Show SERIAL STORY T auls of f IV 0 LADY BILLA TM by MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL 1101 SYNOPSIS at 14 years of ngo ago admiral SI peter nephew nop liew richard Ill chard olyn 11 fell ell deeply in love nt at first sleat I 1 1 14 with lady I ady arabella stormont who churned his attentions tho the lad an orphan was riven given a berth as aa mid shipman on the ajax by his uncle allos ve vernon nephew how of sir thomas vernon belanio tn tho boyn pal they atten attended doo a 11 thel theater lter where nephew saw lady Ar arabella vernon met overton next in n alno for sir thomas Ver vernona estate they Fit arted a duel bilich was interrupted vernon overton and hawkshaw a found thom themselves selves attracted by bv prfto ady arabella tho the ajax in battlo battle defeated french warships tn in tho the mediterranean CHAPTER IV we took the Xan xanthippe xantippe tippe homo home tho went to the bottom of tho the day bay of 0 biscay but before our prize money was settled up wo we wore were oft off again sir peter dearly loved cruising in blue water it was near two years before wo we got back to england to spend that prize money for except the captain and mr air buxton and some of the married cors I 1 know of no one who saved any sir peter I 1 iiii dera der tood stood afterward spent much of his in it diamond necklace and tiara flara for or lady hawkshaw in which ho he was most filist egregiously cheated by a portuguese money lender and the balance he put into a for acclimating elephants in england which was to make him as rich as aa croesus but he be lost 1000 on the venture besides his prize money in those two years I 1 grew more and more font fond of 0 giles vornon vernon wo we generally contrived to have our watch together and we were intimate as only shipmates could bo be ho he talker talked much of what he meant to do when lie he got ashore with money to upend spend and assured me he bo had never had above 20 of odds ails own in his life in tho the course ol of many nights spent in standing watch together when the old ajax was stilling sailing like a witch for she was a capital at that time lie be told me much about his early youth and I 1 confided to him the story atory of detty betty green giles career had bad been ti the common ono one of the younger branches of abood a good family ills his father had been a clergyman and dying loft left several daughters who married re ably and this one son who was put in tho the sea service very young at that time several lives stood between olle giles and the title and estates of sir thomas vernon and other lives stood between giles bites and overton but those liall had passed away leaving those these two distant kinsmen as heirs to a man that seemed rightfully to have earned his bis title of wicked sir thomas I 1 asked giles allea if lie he knew why sir thomas who so ao cordially hated his mrs heirs had never married giles replied that sir thomas showed no inclination to mar ry until he was near 40 then his reputation was BO be well established that lie ho was generally looked upon his character for truth was bad and at cards was worse but he had induced a lady ot of rank and wealth to become engaged to be juar married ried to him ills his treatment of h er was so infamous that her whole family had declared war against him and had succeeded in breaking off several very desirable alliances ho he would have liked to make of courso course a man of his rank and wealth could find some woman alas I 1 to take him but sir thomas was bent on money with an inclination to ward rank and was tho the last man on earth to marry unless lie he had a substantial inducement and several more years had passed without his being able to effect affect tho the sort of mar marriage ringe ho he desired meanwhile his health had bad broken down and ho he was now ft a shattered man and prey for the doctors all this was wag very interesting to me especially as sir thomas two heirs would one day have the experience of shooting at each other and possibly deciding the matter of by the elimination of one or the other from the question we both got promotion of course and tN that brought us into the sunroom gun room but we were as intimate there as in our reefer days in the cockpit on a glorious october morning in 1739 1799 our anchor kissed the ground in ports mouth harbor when wo we reached portsmouth the news of our good fortune had bad pre ceded us and we were welcomed with open arms by men women and children especially tho the women all the money brought back by any single ship dur during ing the war was insignificant ant compared with ours the inen wro seized with a kind of madness