating with his
family. II relieve them anonymous
~ In their present trouble, spare
them the exposure of a public sub
scription. and do what I believe his
iordship would have done himself If
he had lived. MY desk is on the other
table. Bring 1t here. Moody. and let
me return good for evil. while I'm in
the humor for it."
Moody obeyed in silence. Lady Lyd-
hard wrote check.
take that to the bankers, and
bring back five-hundred.pound
note" she said. 'I1l inclose 1t to the
clergyman as coming from an un.
known friend And be quick about
II. am only fallible moral, Moody.
Don't leave me time enough to take
the stingy view Of five hundred
pounds"