The Kings Men | Page 8

me, Lord Brompton, I have a father."
"Did I say I was at your feet, Miss Windsor?"
"You are the same clever creature as ever," she answered. "But I am
beginning to believe you are in earnest. Is it possible that you are the
Lord Brompton who told me once that fate's quiver held no shaft to
terrify a philosopher? 'Dust to dust, and what matters it whether king or
chaos rule?' Those were your words. I warned you then, but you
laughed me to scorn--"
"And now you are deriding me."
"You are unjust. I met you with a proffer of hospitality, but you would
none of it."
"Am I not to dine with you this evening?"
"True. Then as a further instance that you are still a stoic, come now
and exhibit to me the treasures and secrets of Ripon House. I have got
no farther than the picture gallery as yet. There is an ancestor of George
the Third's time whose features are the prototype of yours--the same
dreamy eye--the same careless smile--the same look of being petted.

You remember I always said you had been spoiled by petting."
She led the way across the lawn, with Bayard bounding close at hand.
"I am sure there must be secret galleries and haunted chambers and all
sorts of dreadful places. I telephoned to Mr. Jawkins to inquire, but he
answered, 'Not as I know of, miss.' I suppose he is so fearfully practical
he wouldn't care if a real ghost met him in a remote wing."
"What a pity we didn't live in the last century when people still gave
ghosts the benefit of the doubt," said Lord Brompton, sadly. "Now we
are certain that there never were any."
"But we may still run across a skeleton in a closet," said the girl.
"Oh, yes. But who, by the way, is Mr. Jawkins?"
"Have you never heard of Mr. Jarley Jawkins, the famous
country-house agent and individual caterer?"
Lord Brompton shook his head.
"He is indeed a remarkable man," she continued. "When we decided to
come to England my father telephoned to Jawkins, who immediately
sent out a list of country-seats. We chose this and made arrangements
with him to supply us with guests at so much a head. A regular
country-house party--a duke and duchess, one or two financially
embarrassed noblemen, a disestablished bishop, a professional beauty,
a poet-peer, and several other attractions. Oh, Jawkins is wonderful.
They are all coming to-day. Won't it be fun? But it may seem rude to
ask you to meet such people? I am sorry. You will be almost the only
guest not hired for the occasion. It was very inconsiderate of me."
"That's all right," said the young lord. "Perhaps I may find an opening
here. I'm looking out for a job. Possibly you may not be aware, Miss
Windsor, that the porter's lodge, which I occupy at present, is my sole
piece of property. I will send my card to Jawkins. By the way, does he
conduct them in person?"

"Oh, yes. He comes on the first day to introduce them. Jawkins is a
most amusing man. He is enormously rich and a great bon-vivant. He
has a retinue of thoroughly trained servants whom he dispatches to his
customers, and everything he supplies is in the most perfect taste. He
has but one weakness: he loves a lord and is the sworn enemy of the
new régime. Don't you look forward with interest to the feast to-night?
I shall give you a professional beauty to take into dinner; and of course
I shall go in with the man of the highest rank. But here we are," she
said, as they reached the upper terrace in front of the house.
"What a superb dog you have, Miss Windsor. What is his name?" said
Lord Brompton, gazing with admiration at the noble creature, who
stood on the threshold, panting after his run.
"His name is Bayard."
"Ah, Miss Windsor, I perceive that you still recognize the glamour of a
lordly title in the matter of naming your pets. The Chevalier Bayard
smacks of royal prerogative."
"Pardon me; Bayard is named after an American statesman who was
contemporary with my great-grandfather. But isn't he a beauty? He cost
$1000. There is not another of his variety in the United States."
"I should like to go to America," said Lord Brompton, pensively, as he
entered the familiar library now renovated by the taste of Jawkins. "My
views have changed materially on many questions since we last met. I
can see that things here are likely to be in a chaotic state for a long time
to come, whereas your institutions have become permanent."
"But you ought to wish to remain and help your fellow-countrymen to