The Lady of the Shroud | Page 6

so I ventured to say: 'If you won't take
it a liberty, sir, may I do anything to make your going easier? Have you
sufficient money, sir? If not, may I give, or lend, you some? I shall be
very proud if you will allow me to.'
"'Yes,' he says quite hearty. 'If you will, you might lend me a shilling,
as I have no money. I shall not forget it.' He said, as he took the coin: 'I
shall return the amount, though I never can the kindness. I shall keep
the coin.' He took the shilling, sir--he wouldn't take any more--and then
he said good-bye. At the door he turned and walked back to me, and
put his arms round me like a real boy does, and gave me a hug, and
says he:
"'Thank you a thousand times, Mrs. Martindale, for your goodness to
me, for your sympathy, and for the way you have spoken of my father

and mother. You have seen me cry, Mrs. Martindale,' he said; 'I don't
often cry: the last time was when I came back to the lonely house after
my poor dear was laid to rest. But you nor any other shall ever see a
tear of mine again.' And with that he straightened out his big back and
held up his fine proud head, and walked out. I saw him from the
window striding down the avenue. My! but he is a proud boy, sir--an
honour to your family, sir, say I respectfully. And there, the proud child
has gone away hungry, and he won't, I know, ever use that shilling to
buy food!"
Father was not going to have that, you know, so he said to her:
"He does not belong to my family, I would have you to know. True, he
is allied to us through the female side; but we do not count him or his in
my family." He turned away and began to read a book. It was a decided
snub to her.
But mother had a word to say before Mrs. Martindale was done with.
Mother has a pride of her own, and doesn't brook insolence from
inferiors; and the housekeeper's conduct seemed to be rather presuming.
Mother, of course, isn't quite our class, though her folk are quite worthy
and enormously rich. She is one of the Dalmallingtons, the salt people,
one of whom got a peerage when the Conservatives went out. She said
to the housekeeper:
"I think, Mrs. Martindale, that I shall not require your services after this
day month! And as I don't keep servants in my employment when I
dismiss them, here is your month's wages due on the 25th of this month,
and another month in lieu of notice. Sign this receipt." She was writing
a receipt as she spoke. The other signed it without a word, and handed
it to her. She seemed quite flabbergasted. Mother got up and
sailed--that is the way that mother moves when she is in a wax--out of
the room.
Lest I should forget it, let me say here that the dismissed housekeeper
was engaged the very next day by the Countess of Salop. I may say in
explanation that the Earl of Salop, K.G., who is Lord- Lieutenant of the
County, is jealous of father's position and his growing influence. Father

is going to contest the next election on the Conservative side, and is
sure to be made a Baronet before long.
Letter from Major-General Sir Colin Alexander MacKelpie, V.C.,
K.C.B., of Croom, Ross, N.B., to Rupert Sent Leger, Esq., 14, Newland
Park, Dulwich, London, S.E. July 4, 1892.
MY DEAR GODSON,
I am truly sorry I am unable to agree with your request that I should
acquiesce in your desire to transfer to Miss Janet MacKelpie the
property bequeathed to you by your mother, of which property I am a
trustee. Let me say at once that, had it been possible to me to do so, I
should have held it a privilege to further such a wish--not because the
beneficiare whom you would create is a near kinswoman of my own.
That, in truth, is my real difficulty. I have undertaken a trust made by
an honourable lady on behalf of her only son--son of a man of stainless
honour, and a dear friend of my own, and whose son has a rich heritage
of honour from both parents, and who will, I am sure, like to look back
on his whole life as worthy of his parents, and of those whom his
parents trusted. You will see, I am sure, that whatsoever I might grant
regarding anyone else, my hands are tied in this matter.
And now let me say, my dear boy, that your letter has given me