The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 25, 1900, Page 4

By Mary HAngela Dick ens. All rights reserved o re th what I am and Miss Dot's got no on s her—now. In al—pa- p between each word e force to each and pari- e s were occupled gement of a coffee pot and & silver tray He was a whom age seemed g rather then an ge of h that baldness h time is deep lines inly the re: solemnity of ex- the watery blue of ce, If slow, was as g man Brown, what things you do e from Miss Feltram's y Brown's pen- Denton was & young woman, - es she phrased it, “‘enjoyed a liitle t mean in Englieh, Tisn't English, by spoke with grim superiority. He the coffes, & 114 give to no other hand. he went on as he put the w And it means—it means t means I'm going to ; mind about an’'t hove t's not a fit thing for ave her go hat's new-fangied cr a bicycle as a m sald Denton, la -y < e a deal of a sa 1 s s well intentioned a mistress as . = e Denton. “But - A natural anor was accentuated. v.” she sa vith ar C f ing been struck by a sud- would not have de- nd obvi did not s James come back Miss Dot moments of crisis that Bt mmar was wont to fall. Miss me of an to be fished out arcels for me?” she seeds for the garden- bicycle. I couldn’t was addressed to made a deter- by the horn=, £ ead 2nd faced her old ser- ou, Brown, I g to take to time of year ads are so for a long esstand as you know how was such as to conve: to his mind the knowl- icycling was even a e possession of a bi- felt the subtle degra- ng and faltered. yet” she sald humbly. “I t e t t long ago,” she 1der. fiss Manisty ming to-morrow to n. 1 shall soon th unexpected self- un- Miss Dot?” sald respectfully veiled his tone, and M1 Feltram, of self-assertion over form of defense she 1 see,” she said, “it will venience. One may not e the horses out. Be- ch long distances. Miss ther think nothing of They go like the erstand that you are think- ng sixty miles in a day, Miss them two wheels was perfectly respectful have accused him at any & a liberty with his mis- there was that in his tone and which reduced bicyling to the evel of a nursery entertainment for chil- ed intellect he added with the ng to intense convie- sitable thing for you to & like the wind. T can't riding a bicycle—not position. I should have nay say £0, as you'd have ourselt £ innuendo was delivered Brown meant every word to strike home, and it her. ceding held rat did st see | in silence. radoxical as it may appear, it way should look with a favor- come about that Brown go on using the name by which he had known his mistress when she was two did so. Miss Feltram's obviously grew cold within atior * she sald. ‘‘Per- well, we shall see. haps after all 1 shan't care much about it She rose as she spoke and Brown sald no more. He simply opened the door for her deferentially. But as into all his pre- peech so also into this small action he contrived to Infuse something of pity- ing regret that the necessity for speech on such a subject should have been laid| upon him Feltram passed him with her head| high, but she did not ask what' 1 done with the new bicycle nori e suggest that she should like to She went into the drawing room had be It was of course not of the slightest con- sequence to Miss Feltram of Feltram Court whether or no her butler ap- proved of her bicycling. But, pa- of the very kighest importance to Miss Dot that Brown able eye upon her pro- ceedings. How it had had been allowed to years old, now that there was no one in the world who dreamed of calling ner anything but Miss Feltram, or Dorothea, was & potnt very easy ation. Dot her father's er, and as lived he had % 4 |3 of her or ¢ more cer- term. fter eery, domineering eman had been > his fathers two of her intimate ad suggested to tram that it was advisable that Brown should now adopt a more espe rm of. ad- dress. But Miss Felt- ram had laughed and sighed and shaken her Brown contin- to address his as Miss moreover, to as “eltram’s he had over. 1e subm ne would have made ife a burden. to her— T € spect- fully but firmly — if she had not done so, and partly, as she told herself when his yoke was par- ticularly grievous, be- cause he was an old man, and she *“couldn’t bear to huru his feelings.” Brown did not spean on the subject of the bicycle at breakfast or luncheon next day, but it was with an expression