for spending their money the spectacle of an ordinary seaman parading tho the streets of 0 portsmouth with a gold laced hat a gold headed beaded stick and watches and jewelry hung hune allover all over him was common enough and ha was sure to bo ba an alax ajax tuan man sad to say the pimps and tho the worst dims class of mon men and women soon got the money away from our poor follows tile tho oin fincers cers in their way wore ware but little behind tho the men man Inthe in tr lavishness champagne was wag their common drink and several dehem invested to in eoa coaches chos tho last thing they would over ever havo have a chance of using giles vornon vernon although tho the most wasteful and profuse man I 1 ever saw desired to spend his mr money iney in london londo n portsmouth being too small a the theater ator tor for him film but tho the pressing affair altair of tho the satisfaction ho he owned capt overton had to be settled after much hard thinking giles camo came to tomo ino on tho da day after t or we reached cached Pok portsmouth and said dicky dichy boy read this letter and give mo me your opinion of it this was tho the letter JI if M X S ajax may alay 17 im am capt III philip Overl fint deal aa bar ar th this to is to inform you that I 1 have relic ranched tied after a very successful crul coulso to in tho the ajax when wo we took the and Xan xanthippe xantippe tippe and a large sum binn in III specie my shair Is consider able moro moio money in short than I 1 ever aliw I 1 M much left loss handled in my life I 1 would like a month in landon to spend this thim money beford offering rhy my carcass to be made full of 0 holes by you dear air co nalder it if I 1 escape your marksmanship the month more or loss less will be of little account and it if I 1 tall all I 1 shall miss the finest cliance chance of seeing tile tho world I 1 ever had in my life I 1 think sir with binden 0 1 I say eay it that my record in tho ajax 1 Is 8 enough to make plain I 1 am not ing ani tile the satisfaction I 1 own owe you but I 1 would tako take it as a personal favor it if you would put it oft off to this day month when 1 I will bo be in london and as I 1 shall hall eat and drink of tho the best tin ten so to one I 1 will bo be much fater and therefore be a much bettor better marlc mark for you I 1 am dear sir or your obliged and obedient servant ailes elixis ignon I 1 pointed out to giles that although tile tho tono tone of the letter was quite correct the writing and spelling were scarce up to tho the standard I 1 was more bookish than giles but ho he replied with some heat who while reading the com communication munt of a gentleman will be so base as to sneer at the grammar or spelling so the letter went as it was and in reply camo came a very handsome well expressed letter from capt overton not only agreeing to postpone it a month but for six weeks which pleased giles mightily I 1 wish to say although giles gilea was inexpert with the pen ho he had no lack of either polish or ideas and was as fine an officer as ever walked tho the dock deck the matter with overton finally settled and tho the ship being paid off giles and I 1 started for london as happy au ao with her were daphne and the G glorious 0 lady arabella two youngsters could be with liberty and 2000 apiece to spend for I 1 acknowledge that I 1 had no more thought of saving than giles wo we took a chalso chaise and tour four to london no stagecoach stage coach for us I 1 and reached there in a day we had planned to take the finest rooms a at t hotel but fate and lady prevented me from enjoying enjoy ng them except for the first night of our arrival next morning on presenting myself at the admiralty to ask for letters lettera nevor dreaming I 1 should have any I 1 received ono end from sir peter hawkshaw which read orand nephew my lady hawkshaw desires that you will coan and bring your money with you to our house in berkeley square and remain there yours etc IT P C B great was my distress when I 1 got this letter as I 1 foresaw there would not be much chance under lady hawkshawe Hawk eagle eye of seeing the kind of life I 1 wished to see and 1 I was obliged to go for sir peter was the only person on earth likely to interest himself at the admiralty for mo me and I 1 might stay and wither on shore while others more rort fortunate got ships it I 1 antagonized him and when lady hawkshaw commanded there was but ono one thing to do and that was to obey so with a heavy heart I 1 took my self and my portmanteau and ti a canvas bag my 2000 guineas to the he admirals adral rals great fine house in berkeley square sly parting with giles was melancholy enough for with th