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Iiiiimiwi i i i - - ' ' 1 1 n in ilium mm J" 1 wiBMMBinmiHii TilMMm wm , , , , ,ii urir- I i' r " i iiiiw Minn mi i-iTT-i--iiimwiw- ii , , ii i ii - - - ii " r" ' ' immmmm"' ' '"immmn " 1 r 1 " ' " " ' "'J'"""'f1' ' "l1"r" t mM .. ruiawuwi r- 1 "J MiMiimi-niir n n n t r '- " 1 1 - ' ' ,, iitrM,. '"' 1 1 " iiiuw ..wiiwii wimwniwii. ii imwi i iuMMiumiiMimiini i iiii.tf... - -j.,nM i I, - " mmmmma 1 " . , : - taufl3i3P. ns. hi'shyi : la i si i Kit SqUate Mild red. Willi till' Shi' always thought of Iliajesl i' iTesen (. Silo wns lorr':!-. She w.'s vrpnronlly but wns :i was large iinil taw of :i m.i ill'. in r.-i'ir as 'r a UilS ! hut : It mil ! ly largo M 0111111 nf largo, A . 1 3f . Si 'ishins of III) Ik : .mil w in b ii' . h.'il i'i USohol 1 W i : f- '!: : I i 'onerous Ideas mi Hit' subject nf the l.iloblllty of Mrs. Tt::sli.v-(tlnislu'r. Site was never troubled by m doiiht fif I ! righteousness of any of her f ! lugs. :i!id in lii'i- eyes any iloslto she cherished was sacrosanct. Anybody who ran counter t" them was an Infamous per !,. outside the human palo. The siirli a i"pjon was apt to bi'-oino a llxcd r t v.llli Ik . n.miii sticic MI nullilli in coin- " sbc iitiI asalnst (lie tran-'- i ' i ii -i part cmiiimions slander ; 1 i ;-s. Ii.'' l.'ininatiop, and mini botb . . 1 I'r'T.'li' lllll. the suburb lio i d i f 'fun. Her weallli. inlicrlleil r. --i" ' ieai.in wlm bad tiiaile a lare i !. -.il.-. mil retail, talloriir-'. and ' I . i i" ; i-op of tile chief sweating ill ! . l'."vi- her '.reat social pres- t ( iiimr: 1m r ' - .il- i i.ci-'hbors: her tenacity. 1 ,., ,.. 'i , i i, 1Vst , 'ii.-ei". w' ' I ' ' ' " w Mrs. P.ii-Oiy-dlaKlier. I if 1 .p -l Hill, would sometimes rai-e ' 'i'::'l t ; Tiiey always repented it. - t do b'l! Meure iter doniination ; '(' l ' i'!'er occupat'on-i besides rebellion ; .'.( e i - lie eru-hed iheiii. C'tiratos, nrsaiiNts, 0 'i Mer. . and private persons who would not l or her own sweet way, bad in the end to .ii o rrliv.'lo lllll, for the most part with badly dani .1 ' 'd el' iractcTs. SI was above all distinguished by an inveterate 1 s liny to younu' married women, especially if they ' " 1 to lie pretty and attractive. It was almost i -slide fiy them to avoid umirrellu'.' with her. f torccd ipiarrels on them: and it was -.eldom I .' ' ihat she failed to cause them a uond deal of U I '' li M'sS. 'I idli vii rasy caused her to fall foul of the f; 'irlets Tills youil'.' couple established itself at I'. " ! liii! in a small house, a fad which in ilself e- ' I'd Mr. and Mr- Scarlet to little consideration. V -111' they showed an aureealde ilispn-dtioii to 0' l.e 'h" best of suburban life, they presently were in'' ii 'ed I'ri-i.'le Hill society, to the Tennis Club. 1'ie di'iices. the bazaars, and other social advantages, v'- ITIi',de Mill enjojs. Mr. Antony Scarlet, a yoiins man of iwenty-live. presented to the world an e.ei'hiss. a vacumis air. an open mouth, and a lisp. 1'coplo who chancel to see him with that eyeglass' i i of his eye s.iv.- a yoiini; man with very keen, ! t lllen eyes and idoso-sot, resolute lips. Also ho 1 '' Hc: it'i his eye-lass., l!ut that was an ap aiano lie ;ept for the privacy of his hoin and the sn.'jojy ,,f Ids intimate friends. The shrewd world of Princlc Hill saw only n patent idiot. He was In lie veil to lie "SOlllPthllu:" ill tl 10 city, ' U5M no one knew what, since the Scarlets showed . ' ilb' "common reticeiieo about themselves; and 1'ic in.- .1 they hud brought with thorn maintained an eipm' r'tccnie about the Scarlets. Their cook, re let' i ,i"a'cd, know within? about them. Tills re lW'iie so balking to !e-ittmate curiosity, was bail eiiiu.'li but Mrs. Scarlet's prettlnoss and chnrni wore oven more annoying to !ho elderly ladies of I'riir.'le Mill, even thouali as they often said, they could see liothiin; i.i her. Mr. I'l'isby-filiilslK found them indeed detestable. She even bouar, to f.