THE WHITE GAUNTLET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15142, 5 November 1912, Page 4

THE WHITE GAUNTLET.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMEKT.

BY PERCY JAMES BREBXER, Author of " The Brown Mask." " A Royal Ward,- - "A Gentleman of Virginia," " Princess Maritza," «-« etc. COPYRIGHT.

CHAPTER XIV. VISITORS AT LAIXSWOOB. A tokel working at a hedge looked up as he heard himself hailed from the roadway, where three riders, two ladies and a gentleman, had come to a standstill. "Hi. my man, do you know. Lainswood Manor?" " Yes, your honour, know it well, I do." " Where is it?" "Born in these parts, I was. more'n fifty years ago, it 'ud be strange if I didn't know Lainswood Manor. Come to that, you might havo asked anyone along the road hereabout*, and he would have told you." "Well, where is it?" "It be yonder," the man answered, pointing to a zig-zag path up the side of the down.

" Ik that the only way to it?" asked one of the ladies.

" It's the nearest; but there's the road, if you like. You'll find a turn behind that clump of trees yonder." The man caught the coin thrown to him, and the riders went on. The day was fine, but cold. There had been frost in the morning, and then a sprinkling of snow, which lingered in the shelter of the hedges. " You seem very anxious to see this Manor of Lainswood, Diane."

" I am rather curious. I have heard a great deal about it. Being in the neighbourhood. I want to take the opportunity of. satisfying that curiosity." "Is it historical?"

" No, Mr. Wharton; I think not. It belongs to Sir Anthony Seymour. Living in the same county, you must know something about him," Lady Sophia."

" Oh, yes ; I have heard of the Seymours, but nothing particularly interesting, I think, and nothing at all about their home."

" What have you heard about the Seymours?" asked Diane.

"That their pockets were so shallow it was a marvel they were able -to keep up even such a place at Lainswood."

"That seems to do away with all interest either in the house or in its owner," laughed Wharton. « " Gin a poor man never be interesting, then?.' asked Diane.

" Nob often to a rich one, I fancy," was the answer; "and we arc likely to meet with a cold reception for intruding. Such men are usually full of shifts to hide their poverty.") " We shall encounter nobody more formidable than servants, or perhaps an austere housekeeper," said Diane. " Sir Anthony was grievously wounded at Oudenarde more than eight months ago, and is still abroad."

"At Oudenarde ?'* said Lady Sophia. "Was not his name mentioned in the Gazette?"

"Yes. I believe he behaved gallantly that day." "Or it pleased my Lord of Marlborough to say so," Lady Sophia returned. "What do you mean?" "My dear Diane, when you come to visit in the country you assume all the airs of a miss who has never seen the town. I am remembering quite a lot about Sir Anthony Seymour; but it must be stale news to you, since you evidently know so much about him." " I assure you I know very little beypnd what he has told me himself."

"Innocent person!" laughed Lady Sophia. " And I hardly dare to tell you anything, since to hear* scandal about the Marlboroughs seems to hurt you so much." "If it did, I should be * bruised from head to foot. What is there new to tell?"

"I did not say it was new ; but I have heard that Sir Anthony is so deeply in the Duke's confidence that the Marlboroughs would be in a strange position were ho to betray them." " The story is all over town," said Wharton. "It was the common talk of the coffee-houses and taverns at Christmastime."

" That would not necessarily make it true, would it?" said Diane. "I do assure you I have heard some strange things about myself • before now, born in the imagination of some wine-spiller in a tavern. Pray tell mo the story, Lady Sophia."

"It is a common whisper that bribes from the French King have governed His Grace's plan of campaign, or Lille would have sooner "surrendered," said Lady Sophia; " and it is freely declared that Sir Anthony Seymour is the go-between. Surely you must have heard the scandal, Diane?"

" I think yours is a new version of it." was the answer. " T wonder what Sir Anthony Seymour would say to it." " It might be interesting to ask him," said Wharton.

"When he returns, why don't you?'' asked Diane.

" I meant that you should ask him."

