The Law and The Lady.

Evening Star, Issue 8644, 12 October 1891, Page 3

The Law and The Lady.

Mrs Fairbairn, the wife of that rising young barrister, Mr Archibald Fairbairn, does not often accompany her husband when he goes on circuit; she says she does not care about kicking her heels at his lodgings while he cools his on the flagstones of the assize courts. In the year 18—, however, the will tell you, they were both asked to stay with an old schoolfellow of his at Winchester, who held out Domum Ball as an inducement if Mr Fairbairn could spare time from the perusal of his briefs to attend it. He also wrote that he had an invitation for them to a dinner party given by a high dignitary of the Cathedral, to meet at least one of Her Majesty's judges of assize. " We'll go to that," said Mr Fairbairn, " It's always a good thing to be on the right si-le of the judges, and you might fetch old Abingwell uncommon." " \ou would be more in hiß line than a church dignitary, certainly," said Mr Proby, Q C, when Mrs Fairbairn told him at the Cheslyns of what her husband had said. Like Mr Fairbairn, Mr Proby, Q.C., was fitting in a visit to the Cheslyns, of Chollett, for the firßt two days of Goodwood before proceeding to the next assize town. There were two or three days to spare at that time owing to a quite unaccountable mistake of the learned judges when they fixed their "circuit dates." It was natural for Mr Proby to devote them to recruiting his health by a short holiday. He had found the air of the Far West relaxing; the atmosphere of Chollett always braces and enlivens him considerably. He seemed a little put out, however, when he came down to breakfast on the Tuesday morning. What it was precisely wbb not known; but his rest had been disturbed in some way or other. Someone had floured hia pillow or "joggled" a reel of cotton by a thread through the key-hole, or done something or other which ho would have appreciated better if he had merely witnessed the performance on another. Though he eat next to Mrs Fairbairn, he said nothing to her till she spoke first, "Oh, if I only knew what waa going to win the Stewards' Cup !" exclaimed Mrs Fairbairn. "I slept with the list of probable starters under my pillow, and 1 did not dream at all. I never do." " One of the blessings of youth," said Mr Proby politely. "And innocence," said Mrs Fairbairn, bowing to him. "I haar yon had a bad night, Mr Proby !" Rumor had pointed to Mrs Fairbairn as the jocular disturber of the good gentleman's rest; but he merely smiled blandly and resumed the perusal of some legal-looking documents the post had brought him, He seemed to have recovered himself before they started for the course. Mrs Fairbairn won over the first race, and did not touch the second ; what to back for the Stewards' Cup she still did not know, and she bemoaned her lot as she sat on top of the drag and nibbled a late strawberry. "Shall I tell you what / dreamt?" said Proby confidentially. She looked rather incredulously at him. "You, Mr Proby?" " Well, I've just backed The Spoofer," he said; " I've put a hundred pounds on." "A hundred pounds!" " Yes. I'm not fond of risking my money," he answered ; " but a client of mine who trains in Leatherby'a stables is so confident it will win that I thought 1 would have what you would call a ' flutter.'" "Archie calls it a rank outsider," said Mrs Fairbairn, "and saya it oan't win on any form it has ever shown." •'That is precisely what I said to my client," said Mr Proby. " He seemed rather amused." "What sort of a man is he?" said Mrs Fairbairn. Mr Proby whippered to her: "I don't like taking away anyono'a character, because we are all liable to mistakes ; but, to judge from a case whioh I won for him a few years ago, he is one of the most consummate rascals I know—and I know a good many." ! " Mr Proby," said Mrs Fairbairn, pulling out her purse, " I wish you would put L2O on The Spoofer for me." He held out his hand to take it; but then seemed to change hia mind suddenly. " I am rather tired," he said, " and it is a long way to the ring." " Mr Proby ! All the other men aro there ; I have no one else to ask." •' Do you see that old fellow coming along there?" said Mr Proby, pointing to a dapper-looking elderly gentleman in a neat dust-coat and faultlessly brushed hat, who appeared to be sauntering along the carriaees for the purpose of inspecting their occupants. "That is one of the best known commission agents on the turf. He will get you longer odds than I conld. " Will you ask him ?" said Mrs Fair««No," said Mr Proby. "He will bet any sum for you; but, perhaps, in small sums he would take more trouble for a lady. Besides, I slept badly and am tired '" ,- . « a " Mr Proby, you bear malice ! How do you know I did it ?'' " Mrs Fairbairn, I know nothing," said the worthy Queen's counsel; he did not look at all ill-tempered, but quite the reverse, as he watched her trip a few yards along the course to where the old gentleman whojp he had pointed out was stand" ing, apparently absorbed in contemplating the descent of a young lady from the roof oi