-a.' that by that mere charm Mrs Siarlet hiM presently be a rival power In Vrlnnle Hill Xoth;ii'' was further from Mrs. Scar let's desires or thoii'.'hts ; but to Mrs. !!usby.(!laisher her domination of i'rlnlc lllll was the central fact of the universe; she was ready to suspect anyone rf striving lo dl-'piiie it witli her; and she set to w irk o crush Mrs. Scarlel with her usual weapon's. Mrs S'i"'et was not long observing' a chaiiKo in penpl( i,'.m:::i'!' toward her, a dispnsillon to look askaiv o i, iicr, to avoid her, and an uneasiness in her fiK'i'tj. she set about iniiuiriiic Into the niatler. and learned from Mrs. Crewe, another younu' married woman, that Mr.-, liiisby-fihilshor had been sayiuc horrid things about iier; that she dyed her ha'r, painted her face I'arrled ou with married men in a very brayci: w.i.. and was altogether a most unde slnihle person, .uiie unfit to ass-oclMte will) the select Bnelal dnle wlii h .ldorned I'rlmrle Mill. Mrs Scarlet lame to Mr. Scarlet In a very pretty fury, told him wlit she Iiad learned, and besued him to ile.i with Mrs. I'.'isliy.malsher. Antony shed his eyeglass and listened to her witli the keenest Interest. lie did net .'pre any aimer when she had tbilfhed. but lie I ;ed uncommonly dauserons ns he said: "Til deal wiih the old heaat--faithfully. Jiut there is only o'ie way, and that will make thins1 n ?ood deal more inpii :".'ant for you In I'rinsle Mill before the;- are all rUdil." "I don't mind that at all as hum as you piinhili thnt horrid old woman:" cried Mrs. Scarlet. "Very t;nod," raid Antony; and then he added wllh some lrri l.'vance: "I have had an odd feellnc nil the time thai I'rhi'.'le Mill was really a sold mine, if one could only hit on the ivef." With Ihat he look his hat and cane and cau;:ht a train to town. The "Nt mornlm: Mrs. liushy-Chiislier was beyond ill'""1''"' inrni'.l i receive a lypewrll len letter, and unburdened by h Infer i her that Hl'-JIIO'! o ' " that w.'l' ' '"'s We. I '.Vlshcr," address, . vh 1 Mr. and Mrs. Scarlet had neitlectcd to po through (lie formality of cettln marrii.'d. At once she suni moiled the more suitable ladles of I'rlliL'le lllll and the rector; and without meiilioului; that the Informa tion came from an anonymous letter, told them that she had learned that Mr. and Mrs. Scarlet were not married. When lliey had e. liau--!ed their expressions of horror at Mrs. Scarlet's brazen effrontery in Ihrusliii',' herself Into their circle, nu Mrs. l!uby (ilaisher's siicKostlon they called on the rector to expel this abomination from their midst. Tre rector, a very womanly man of bad family and larue private means, who loved a bit of scandal every whit as much as the worst of them, expressed the deep sympathy he really felt with them, and pro tested his earnest resolve to inirue Prlimle Hill of pollution. He was always a warm supporter of Ms. r.ushy-Clnisi.cr. whom lie respected for her wealth and lirmness of character, and of whom he cherished a ery honest dread. Hnviii',' olilaimd this assurance from him, the more unpleasant of the ladles headed by Mrs, Utisby 'ilahflier. went forth to demonstrate their propriety and enjoy themselves by "cuttlne" Mrs. Scarlet ou ! n i'r:ii,r.'