The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-04-04


or has Margaret annexed your"
II have offered myself to Mrs. Hill
ditch" Francis rejoined promptly, "but
so far have made no impression"
TRY her with punt and concer-
tina after dinner" Lady Cynthia sug-
gested AFTER all, came down here
to better my acquaintance with my
host. You fiirted with me disgrace
fully when / was debutante, and
have never taken any notice of me
since. / hate infidelity in man. Sir
Timothy, l shall devote myself to you.
Can you play concertina?"
Where the higher forms of music
are concerned" he replied, Il have no
technical ability. should prefer to
sit at your feet"
while punt, l suppose?"
There are backwaters," he sug-
gested. e
Lady Cynthia slipped her cocktail ap-
preciatively.
Il wonder how 1t u.s." she observed,
"that In these days, although we have
become callous to everything else in
life, cocktails and flirtations still at
tract us. You shall take me to back
water after dinner, Sir Timothy. /
shall wear my silver-gray and take an
armful of those black cushions from
the drawing room. In that half light
there is no telling what success may
hot achieve"
Sir Timothy sighed.
"Alas!" he said, before dinner is
over you will probably have changed
your mind"
Perhaps So" she admitted, but
you must remember that Mr.. Ledsam
is my only alternative, and am not at
all sure that he likes me. am not sufr
| ficiently Victorian for his taste"
The dressing-bell rang. Sir Timothy
passed his arm through Francis.
I"The. sentimental side of my do
MAN," he said, "the others may show
you. My rose garden across the stream
has been very much admired. / am
now going to give you glimpse of
the Walled House, an edifice the pos
session of which has made me more or
less famous"
He led the way through a little
shrubbery, across a further strip of
garden and through door in high
wall, which he opened with key at
tached to his watch-chain. They were
In an open park now, studded with
magnificent trees, In the further cor
ner of which stood an imposing man
sion, with great domed room in the
center, and broad stone terraces, one
of which led down to the river. The
house itself was an amazingly blend
ed mixture Of old and new, with great
wings supported by pillars thrown out
on either side. 1t seemed to have
been built without regard to any
definite period Of architecture, and
yet to have attained certain
coherency-a far-reaching structure,
with long lines of outbuildings.
In the park itself were score
or more Of horses, and in the dis
lance beyond a long line of loose
boxes with open doors. Even as they
stood there, a gray sorrel mare had
trotted up to their side and laid her
head against Sir Timothy's shoulder.
He caressed her surreptitiously, af-
fecting not to notice the approach of
other animals from all quarters.
''Let me introduce you to the
Walled House," Its owner observed,
$50 called, imagine, because this
wall which is a great deal older than
you or /. completely encloses the es-
tate. OF course. you remember the
old house, the Walled Palace, they
called it? 1t belonged for many years
to the Lynton family, and afterwards
to the Crown"
Il remember reading of your pur-
chase" Francis said, land, Of course,
remember the old mansion. You
seem to have wiped 1t out pretty eff
fectually."
II was obliged to play the vandal,"
his host confessed. "In its previous
state. the house was picturesque, but
uninhabitable. AS you see 1t now, 1t is
an exact reproduction of the country
home of one of the lesser known of 4
the Borgias-Sodina, / believe the
lady's name was. You will find inside
some beautiful arches, and a sense
of space which all modern houses
lack. 1t cost me great deal of money,
and 1t is inhabited. when am In
Europe, about once fortnight. You
know the river name for it? 'Timothy's
Follyr"
'.But what on earth made you
build it, so long as yoR don't care to
live there?" Francis inquired.
Sir Timothy smiled refiectively.
"Well," he explained, 81 like some
times to entertain, and like to enter
tain, when 1 do, on grand scale. In
London, if l give party, the invita-
lions are almost automatic. become
there very Insignificant link In the
chain Of what is known as Society,
and Society practically helps itself to
my entertainment, and sees that every
thing Is done according to rule. Down
"a