that would have done him credit at his mistress’ funeral that he opened the door of the drawing-room at about 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon and an- nounced in sepulchral tones: “Miss Manisty and Mr. Cecl! Manisty."” It was a brisk looking girl, and a boy in bieycling things who were thus ush- ered in, and the girl flung herself upon Miss tram witli effusion. Miss Felt- ram was very popular with her neigh- bors, young and old. But that liveliness which’ was one of her charms was con- splcuous rather by its absence as she answered her young visitors' eager ques- £ i LN Well, really I came last night, you see,” You don't mean to say that it is not Vhy, I though t you were no Miss Feltram. C end Sown ome, and let's get it out.” An alert young groom, however, had s;l:;n to the unpacking of the new ma- chine, and as he wheeled it out spick span and shinin, et et At e d nounced Cecil. T “Come along, Miss Felt- Miss Feltram paused suddenly. “You don't mean me to try here, Cect1?" ehe sald, and she glanced involuntarily at the house. you come to me at last?"’ “Rather!” responded the boy Ccheer- fully. “Couldn’t have a better place.” But Kitty Manisty was quicker than her brother. “The Long Walk would be ever so much better, Cecil,” she sald. “It's so straight, don’t you know." Bhe took the bicycle and wheeled it away, followed by her brother loudly pro- testing and by Miss Feltram silently gratetul. Miss Feltram had an inward trembling sense of the near presence of Brown. His disapproval seemed' to cloud the bright new plating before her eyes. Was bieycling really suitable to her age and position? She had argued the point take place let them take place under his eye, he thought. Also, his whole soul was full of bitter- ness at having his remonstrance thus set aside and pantry. he felt he could not possess it in patience In the He honestly adored Miss Dot from the depths of a grim and faithful old heart, and he dignity. honestly thought bicycling entirely degratory to her The spectacle before him certainly lent color to his view. The man or woman whose first attempt upon ‘gsreat length on the pre- vious even- {fng after Brown had had his “say.” And when she had settled in her “I've wanted you all these fifteen years,™ ne sald.!Dh, Tt it was cer- tainly quite suitable she had found her naturally ten- der heart pierced by another qualm—was it kind to hurt poor old Brown's feelings for her own pleasure, even if the action itself was right? Before she went to bed she had nearly decided to give it all up. Now, carried away by the Impetuosity of the young Manistys, she could only say feebly to herself that the Long Walk was nearly out of sight of the house. Nearly, but not quite. From a passage window near Brown's pantry part of it could be seen, and at that window Brown, as his mistress and her guests went out, had posted himself. He did this with a vague idea of facing the worst. If pro- ceedings he entirely disapproyed E(Jmuu at bicycling shall be dignified has yet to be born. Miss Feltram went through all the usual humilia- tions. She was pushed up on one side, pulled up on the other. She swayed hither and thither with XKitty Manist: and finally, after much indecision as to which side she should fall off, she cast herself into Cecil Man- isty's arms with a fervor not warranted by their every day this was sl echoing in the passage when Den- ton’s voice said innocently cver his shoulder: ‘““Well, Mr. Brown, seems to me your say ain't ‘what It w: cle? How's Miss Feltram getting on? You'll ex- cuse me mentioning it, but your front door “\bell's ringing—second time, t0o.” \ 1f there was one thing Brown prided himself ciutching at the gathers of her skirt relations. Brown's groan on beholding 1 s'pose you had it about the bicy- more than another it was that no one ever waited at the door of Feltram Court, and ‘Denton knew it. He went off growling as \she disappeared chuckling. He flung open the door with an accentuation of his usual style, and then the growl was succeeded by something like a gasp. ‘‘Mr. Richard Manisty?" It was Brown who asked the question. The visitor smiled. “Colonel Manisty,” he sald; “is Miss Feltram at home?" ‘What Brown said he did not know, but he murmured something as he took the visitor into the drawing-room. The result #f this murmur was that