Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1925-10-08

Part w
London and Lystria
CHAPTER xVIIE


I nnd myself at last. TO my own
great satisfaction. able 70 return TO q
part Of kha story in which ] myself
bore part. am no longer writing
hearsay. bat barfating what actual
" saw and heard.
The scene Of Lord Edmund Troyte'a
library In Grosvenor street. when Lord
Norheys and his bride walked IN. re-
mains wildly pictured In my mind.
Troyte sat bolt upright on the edge
Of deep chair In which he had been
lounging. Az bis elbow was little
table with the empty coffee cups and
the liquenrs on Il. Behind It sat Pro
copius Cable, staring at Norheys With
an expression Of angry amaxement ON
his face. Half way between the door
and the fireplace stood Norheys and
his bride. / had never before seen
Viola Temple or the stage. and her
appearance surprised me- expected
her to be pretty, OF course did not
expect her to look gentle. shy and
even tlmld. A girl who has faced
huge audiences hundreds Of times
would not. one might suppose, be
frightened Of three old gentlemen sit
ting round IRE. But she was. Nor
heys' attitude was protective He
held one OF her hands. and kept her
close beside him.
The library in Troyte's house In
Grosvenor street IL q comfortable
and, think. beautiful room. There
are couple Of good pictures. but
for the most part the walls are Gov
cred with bookcases. Troyte has
spent great deal on books
during his life, rare books exquisite
examples OF printing and books which
have fine bindings do not know
that he, or indeed any one. ever reads
books Of that kind II IL generally
easier. END pleasanser. 70 buy mod
ern edition OF an old author Il yous
want to read him at all. But there
IL no doubt that the presence In
room Of good books, good from a
bIbllophiIe's point Of view. creates an
atmosphere which is very agreeable.
especially after dinner.
A Persian carpet one Of the best
have ever seen. covers the fioor Of
the library. Some good chairs, Chi
nese ChIppendale stand with their
backs against the bookcases. But
Troyte Is too sensible q man to aacri-
nee comfort to artistic feeling. Round
the IRE he had deep leatheF-covered
chairs OF thoroughly satisfactory late
Victorian design.
/, The NTH person present. and by
far the least important leaned back
in my chair and giggIed feebIy.
Unless it's EmiIy'B curate who's
gone 70 Lystria,v ] repeated Il don't
know who II can be-"
Procopius Cable turned and glared
at me with ferocity and contempt.
had been guilty OF an ill-timed at
tempt at a Joke in the middle Of a
very serious crisis. I stopped gig
Cling abruptly and murmured an apol-
ogy. After that. for while. nobody
spoke.
Troyte was the first TO recover his
self possession. He rose from his
chair and walked over TO where Nor
neys and his bride were standing.
"Ady dear Viola" he said. that
stupid husband OF yours has never In
tr0duced me to you. 20 ! must intro
duce myself as your uncle. Won't
you come over to The nrs and sit
DOWN.
He took her by the hand and led
her 10 his own chair. He set her In
Il and placed footstool at her feet
The recognition had been q little long /
In coming, but there wers excuses to
be made for the delay. Nothing could |
have been more courteous than Troy
re's manner when he got over the
shock Of her sudden appearance and
made up his mind 70 accept the inev-
table The girs looked up at him with
Eimad gratitude and biushed In the
most charming manner
-Good old Uncle Ned" said Nor
aeyG Il knew you'd take Il Ike
nan. what / always said TO Viola was
.hls Uncle Ned may be a member
II parliament and . cabinet minister
and all that. but he's stiH q gentle
nan"
Cable, his hands thrust deep into
lEs trousers pockets. stood scowilng.
whats happened Ia Lystriai" he
aid.
1T seems 10 me. = said Norheys. ''thae
'ome other Brighter has chipped In.
Cable strobe over 70 Troyte's writ
az table, seized pen and began TO
cribDle aE terrific pace, faster than
ny one I've ever seen write. except on
he stage. BE talked while be wrote,
mother thlng which reminded me Of
be theassr. II
Il SHALL wire 10 Berlin 1T once. Cas-
nsr Is nsiu IN Berlin. shall wire 70
Ting wladssaawa. 1 shall wire 20 the
aeriaFrh In Lystria-~ fl
Seems a pity. doesn't It7~ said I
lorheys. Ato ban IN lIke that What !
always say In II thlms's done then
il d0ne. even II II happems 10 be the I
hing which . fellow woIad rather
'aes'f done