Part 1 (2/2)
”Hang it all, can't you say anything more than that?” he asked testily
”Oh, yes! dad,--lots,” I answered, closing --I have never met this Lady Rosemary Granton; never even seen her picture--and, to tell you the truth, from what I have heard of her, I have no immediate desire to make the lady's acquaintance”
There was silence for a ather that his te barbarian, you revolutionary,--what do you mean?
What makes you talk in that way of one of the best and sweetest young ladies in the country? I won't have it from you, sir, _this_ Lady Rosemary Granton, _this_ Lady indeed”
”Oh! you know quite well, dad, what I el, and I doubt not but Lady Roseood for him But,--you know,--you cannot fail to have heard the stories that are flying over the country of her cantrips;--so fifty percent for exaggeration, there is still a lot that would be none the worse of considerable discounting to her advantage”
”Tuts, tush and nonsense! Foolish talk ossiped about every popular wo-rooo in her, vim, animal spirits, youthful exuberance and all that
She may love sport and athletics, but, but,--you, yourself, spend most of your time in pursuit of these same amusements Why not she?”
”Why! father, these are the points I adood of going over it all? I know, you know,--everybody knows;--her flirtations, her affairs; every rake in London tries to boast of his acquaintance with her and bandies her name over his brandy and soda, and winks”
”Look here, George,” put in et yourself
These stories are lies, every one of thehter of my dearest, my dead friend Very soon, she will be your sister”
”Yes! I know,--so let us not say any more about it It is Harry and she for it, and, if they are pleased and an old whioing, pipe-loving, cold-blooded fellow likeup and clenching his hands excitedly ”Do you call the vow of a Braed word of a Granton a whim? Whim, be damned”
For want of words to express hiitated fingers on the ar htly on his shoulder
Poor old dad! I had not s After all, he was the dearest of old-fashi+oned fellows and I loved his haughty, mid-Victorian ways
”There, there, father,--I did not ive offence I take it all back I am sorry,--indeed I ahtened once lad to hear you say it I know you did notby your bruskness You are an ih,--with a touch of your ad, if I don't like you thein front of hih Granton and I were mere boys at the time our voas made,--he was a Granton and I a Brammerton, whose vows are e; it was a few hours after he savedby the ca around The cries of the wounded were in our ears The sentries were challenging continually and dru in the distance
”I clasped Fred's hand and I thanked hiht in the teeth of the Russian guns
”'Freddy, old chap, you're a trump,' I said, 'and, if ever I be blessed with an heir to Bra better than that he shouldwould please me so much, Harry, old boy,--as that a maid of Granton should wed a Brao,' said I, full of enthusiaso, Harry'
”And we raised our winecups, such as they were
”'Your daughter, Fred!'
”'Your heir, Harry!'