-. ! npplns in I'rlnirlo drove. She came When the rector came early in the afternoon. An tony Scarlet received mm with his most open niouib d vacuous air. The rector, who was used to hum and to ha. in and out of the pulpil. rose to the preat occasion of his life and ex pressed his heartfelt indig nation at the enormity of the conduct of his hearer and his reputed wife w itli a fluency as agreeable as it was siirprisini; to himself. Antony Scarlet was greatly Mustered, and lamely asked whether the on traced ladles were likely to have sulfercd much harm from bavins been brought Into contact witli Mrs. Scarlet The in ili'.'iiant rector did not spare him : he told him almost word for word what Mrs. Husby-lilaisher had said, what other ladies had said, what lie bin, sell had said about the iw ailed Mrs. Scarlet. Then lie told Mr Scarlet with am.izins elo iUence Ills opinion of him. Antony lei the rector talk his 1111, without sayini; a word more than was sulli cient o exi Me him to his fullest expression of the sentiments i if 1 a ee r a I ed ITiiiKle inn I tut as he left he said, with his fool ish lisp: "Haven't you larse private nieanth, Mr. Ciiidse':" "Yes. sir I have, (hank good i ii -s. And il enables me lo say what I think without fear or favor." said the rector : and he sw elled with pleasure at his happy way of i 1 1 1 1 ii ,' il. "To Mi I,;,h II nth by ClaltherV How cry nitli," said Antony Scarlet, with an Idiot le simper " Tlie rector had not loins been L'one when y. nils Mrs. 'tvwo nine r iuimI in "rent distress. Antony ,iw her, siin-e Mrs. s:. .,.i,,. w., ly Inir loi'.-n u r h a 1 1 -n ' lie : and she told him tli-i Mrs I'lilsby-Clalsher had i ailed ou her with tv o oilier ladies whom she described witli -tunc iVI! -ity a old cats, had !"ld in f tli.it la- and his w ife were not in irr'ed and a-surul her that il she continued to assmlat w I'll .Mrs. Scirli'i no one would associate with her Aim ny showed a s:ood deal of In terest ahum tlie'r ex. ii I words ; lint, siui e he (1 d not deny the . harse, she came away believing H to be ii'Me, and as much ills Ires.seil as when slu- came For a few days tin af fair lii'voloped slow y La dles of more uncoinprnmis ins propriety were balked of (heir re-vent desi-e to cut Mrs . Scarlet i-iic c she did no; appear In the streets of I'rlnsle Mill. They prowled about for hours in Ihe eus.isins ef fort, hut In vain, The srocer, a conilrnicil ard pilblii-splrlled I' ly m o it t h Urotber. refused to supply Ihe Scarlets with srocerles; and the other tradesmen sent in their bills and de mand! d instant payment In an obscure but fervent convhtiou that by "this drasti.' acdon they were vin dicates out rased propriety. Anlony Scarlet paid the hills In pi rsou and le. e'i: the slsht of sold, or per haps its chink. Invariably loosed ihe tradesmen's tonsues, and he learned that Mrs. ISuby-( ilaisher, or the rector, or both, had Insplrid Ihe sendius of eaili bill. Then Mrs, llusby-filaisher look .mother steji. She sent a nole to the Scarlets' servants siskins them to come to see her, Their master bade them so by all means. When they were shown Into Mrs, Busby (llaisiier's drawlns-room they found the rector with her: and she at t.I'" asked them seriously If they were bent ou simillus their i-hances of si'llhis oilier places by ri'inaliilns in a house where the master and mistress were eoi married The parlor maid -.t once wry rid' 'u M".d with i nsldorahlo hear, v iSs B D GAU "E P S O that Mrs. Rusby-Glalsher was a scandal-monsins old woman, that she had been with Miss Dorothy since she was a little slrl, and had been present tit her marrlase with her master, who. if lie was not well oil', was well known lo be a very honorable yotlns sent Ionian. She ended by exprossins her wonder at wdiat Miss Iiorothy's uncle, the baronet, would say If he heard that these lyins stories wen; solus about, Mrs. llusliy-Clalshor was much taken aback. That she had been i-nrerdins slander, on grounds supplied her by a kind but anonymous correspondent, seeiued Hut the rector was uncomfortable: find ho pressed Mrs r.usln-iMaisMor lor the sources ot nor lutorma tli ii till she showed him tho aiioiiwnous ict'ef. The simple cleric read it and said thai il was a very proper letter, and. of course, her corrc-pi indent could do no less than write It. if she had reasons for her belief. Then lie