I "Perhaps I will. He would hardly bid me to meet him in Leicester Fields or Behind Montagu House." " A palpable hit, Mr. Wharton." laughed Lady Sophia. "At least, the story makes me more curious than over to see the home of such a desperate adventurer," said Diane, putting her horse into a canter. " Those should be tho chimneys of it peeping through the .trees yonder." The story was not new to mademoiselle, but she had not heard Sir Anthony so definitely associated with it before. After Oudenarde, the joy for the victory had the effect of keeping the Duke's enemies quiet for a while, but a few weeks had served to mako them active again. It was easy to talk of the immense cost of the war and of the small advantage accruing to England ; and. since he was so mighty a soldier,, could not Marlborough do 'more if ho chose? His known meanness presented a ready peg on which to hang a suggestion of bribery; and there were plenty of men who might be made tools of. Sir Anthony was one of the number. Diane thought she might ask him the question some day.

They came presently to the great iron gates, and went along the drive, which swept round an oval lawn. "A large place for a poor man." .said Wharton. " and charming enough to make an adventurer of him if his pockets could be filled in no other way."

"It is difficult nowadays to credit a man with any conscience* or sense of honour." said Diane, "but it is just possible that Sir Anthony's hands may bo clean, isn't it?" She used the expression without thought or hesitation, and only the- moment after Temembered why she used it. Sevmour had told her of the arms in the window at Lainswood—of the. white gauntlet and the motto. A desire to see that window had brought her riding this way to-dav. Something in her manner made Lady Sophia glance at Wharton, who emiled. "Is Monsieur Sauveron in London, Diane?" she asked, suddenly ; and she watched her companion's face closely. "Ho was when I left town a month ago. I have had no word of him since." An old man came to the door, who, to their inquiry whether the house could be sef.n, answered by calling in a shrill voice for a groom to attend the, horses. " Your master would not object?" asked Diane. ,

" No, my lady." A tire was burning on the great open hearth in the hall.

" Indeed, that has a welcoming look," said Diane, pointing to it. "Yes, my lady; and so intended, I think, for whether the house be full or empty, there is always a fire there in winter time. It is a 'custom of Lainswood.'.'

"A very delightful one." said Lady Sophia, crossing to the hearth. " You may tell your master, when he returns, that Lady Sophia Radcliffe, Mr. Whairkm, and Mademoiselle de Mornay came to look at Lainswood," said Diane.

"Av. the wars; and wounded ho was, mv laßy-nigh killed. What we said was, pet him back to Lainswood; hell sooii mend. Nothing like his own country and his own homo to set up his health, that a what we said; but it seems ho was so useful against the French, they couldn b spare him." „ ~_. "He is fond of his home," said Diane-,, " Then you know my master, my lady, said the old man, looking keenly at her.

" Yes." , "Well-nigh killed in the wars, ho was; and that would have been a bad day for us at Lainswood. This is the hall, my lady—very fine it is, I have heard it said bv those "who know all about such things. I came here as a boy Sir Anthony's grandfather's time, it was, and my father was in his service. Big Coppleston and Little Coppleston, tho master used to call us. That's my name, my lady. There's his picture, and hero I be—Big Coppleston, now, and the only one. That picture yonder is Sir Anthony's father, Sir James Seymour, a fine gentleman, but too openhanded, they say—though I think it must have been more outside the house than in it." , " I see no picture of Sir Anthony, said Diane. " No, my lady, no. Somehow a Seymour never seems to hang upon the walls of Lainswood until his body's in the churchyard. I don't know how i* is, except that no one wants to look at a picture so long as they can see the real man. You know Sir Anthony, so I needn't tell you he's a. fine gentleman—not many to equal him in London, I warrant." Wharton laughed at the old man's enthusiasm. He was standing a little apart with Lady Sophia, but was listening to the conversation. " I should be prepared to swear to that," said the old man, " though it isn't likely London folk understand a fine gentleman as we do in the country." "My good fellow, it is well known that most of us in town are foois."

