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Mr Dean was old and wizen, but he was unmarried and rich, so Miss Norsham thought it might be worth her while to play Vivien to this clerical Merlin. His weak point, speedily discovered, was archæology, and she was soon listening to a dry description of his researches into Beorminster municipal chronicles. But it was desperately hard work to fix her attention.
But Cargrim quite underrated Mother Jael's power of making herself scarce, for when he entered the tent he found it tenanted only by Daisy Norsham, who was looking in some bewilderment at an empty chair. The cunning old gipsy had once more melted into thin air. 'Where is she? demanded Cargrim, regretting that his clerical garb prevented him from using appropriate language.
'Where is Miss Norsham? asked the chaplain, when they fell into more general conversation on their way to The Derby Winner. 'Husband-hunting. Dean Alder is showing her the tombs in the cathedral. Tombs, indeed! It's the altar she's interested in. 'My dear lady, the dean is too old to marry! 'He is not too old to be made a fool of, Mr Cargrim.
'His lordship saw nothing, I am sure, said Cargrim, hastily, for it was not his design to incriminate Dr Pendle; 'if he had, he would have mentioned it to me. And you know, Miss Norsham, there was quite a tempest on that night, so even if his lordship had passed near the scene of the murder, he could not have heard the shot of the assassin or the cry of the victim.
As the chaplain, with three of four young ladies, including Miss Norsham, was bearing down on the bishop, Miss Whichello recognised the justice of his speech, and not feeling equal to talk frivolity, she hastily retreated and ran into the house to fight down her emotion.
'Oh, really, dear Miss Winchello, chimed in Daisy Norsham. 'Why, I thought that your sweet niece looked the very picture of health. All those strong, tall women do; not like poor little me. 'You need dieting, retorted Miss Whichello, with a disparaging glance. 'Your face is pale and pasty; if it isn't powder, it's bad digestion. 'Miss Whichello! cried the outraged spinster.
Indeed, had anyone been so brave as to ignore the flight of time and thus suppress her, the righteousness of the act would most assuredly have remained unquestioned. Now, as Miss Norsham wanted, for her own purposes, to 'know the ropes, she was fortunate to come within the gloom of Mrs Pansey's silken robes.
I hope you will visit me again next year, and then you may be more fortunate. Mrs Pansey made this amiable little speech which nevertheless, like a scorpion, had a sting in its tail to Miss Norsham on the platform of the Beorminster railway station.
No wonder the end of all things is predicted. Miss Norsham paid little attention to the latter portion of this diatribe. As Sir Harry Brace was out of the matrimonial market it conveyed no information likely to be of use to her in the coming campaign. She wished to be informed as to the number and the names of eligible men, and forewarned with regard to possible rivals.
And what is the very latest news of poor, dear Mrs Pendle? 'I believe the Nauheim baths are doing her a great deal of good, Miss Norsham. If you will excuse
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