added, fondly: "nf course It relieves from any lcral n spousoiiiny ,nr me nouou wo have taken. Hut I shall lose no time in soins to see Mr. Scarlet, and ha hum- puttins to him the Impropriety of tetiins us labor under this misap prehension." "You'll do nothlus of tho kind!" cried Mrs. r.uMiy Clalsher, sharply. "Leave It all to me. "Why, I may he months get tins on proper terms wdth her after this uncomfortable affair'. I cannot risk any inud dlins." "Very well ha hum your well-known tact, said the rector, and he look his leave, tint after awhile he srew uncomfortable. The thought that there might be a legal side to the matter troubled him: the thought also that he might linur some odium for acting as linnly as he hnd mi insullicieiit grounds, worried him. Moreover, lie bean to resent Antony's bavins let him in a false position, when a simple denial would have cleared the matter up. Ho made bis mind Ihat by far th" 1 st course would lie up and at once take a high hand with the young a w.-rtSlwtv ';E'SISa sC?BiSl'l 1 'l&i'ilf'''- pil ipj ! wi " " - .HWI ki-V The maid shut the (" in her face. to her of little imporiaiii e. She was ued to im iuuniiy. lint It was a serious matter ludeul If she had offended a member of the i hiss she hud so long regarded from afar wllh Impassioned eslin'iu, and in which she had always felt thai she was born lo shine, could she bill obtain .in entrance lulu il What if she had missed such an entrance' However, she assured the girl, with diplomatic Uriu nos, that she believed her to be a shameless Har In league with her shameless maslcr, and bade her go. The slrl went, saying that she would have the law ou her, Mrs. Itusby.(ilasier lurued to the rector and said: "Can we have made a ml-.iaU 'V" "II will ha - hum h wrv "wkw.uil If we have," snld Ihe rector "I hope we have do. .nilci I " "H Mrs. Mushy, file Niter "To tld I . .., . i ii'.met'- nlei'o at to idiot. Accordingly, after ills high tea ho went to tho Scarlets' house. The maid told him her master was dinner, showed him into the drawing-room, aim brought back word that Mr. Scarlet wmild see him when he had llnNlnd dinner She left b in to l.ii 1: Ids heels for ne.irly an hour in thai drawing room. He was not long filling that he was not be us treated with a proper regard lo his social importance, and the feeling grew iu depth and intensity till, when the door did open, he was ready to treat the matter with a very high hand Indeed. Antony Scarlet came In, woarlug'n dinner jacket an object in itself hardly an assurance of genuine re spei nihility judged by the , ndisril of I'riligle Mill, t linking a large cigar, flnd without one word of apol-o-y. without removing his bands from hN pockets, sr. Id ihecrfully: "Well. Mr. (iuilge, how are you?" The rector rose, drew himself to ids full though not great height, and said, willi admirable dignity : "I have come to ask. Mr. Scar let, for an explanation of youv'Xtraordin "'.v conduct in allowing Mrs. Mushy. Crlalsher and tny-elf to la bor under a mistake, if in deed we ate laboring under a mistake, as to your mar riage with Mrs. Scarlet A word from you would haw set the matter ri-'h! at opi e Mut yo'i clio-e delib eri tely to pill Us in a false I ,is,tion : and I must de i.i. iiiil an explanation." tul why shouldn't you, Mr UudgeV Why shouldn't j ou':" said Anlony, heart ily, witli a beaming sinllo. I 'n.ippensod by his on g:i 'Pig manner, the rector s. .d sternly : "And what Is voiir explanation of tills li,i -hum levity?" "Oh. when you came to me with the blackguardly lie you and Mrs. Musby (ilaNhcr i n v n t ed and snread about my wife, it did not occur to me to say anything until I could say It ' in the proper way through her solicitor. I bought he had served tho writ on you by now," said Antony cheerily. T.ki.'ksuardly lie! Solic itor ! rit ' What do you mean?" gasped the rector. 