Miss Feltram, who, held by Kitty in front and Cecil be- hind, was at last golng gingerly down the Long Walk, was thrown oOff her guard and her bicycle together, by a * solemn volce from behind her. “Am I to understand, Miss Dot, as you are at home or not at home?” ‘With such a start as might have been produced by an explosion in the nelghborhood, Miss Feltram regained her equilibrium. She turned to Brown with a posi- tively guflty air which sat fun- nily enough upon her tall and dignified person, and she drew a step or two away from the bicycle as though disclaiming connection with it. “I'm—I'm at home, Brown,” she sald; “I—we ‘were just coming to tea.” “I took the liberty of in- quiring, Miss Do sald Brown, with & gloom which can only be described as pur- poseful, “because Colonel Mantsty has called.” A little gasp broke from Miss Feltram, and the flush with which she had confronted Brown faded very sudden “Colonel Manisty?” she sald al- most blankly. Then she turned to Kitty. ou didn’t tell me that your uncle had come back,” she satd. “I—I bad no idea that he was expected.” Pife was “Didr P carelessly. l0, we were see. He vesterday 5 say that was coming. He + perhaps he'd ride and go back wi to-day.” 'Am I to under- etand as you are coming Dot? Miss ram, guely and she moved \ up the Long Walk, with Kitty vy her side chattering about her uncle’'s arrival. Miss Feltram did not speak a word, and dur- ing those two or three minutes a soft color came to her cheek and a strange ghining to her eyes, which made her, as she opened the drawing-room door, look little older in the eves of the man who rose to meet her than she had looked when he had seen her last, fifteen years before. She advanced and held out her hand, saying simply “I am very glad to see you.” He was a handsome man, tall, soldlerly, bronzed by many years of Indian suns. His keen gray eyes looked for one instant searchingly Into hers and then they soft- ened strangely. “Thank you,” he sald. “When I heard this girl and boy were coming here this afternoon I thought I might perhaps come over and go back with them.” “I had no idea you were in England,” sald Miss Feltram, as one who makes conversation. “Your arrival was rather sudden, Kitty tells me.” “The whole thing was rather sudden,” he answered. “I found it could be man- aged and I thought I'd com: “Arecare you strong?” gald Miss Fel- ————————————‘—SJE_CA—LLM tram. ngs and of your woun A 3 ‘; am quite strong again, thank 10;1. he answered in a low voice. And then v eared with tea. Bf\?‘;"e?vp: the dispensing of tea, and !3:0 ordinary talk of the neighborhood, h: which Kitty Manisty and her br(lt : Joined eagerly, seemed quite to restore to Miss Feltram her normal manner. She moved and spoke like a woman in & dream. Like & woman in a dream, her visitors being gone, she went to her own room; like & woman in a dream sheh\\a.: sitting with her chin resting on her hand when Brown appeared with coffes after dinner. & Brown considered his mistress ux:.. tively under pretense of waiting for her cup, and then seemed to think better of an inclination to speak, and betook 'm:n- gelf to his pantry. By 10 o'clock all his work there was done, even to the chastening of the most inferfor subord!- nate, and he was sitting by the fire. Ha was a great reader in a patronizing sort of way, and had been known to allow that Shakespeare was ‘‘quite interest to the mind, in parts,” but no book, inter- esting or otherwise, filled his thoughts to- night. “So you knew Colonel Manisty before, did you, Mr. Brown?' Denton had in- quired at supper time. Brown had let fall earlier in the evening some words to that effect in the presence of what he gen- erally stigmatized as “that giggling set of women”—his fellow servants. Brown growled an affirmative. Denton was young and quick-witted, and she drew & bow at a venture. ““They were sweethearts, him and Miss Feltram, I suppose?”’ she sald. Brown feigned to be occupied with his supper for a moment, then he said very grimly: “Whatever they were, they won't be It again. I shall have a say In that, so I tell you.” And it was the purpose conveyed In this cryptic remark that was engrossing Brown's mind now. Fifteen years befors Colonel Manisty had been plain Mr. Rich- ard Manisty, and a younger son at Fer- ries, where his elder brother, Kitty and Cecll's father, was master to-day. F ries was two miles from Feltram Cour and one summer, fifteen years befors, “Mr. Richard” had spent most of his days and hours at the, latter place. It was not difficult to discover what brought there; Brown, as well as every one else, knew well enough that he came to “ses Miss Dot,” whatever his ostensible pre- texts might be. Brown's queer old hear grim even In those days, thought mo ons g00d enough f s Dot, least of all “a young lad with d So s work to do. S Brown expressed the fact that Richara Manisty’s career In the army was as yet all before him. Suddenly there came a day when “Mr. Richar comings and goings ended. When Brown learned that he had “asked the master for Miss Dot and had been peremptorily refused by Mr. Feltram on account of his youth, he feit strongly if silently with his master, and equally silently rejoiced greatly. That was a o-day, to Brown's min situation had reopened itself and presented the old dif- ficulties. He forg passing of fi years; he forgot t ifference those years had brought to both and woman he forgot that his m her own mistress, 00, now, lly, at a events, and he forgc 1l that the whole affair did not concern him. To el Manisty was still the to whose suit Mr. Feitram cted, and Miss Dot was still a | with no father now to gulde ier erring fancles aright. He thought and thought, pondered and pondered. The pantry fire ecracked sighed, fell together and went out. No until it was black and dead did Brown rise and lock up the sleeping house with the air of one who has made up his It was the afternoon of the next day and Brown had brought his mistress soma letters. She took them, but he did not move; he stood at about five paces from her quite stfll. Miss Feltram, surprised at his unusual bebavior, looked up. “Well, Brown,” she said, “do you want me?” Brown's answer began with the phrase which with him was wont to be sur- charged with meaning. “Am I to understand,” he sald, “as Col- onel Manisty is making a long stay, Miss Dot?" Miss Feltram stared at him in still deeper surprise. “I don't know,” she said. Her voice had an unusual cold- ness in its topes. But coldness was as nothing to Brown. “I wished to say, Miss Dot,” he went on, “that Colonel Manisty ian't changed, not in no important par- ticular, from what Mr. Richard Manisty was."” There was a certain significance about Brown's tone, and Miss Feitram started slight Her eyebrows were drawn together nd she looked astonis v like her fat haughtily Still Bro was not to be daunted. m I to under- stand as C onel Danisty will be here much, Miss Dot he asked. “If I m. so0, it's not what father would have wi Miss Dot.” Miss Fel angrily and her eyes flashed And havin’ no o de you but m Dot.” went on Brow before she co speak, “I should feel I'd done my duty if I didn't wi against Uis any gentl my ma proved Miss Feltram rose. Her face was as Brown had never seen it in all her life. “Colonel Man- 1 ‘s comings and goings ca ver Brown said ou forget your- self entire- Iy.” It was a flash of old Mr. Felt- ram's f that dic the words, the same force was express 1 every line of Miss Feltram's face and figure as she swe . the open French window into th garden. Crimson and confused, her mouth quivering and her heart beat- ing, she turned into the drive. Coming up it and close to her was Colonel Man- sty. ’ 3 “How are you? he said as h 2 e reached She held out her hand with a curiou constraint, and the color that ru‘il"rlv; anew over her face made her very han some. Cononel Manisty did not see ih constraint, but he saw the beauty. g.the “You are surprised to see me, pe he said. t Kitty was talking shont another cycling lesson for you She can’ come over to-day and I thouBhe perhaps you would accept me as a substituce - - His manner was very trank and simple but the look In his eyes as they rested o er seemed to Increase feltram's her geem Miss Feltram's “It's very kind of you," she s s v you, said ne ously. But do you know I don't think 1 re about it. I— sh = e T think I shall give it _She spoke with growing Colonel Manisty made a qui of surprise. ; “Oh, you mustn't!™ h 3 o e sald cheeril You can’t tell whether you will l‘;::fllr or not till you have Mmastered the first Aif ficulties. Andif T may say so, I think you Will probably get on better with ma for Continued on Page 1L con k moven raint