A Damsel in Distress

y some notes on the history of the Earls of Marshmoreton, who have owned it since the fifteenth century. Unfortunately, in these days of rush and hurry, a novelist works at a disadvantage. He must

ow him aside and go o

nd a daughter, Lady Patricia Maud Marsh, who is just twenty: that the chatelaine of the castle is Lady Caroline Byng, Lord Marshmoreton's sister, who married the very wealthy colliery owner, Clifford Byng, a few year

-room, you may see them for yourself any Thursday, when Belpher is thrown open to the public on payment of a fee of one shilling a head. The money is collected by Keggs the butler, and goes to a worthy local charity. At least, that is the idea. But the voice of calumny is never silent, and there

like a particularly saintly bishop to indulge in any such practices.

Such a person would probably have jumped to the conclusion that the middle-aged lady of a determined cast of countenance who was standing near the rose-garden, talking to the gardener and watching th

his. "It is the only explanation, my dear Watson. If the lady were merely complimenting the gardener on his rose-garden, and if her smile were merely caused

ion-was the Earl of Marshmoreton, and there were two reasons for his gloom. He hated to be interrupted while working, and, furthermore, Lady Caroline Byng always g

without exciting remark, was a correctly dressed gentleman whom no one would have suspected of covering his sturdy legs in anything but the finest cloth. But if you will glance at your copy of Who's Who, and turn up the "M's", you

e slugs, rose-beetles and the small, yellowish-white insect which is so depraved and sinister a character that it goes through life with an alias-being sometimes called a rose-hopper and sometimes a thrip. A simple soul, Lord Marshmoreton-mild and pleasant. Yet put him among the thrips, and he became a dealer-out of death and slaughter, a destroyer

tter-he would retire to his private study and work on his History of the Family, assisted by his able secretary, Alice Faraday. His progress on that massive work was, however, slow. Ten hours

animated, and even from a distance it was possible to see how the girl's eyes lit up at what he

g pair," she murmure

g. Perhaps at t

hich she adorned so well, had his step-mother reasoned more clearly than she did when pointing out to him the advantages of the match. It was not that Reggie disliked Maud. He admitted that she was a "topper", on several occasions going so far as to describe her as "abso

" went on Lady Caroline, "the

peer with a questioning eye in the awesome

cheerful if she were still brooding on that. I hope you will admit now, John, that I was right in keeping her practically a prisoner here and never allowing her a chance of meeting the man again either

n. His mind had been far aw

that man Maud met wh

a in

, y

becomes infatuated with a perfect stranger-a man we have never seen-of whom we know nothing, not even his nam

n't it? I understood the d

hould feel safer if

u might take the trou

reton's brain moved slowly when he was pre-occu

us mind, bright and strong like a steel trap, and her brothe

gaged to Reggie. You are her father. Sure

coerce

u put it. I merely meant that you could point out to

nearest bush, and addressing his remark to the invisible thrips. He had for

t her. Her eyes were grey and whimsical. Her head was uncovered, and the breeze stirred her dark hair. She made a graceful picture in the

f Alice Faraday always

the notes you mad

n. I typed

ly histories did not coincide. To him the history of the Marshmoreton family was the occupation of the idle hour: she seemed to think that he ought to regard it as a life-work. She was always coming and digging him out of the garden and dragging him back to what should have been a purely after-dinner task.

for he laboured under a pathetic delusion, of which no amount of failures could rid him, that if she did not see his face she would withdraw. "You remember last night you promised you would attend to them this morning." She paused l

e lack of attention which her recent utterances had received, and welcomed the

" pleaded Lord

the power at times to make him feel like a small boy. She ha

leave this sort of thing to MacPherson. Why you should pay him liberal wages and then do his work for him,

ould attend to them

," said Alic

g man. None knew better than he that these interviews, especially when Caroline was p

, perhaps. After dinner, eh? Yes,

rbed this girl to feel that she was not doing work enough to merit her generous salary. And on the

ghout the rose-garden hundreds of spared thrips went

right, all right! Co

rshmoreton." Miss F

n looking up the trai

ifteen. It has a din

if sig

roline?" inquired Lord

t talk to the Socia

shall retu

oreton, hope fadi

ay," said Lady Carolin

be round at a qu

ay, will you call to Reggie as you pas

with meditations in which thoughts of Alice competed for precedence with graver reflections connected with the subject of the correct stance for his approac

tell you that she wishes

aped from

There you are! I m

cked his hands and feet, swelling them to enormous proportions. He wished profoundly that he could get rid of his habit of yelping with nervous laughter w

s leaving by the

saying something at least moderately coherent gripped him. He rallied his forces. "You wouldn't care t

must go in and help Lord M

-I mean, what

Lord Marshmoreton, that modern Simon Legree, who used his capitalistic power to mak

m if you can't put it

. I'm sure Lord Marshmore

ecovered from the effect of this Reggie proceeded

and so forth? What did y

ie, what is

play at Prestwick. I didn't notice anything else much. There's a new musical comedy at the Regal. Opened last night, and seems t

n the uptake, coming so soon after her

r for quite a long time, and she seemed very interested in what

rightened. He c

an. No, there wasn't anything o

to her, then, that i

pretty ripe shot, considering. I'd sliced into this baby bunker, don't you know; I simply can't keep 'em straight with the iron n

with such an excellent opportunity,

as a matter of absolute fa

uttered a wo

aid Reggie, "I forgot

all

ha

ing and rallied round with his rain-coat, and one thing led to another. Always raining in Wales, what! Good fishing, though, here and there. Well, what I mean is, this cove was so deucedly civil, and all th

ffair. It was just a passing fancy that never m

t seem to

for Percy's coming-of-age, and this next few days may be your last chance of having a real, long, private talk with Maud. I shall

tely! One o

well,

what I mean

any more tempo

ishing he knew what the word meant, and wishing al

should you not take Maud f

erful. At least he h

o meet Percy. He's arriving from Oxford this morning. I p

then, why co

elf away and what not. If you're catching the twelve-fifteen, you ought to be stagge

d decided to go

ty train. Everybody speaks well of it. Well, see you

remember w

absol

n. I shall be

breathed a little heavily as he felt for hi

wn the long avenue of elms. She crossed the terrace

ggi

ie t

dear old thing

on her pretty face, and when she spoke her

a small hand on his arm.

rnally. There were few peop

nce the dear old day

ust you,

olut

do for me, Reggie. You'll have to

ent man. That's

n your car this afternoon,

was th

is morning inste

cour

hook h

I'm sure you wouldn't agree so lightly. I'm not allowed to leav

cha

be terrible scenes

'll risk it. None shall learn

darling,

Why do you want to g

d over her

secretary, you know, Reggie, to his uncle, and I saw in the paper this morning that the uncle returned yeste

happie was sure to go!" murmured Regg

of the letter going wrong. So, you see, I must go. Today's my only chance. Aunt Caroline has gone away. Father will be busy in the garden, and won't n

agreed Reggie. "I understand absolutel

ear enough to where I want to go. But the most important thing is about Percy. You must persuade him to stay and dine in town

hat? Consider it done. W

on

Reggie chuckled amusedly. "Rum thing! The mater's j

arling, Regg

r back another

Maud, old thing, do you find love puts you off your stroke?

lau

on my game so far. I went roun

ighed en

legging it and fetching the car. When you're re

her pocket. She had extracted it from yesterday's copy of the

nd has returned t

quare from a prolo

the S

had indicated to Reggie, when the Wilbur Raymonds of this world return to their town residences, they bring with them their nephew