'I ic about a woman's 1 'i'i icr ."re generally eon-sid'-i'd blackguardly: cud r.'. w ife's soli iter has In .'ruclions o i ommeiice ae iioi's lor slander against oti end Mrs. ;u-liv- ila-siiie,-." said Antony, with a chi'i'ii '" smile Suddenly the rector re ali.td that this Antony Scflriet was a very diri'er ert wniiig man from the vacuous young fool he had known, thai for all his easy and p'i'.ihant cheerl iiess ids eyes were danger ous: and he slutterul. "li-lntr you never d-do-ided it '. A word from you would have Plopped the matter at once! You had only to speak, t-to show me your marriage ivrtillcate! It's entirely your own fault. "I shouldn't ilreaiii of taking the trouble to nin tradict a miserable lie of that kind: and much less should 1 ilream of showing my niarrliise certlticate lo any foul. minded meddler who chooses to ask for It !" "Do you allude to me as a foul-minded meddler, sir?" roared the rector, "Certainly, my dear rector, certainly," aid An tony, And he added, with a genial lausli : "I think thai the Jury will tnUe an even stronger view of the 1'iatlcr " 'i'lie rci tor's mouth was dry and his face was pale as be s,.,i- "Io I understand that you propi so to u "ir d"d. linen In public In a court of Jus-lice'-' Y ', r i'ir!v linen, rector; yours and Mr. Musby (ll.itsli. " '".id Vuto'iy, poitceably, i. i is - I'rc'v y nir own I'ault.'slr'. Hntlrelv! The s clerk ' l . 1. I .t sight of your mnrrlnct? cortlfifnte would hare stopped it at once! Any jury will see it'." "You spread the He boron- you made any attemp' to as-ortain the truth. Mut there, we'll leave H n Jury. And now I won't keep you. mini, pie; , think me impatient: but .Mrs. M'arie win wm,.. ... room fumigated after you have been In It, before sue can use P again. Good evening." undgated? I was never so insulted in my me. roared the rector, as he went out. a limp ana nroueu man. He had no heart for a noisy talk with Mrs Musbv-Ohishlor after the quietude of Mr. Anton.v Scarlet. That good lady therefore spent an Impa tient evening, devoured by her eagerness to be con versing sympathetically with the niece of a baronet Next morning she could have dealt with tho slowness with which tho hours wore passing in really ttnlady like language. At eleven o'clock a gentleman calif t to see her who proved to bo a lawyer's clerk. With .'. brisk heartiness he presented her with a legal docti ment which he explained was the writ in an action f l slander brought against her by Mrs. Scarlet, and tha the amount of damage claimed was .",000. Mrs. Musbv-fSlalshor was at first exceedingly an noved, since she was doubtful whether it was quite solid form to call on a lady who was bringing at art ion for slander against her. Mut presently It cm-red to her that she might very well make the w an excuse for calling earlier than the usual hour talk such a serious matter over at once, nmioa'ih and she srew cheerful again. Then In cam. tlmn ii ml broken rector, bearing in his hahd a writ which the brisk and hearty lawyers just served on him. Mrs. Mu-by-(ilalsher treated tho matter of tho wr" with a light.' contemptuous cheerfulness. She iiss t him that they were merely the formal waj of ' tho matter: that people of position like tin Js i did not air their grievances in the law . mir'- -ended by saying: "It's just a matter f -r a i ' fi-iendlv chat. I shall call on Mrs. Smrl. i tb's noon iiiid settle It. Wc shall be all the better fl. for this little tiff; you'll see." The rector went away striving to share her tidence; but Mr. Autony Scarlet's eyes, quiet dangerous, kept rising before his mind He f 't he needed comfort comfort from his hiwy r went to town. When, outshining the rainbow in her masn'ii apparel, Mrs. Husby-Glalshor knocked at the S door, it was opened by tho maid with whom si been so diplomatically lirm the night before The mnid said: "Mv mistress said that it yo'l the brazen Impudence to call, I wasn't to let yen I the house. And the master has gone to nw see his lawyer about my bringing an action as vou for calling me a shameless liar." "1 don't want anv Imnudeiice from you. you pertinent slavey: Show me into the drawing n 1 at once, and toll your mistress I insist on .