a private omnibus. The young lady had large feet, and the old gentleman looked disappointed. But he turned with a polite smile and bow as Mrs Fairbalrn accosted him. MrvProby could not hear what they said; but he suddenly slid down from whesa. he was sitting, and walked hurriedly after n friend whom he saw at the distance. When he looked round Mrs Fairbairn was walking towards the ring with the old gentleman. He afterwards heard from someone who had seen them that they had gone together ar.d made the bet in question with one of the principal bookmakers on the courße - ~ » -j \i " What a charming old man, said Mrs Fairbairn when she returned. He seems to know everybody, and was bo nioe to me; and, just think, I have won L2OO. " Have you been paid ?" said Mr Proby. "Of course not; I said I should be at Winchester, and he eaid he would give it to me there." "Ah," said Mr Proby, with a smile, "you trusted him?" "Of courae I did ; I told him you said he was very respectable." " You did not mention my name ?" "I did, indeed, Mr Proby; you never told mo not to. Do you owe him money!" " No," said Mr Proby, shortly. Mra Fairbairn looked puzzled. "I don't see why it should matter then; but I'm pretty sure he said he should have to have a settlement with you on Monday, and I supposed he meant something of the Bort." Mr Proby's cigar did not seem to have agreed with him ; he threw it away, and was unusually silent for the reßt of the afternoon. When they got back he wrote letters.

Mr and Mrs Fairbairn enjoyed themselves at Winchester, though Mr Fairbairn did not make as much money at the assize courts as his wife had over The Spoofer. He had been much entertained at the idea of Mr Proby having given a tip and introduced his wife to a commission agent, and much pleased at her success. " And now, my dear girl, if you can only get round the judge at that dinner party there's no knowing what may happen. You're in luck this journey. Old Abingwell likes you to look him in the face and answer him straightforwardly ; so mind you do so." When Mr Justice Abingwell was announced at the dinner party given by the church dignitary (there are so many of them at Winchester it is better not to specify what particular ecclesiastical function he exeroised), Mr Fairbairn turned to his wife to remind her of what he had said, and to see if she was looking her best. He looked at her with positive horror. His amazement was not diminished when their hostess performed the ceremony of introduction. What was his wife doing! If she had dropped her fan there was no reason why she should take ten minutes to pick it up, and pay no attention to his lordship's polite3t bow. She was more like herself afterwards; but tbe first impression she created must have been bad.

" Oh, Archie," she said to him when they got bask, as she held a lighted match for his cigar, " I wish I had never been born. Did vou nee me ? lie is a nice old man, though, and quite fatherly in the way he holds your hand. He asked, too, if you were a revising barrister. I said no, but you would like to be. Was that right?" "Yes, quite right; but what was the matter —what were you doing ? " " Doing 1 Why, what should Ibe doing ? The firßt word he said to me waa ' You Bhall have your L2OO on Monday '; but as for what I was doing, when I saw Mr Proby's turf commissioner announced as Mr Justice Abingwell I tried to get under the drawingroom table. Still, I made it all right, and I dare say you will get that appointment."