"Indeed, sir; I didn't know it was as bad as that, but I can well believe it. I've been to town onceyears ago, it wasand it's true I saw more fools there in an hour than I've seen all my life in Hampshire." "Another palpable hit, Mr. Wharton," whispered Lady Sophia. " You must improve your wit if you are to be a match for a maid of honour or an old Hampshire retainer." " The country's beginning to be proud of the master, "so we hear," the old man went on, turning again to Diane. " And, of course, you all rejoice." " That is so, my lady." "And that window "

"Those are the arms of the family," said Coppleston. " They say the first, Seymour was one of the few of his time worthy to wear a white gauntlet, meaning that he was honourable to friend and foe. The motto means ' With clean hands.' They're an old family, and I won't go so far as to say they've all lived up to that, but I know of no ugly story behind them, and there are not many families who haven't something to hide.'' " Very few," said Diane. ■ She was looking up at the window at the head of the stairs, one hand resting on the banisters. Seymour had said she would understand if she could be in the hall of Lainswood; and, partly, she did. There was something wonderfully genuine in this old servant's enthusiasm for his master; there must be something in the master to warrant it. Even to-day there were few enough worthy of the white gauntlet. Was Sir Anthony? If he were, surely it were well to have him for a friend —a man who might be depended upon in the hour of need. Bat why these Tumours about him? Was he important enough to have such desperate enemies that they would lie and make a traitor of him in order to compass his ruin? If a chance offered, she would certainly question him.

" You speak of the men. What of the women of the familv?" she said, turning to the old man. "I am interested in the women."

" They were honest wives and mothers, my lady, and some of them ranked as beauties. I know naught against any of them."

'• Is that, all you can. say of them?" laughed Diane. "Why, my lady, in there anything better to say!"

"Was there no heroine amongst them? No matron who defended her home in the absence of her lord? maid who, for her lover's sake, ran into peril and saved him? Have you no such tale as that? 1 ' " I would I had, my lady, if it would please you; but no —there is nothing; of the kind. Mistress Letitia— that picture therecame near to her death in Bloody Mary's time, I liave heard; but why or how. Ido not know. The ladies of Liiinswood have been just ordinary pood women. Can one say better of them than that?"

" Perhaps not. Which is Sir Anthony's mother ?"

"It used to hang there. Very beautiful she was, my lady, and we loved her the first day Sir James brought her home. I hope to live to bow. to the new mistress Sir Anthony will bring one day to Lainswood." i

"Who is she?" Diane asked quickly. "That I cannot tell, nor could Sir Anthony himself," chuckled Coppleston. "But it's early days yet, and in London —well, maybe, he'll find her in Hampshire. It's a county where the maids grow wondrous pretty, my lady." " What has been done with the picture of Sir Anthony's mother ?" " When he became master he had it taken down and hung in his own room.". ' " Can I see it ?" "I fear, my lady, it—" "If you will permit, mademoiselle, I will show it to you myself." Diane turned quickly, with a little cry of astonishment and confusion.

"Sir Anthony ! I thought—" "I returned to England only a few days since, and have come home to rest a little. You may have heard that I was somewhat grievously hurt at Oudenarde, and since my recovery there has been much to do abroad."

Diane was annoyed that he should find her at Lainswood; it seemed to show an interest in him and his affairs which Rhe would not have him think she felt. She was more annoyed still that she should meet him under the eyes of Lady Sophia and Mr. Wharton, who were both fond of gossip, and could make a story out of the very slightest materials. ' Rather coldly, she made her friends known to him.

" We were riding in the neighbourhood, and—"

"And honoured Lainswood," said Seymour. " You are all most welcome. Kit!"

At the. summons Mr. Christopher Wavne came into the hall. He and his host had heard the visitors, and kept out of their way on purpose. "Mr. Wayne is good enough to keep me company," Seymour went on. " Doubtless you have read some of his verses, mademoiselle I tell him he might perl an epic here, but he is a lazy fellow, and seems to fancy his sole duty is to amuse me."

"We have certainly met in town. Mr. Wayne," said Wharton. "And I have been near to tears over some of your verses." said Lady Sophia. "Heaven grant it was not "over those which were meant to be humorous." laughed Wayne. "Will you come and see my mother's picture, mademoiselle ?" (To be continued daily.)