-.eel' g hoi-:" roared Mrs. Mus!iy-( Ilaisher. The mnid shut the door In her face, and left her planted on the steps. With her splendid tlrmtioss and in the very nick of time. Mrs. Musliy-lil-iNher curbed a lit of apoplexy and went home. She drni k .a strong brandy and soda, and sat down to consider other means of 'getting in touch with Mrs. Scailet at. 1 becoming reconciled with her. Suddenly it Hash 1 upon her that Mrs. Scarlet' might be serious in her action for slander. She took the writ aim tne aurn. tnous letter and went to town to her husbands solicitor. Mr. Horsham, an old friend or her husbands, re ceived her witli the air of gloomy distaste she wrongly believed habitual to him. Hut as she told hi r story and auswer.il his searching iiies,tioiis. he g.- Jually grew cheerful: and at the end he said- "A 1 sgus Ins business; a very disgusting business indeed I ntppi.se vou want me to try to get this hidv to tak. less than C.'.dOO. She will lie a fool if she does: an. nickersteth & Crumpton are not the fools to U" her.' "What: Me pay ."..0d0 :" crud Mrs. Mushy (Jlaislier. "Certainly, you'll pay." said Mr. Horsham, aln.os, witli glee. "There Isn't a chance of your doing any thing else." "Never: I'll Hsht tho case through every court ic nnglanii:" "Then it will cost you ten thousand," said Mr. Hor sham, scarcely able to resiraiu his joy at the de tested lady's predicament. "Nonsense! I don't believe it! nngago the best legal talent In Hnglaiid '. At once!" cried his client. "1'arilon mo. Tills is not the kind of business my firm would dream of touching It would utterly dPjtroy our standing in tho profession," said Mr. Horsham. Me was firm in this refusal: and the face of tho Mrs. Mitshy-filaishcr who left tho office, scream' is vituperation, was a rh h purple. She came hon.f-. rasing, to tltid a large gathering of the ladies of Mr'n gle Hill in her drawing-room, and in tho middle of them tho pale and perspiring rector. The lawyer's cleric had been improvli g tho shining hours bj vis't ing them, frightening them, and bullying evidence out of them with hN brisk heartiness. The ret tor had come In to tell her that his lawyer, too, had bidden him settle the case, and refused to defend It. The ladles, terrified by the "lawyer's clerk. Infuriated most of them by the thought that they had been misled into Insulting an innocent lady, and tho niece of a baronet at that, had boon mercilessly berating him for a disgraceful scandal-monger The raging Mrs. Miisby-iilalshcr turned the excited drawing-room into tho scene of a battle royal: and when, after a erm of recrimination", she roared her revolting Min ts out of the house, she sat down on Ihe sora tn .ealis'.e that her domination or I'rinsle Mill was shut teriNl ror years, maybe beyond recovery. A fortnight later, as Mr. Antony Scarlet took up tho two chocks for .".000 which his wife had just Indorsed, he said: "I'm going to pay them into tny account. Polly. Your uncle said that if ever 1 eouM show him 10.000 of my own he'd raise your allow ance from .,00 to l'l.r.00. Since, with the Interest from thK wo shall have a couple of thousand a year, we will leave those pleasant Mrlngle shades and take a Hat In Mnuut Street among the people we know." Oh, how nice!" cried Mrs, Scarlet. Then she added, thoughtfully; "Mut I've been wondering wha sent that horrid anonymous letter which enabled in to punish those detestable people." "Ah, 1 wonder," said Mr. Scarlet; and he mulloC queer smile. a