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(430 WILD MARGARET,
_ pretty well, and I know a good dog when I see him, and I
can tell you the proper. kind of fly for most of the rivers eh
in England and Scotland; and I know the quickest and — 64
surest way of stalking a stag; and—I can play adecent .
hand at ecarte—that is, if it’s not foo late in the evening; ‘i
and—and——”’’ he paused and looked rather at.a loss.
“Ts that all, my lord?” Oe
“That’s—that’s all. It seemed-rather a long lot, too,
while I was running it over,’’ he responded. ran
‘And what use is your knowledge to you, my lord, un-
-less you intend turning horse-dealer or gamekeeper?—but
perhaps you do.” . : .
He laughed, SO ot
‘“By George, you’re hard upon me! Won’t you sit
down?’ Insensibly, Margaret sank into the seat, and he
dropped carelessly on: to. the arm, ‘‘ Well, I might’do
worse!” | . .
‘*Much worse!’ assented Margaret, severely. '
’ He looked at her rather curiously. ; — ES
_. ‘How strangely you said that,’? he remarked. ‘ Meant
- for me from the shoulder, I expect; now wasn’t it?” ~__
Margaret was silent. She had meant it as a rebuke, but
she would not have admitted it for the world. .
He regarded her silently for a second, then he said:
i‘. + Miss Hale, they have been telling you-something about
‘Ine. They have, haven’t they?’
~ A faint flush rose to her face. Ds
‘“Would that matter in the slightest, my lord?” | I
‘‘By George, yes!’ he said. ‘‘Look here! there is an |}
‘old proverb that says: ‘Don’t believe more than half you |
, See, and less than half you hear.’ I should like to know -
- what they have been telling you about me!” ;
‘What should ‘they’ say, my lord?” said Margaret. '
“Except that you are a very high-principled and serious-.
minded gentleman, doing all the good you could find to
do, and setting a high example to your friends and com- |
panions?” . o . oe
He leaned forward so that he might see her face, then
. broke into the musical and contagious laugh. =
‘ “It’s too bad!” he'said. ‘Miss Hale, I give you my 2
. word that the dev—, that nobody is quite as bad as he is i
~ painted——” pe -
‘* It is to be hoped not, or, judging from the portraits one my
sees at the Academy, there must bea great many ugly peo-
ple in the world,” she said, quietly,
/ Lord Blair stared at her with unconcealed delight.
. Pretty women he had met by the hundred, but a girl
who was lovely as a flower, and ‘witty as well, was a rarity
that set his heart throbbing, y : ——
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hate. . 7 . $
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