the womanish jealousy of a boy I 1 was un happy to think ho he would be enjoying himself with some one else while I 1 was suffering the hardship of having my money taken caro care of tor for me giles had no more forg forgotten ottoa the lady arabella than I 1 had bad and on reading this noto note exclaimed zounds I 1 I 1 wish peter and polly had bad sent for mo me to stay in berkeley Der keley square with that divine creature under the same roof do you think dicky we could exchange so to speak but on my reminding him that lady hawkshaw had demanded my prize money and would certainly get it his bis ardor to stand stana IQ in my shoes somewhat abated when I 1 reached sir peters hou house about noon the same tall and insolent footman that I 1 had seen on my first visit opened the tha door for me lady wearing the ramo black blach velvet gown and the identical feath ers erg received me and sitting with her were daphne carmichael Carml chael and tho the g glorious or ous tho 0 beautiful eau u I 1 tho a one enchanting lady arabella stormont it I 1 had fallen madly in lovo love with her when I 1 was but 14 and halt had only seven saven and sixpence one may imaging imagine where I 1 found myself when I 1 was near 17 and had 2000 in a bag in my lin hands rids lady greeting was stiff but far from unkind and she introduced nio me to the young ladles ladies who curtsied most beautifully to me and I 1 may say looked at me not unkindly la Is that your prize money in that bag It ichard asked lady hawkshaw immediately I 1 replied it was Je jeames anies she said go and make my compliments to sir peter and say to him that it if lie he has nothing better to do I 1 would bo be glad to see him at once and order the coach james departed I 1 sat in adoring silence oblivious of daphne Da plino but gazing at lady arabella until sho she exclaimed pettishly lal la have I 1 got a cross eyo or a crooked nose mr air richard that you cant take your eyes oft me you haye have neither I 1 replied gal bantly and my name Is not mr air rich ard but mr air glyn at your lady ladyship ships service Ar arabella said bald lady hawkshaw in a voice of thunder be more particular in your address to young gen een clemen 11 oh yes mal maame amill portly replied lady arabella but bui such very young gentlemen like mr glyn or mr thin or whatever his name may be aro are always difficult to please in the way of address it yotaro you are familiar they are affronted and if you aro arb reserved they think you are making game ot of them by this speech I 1 discovered that although lady bawks hawkshaw haw might rule her world torro ilzo sir peter and make the lords of the admiralty her humble servitors she had one rebel in tho the camp and that was lady arabella stormont I 1 saw raw that her remarks dla dis pleased lady but she ehe endured them in silence who though would not endure anything from that cherub mouth and add those dazzling eyes sir peter now appeared and greeted me peter said lady hawkshaw Hawks baw in tier her usual authoritative manner y you will go goila in the coach with me to the ou bank with richard glyn to deposit ills hla money you will be ready in ten minutes when the coach will bo be at tho the door 1 I will go with you madam regj replied lied sir peter but I 1 shall or dermy horse borse aud and ride horseback a because I 1 do not like riding in that damned stuffy coach and besides when you and your feathers got get in there Is no room for me you ride horseback a sniffed ed lad lady hawkshaw even the grooms and stable boys laugh at you you are always talking some sea nonsense about keeping the horses head to the wind and yawing and bluffing and boesing at the bowline and what not and besides I 1 am afraid to trust you since crown brown jane threw you in the park ark it ended by sir peters going in the coach where the little man lay back in the corner nearly smothered by lady hawkshawe Hawk shaws voluminous robe and bishing and ps hawing the whole way but I 1 was quite happy albeit I 1 was the victim of lady hawkshaw in having my money kept for mo me for on tho the seat beside mo me was lady arabella who chose to go with us she made much game of me but I 1 had the spirit to answer her back after placing the money we took an airing in the park and then returned to dinner at five I 1 neither knew nor cared what became of daphne for was I 1 not with the adored lady arabella that night lady hawkshaw was at home and I 1 had my first experience of a london rout the tha card tables were set on the lower floor for although Lady Hawkshaw hated cards yet it was commonly said that no one could entertain company la in london without them TO DE BB CONTINUED |