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CHAPTER XVI.

"LORD DYNMORE IS HERE.'

LORD DYNMORE had arrived a few minutes only before the rector found his carriage at the door. Naturally enough, when he trotted at the heels of the servant into Mrs. Hammond's drawing-room, his entrance, unexpected as it was, caused a flutter among those assembled there. Lords are still lords in the country. Mrs. Hammond's sensations on seeing him were wholly those of pleasure. She was pleased to see him. She was still more pleased that he had chosen to call at so opportune a moment, when his light would not be hidden, and James had on his best waistcoat. And so she rose to meet him with a beaming smile, and a cordiality only chastened by the knowledge that Mrs. Homfray and the archdeacon's wife were observing her with critical jealousy. "Why, Lord Dynmore,' she exclaimed, 'this is most kind of you!'

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'How d'ye do? how d'ye do?' said the peer as he advanced. He was a slight, short man, with bushy grey whiskers and grizzled hair which, being rather long, strayed over the fur collar of his overcoat. A noble aquiline nose and keen eyes helped to give him, despite his short stature, an air of dignity. How d'ye do? Why,' he continued, looking round, you are quite en fête here.' 'We have been at a bazaar, Lord Dynmore,' Laura answered. She was rather a favourite with him and could say things.' 'I think you ought to have been there too, to patronise it. We did not know that you were in the country, but we sent you a card.' 'Never heard a word of it!' his lordship replied positively. 'But you must have had the card,' persisted Laura.

'Never heard a word of it!' his lordship repeated. He had by this time shaken hands with everyone in the room. When the company was not too large he made a rule of doing this, thereby obviating the ill results of a bad memory, and earning considerable popularity. Archdeacon, you are looking very well,' he continued. 'I think I may say the same of you,' answered the clerical dignitary. You have had good sport?'

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Capital! capital!' replied the peer in his jerky way. But it won't last my time! In two years there will not be a head of buffalo in the States! By the way, I saw your nephew.' 'My nephew!' echoed the archdeacon.

'Yes.

Had him up to dinner in Kansas city. A good fellow -a very good fellow. He put me up to one or two things worth knowing.'

'But, Lord Dynmore, you must be thinking of some one else!' replied the archdeacon in a fretful tone. It could not be my nephew: I have not a nephew out there.'

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'No?' replied the earl. Then it must have been the dean's. Or perhaps it was old Canon Frampton's-I am not sure now. But he was a good fellow, an excellent fellow!' looked round and wagged his head knowingly.

And

And my lord

The archdeacon's niece, a young lady who had not seen the peer before, nor indeed any peers, and who consequently was busily making a study of him, looked surprised. Not so the others. They knew him and his ways. It was popularly believed that Lord Dynmore could keep two things, and two only, in his mind-the head of game he had killed in each and every year since he first carried a gun; and the amount of his annual income from the time of the property coming to him.

'There have been changes in the parish since you were here last,' said Mrs. Hammond, deftly intervening. She saw that the archdeacon looked a little put out. Poor Mr. Williams is gone.'

'Ah! to be sure! to be sure!' replied the earl. 'Poor old chap! He was a friend of my father's, and now you have a friend of mine in his place. From generation to generation, you know. I remember now,' he continued, tugging at his whiskers peevishly, 'that I meant to see Lindo before I called here. I must look him up by-and-by.'

'I hope he will save you the trouble,' Mrs. Hammond answered. I am expecting him every minute.'

'Capital! capital! He is a good fellow now, isn't he? A really good fellow! I am sure you ought to be much obliged to me for sending you such a cheery soul, Mrs. Hammond. And he is not so very old,' the earl added, looking round him waggishly. Not too old, you know, Miss Hammond. Young for his years, at any rate.'

Laura laughed and coloured a little-what would offend in a commoner, is in a peer pure drollery. And, as it happened, at this moment the rector came in. The news of the earl's presence had kindled a spark of elation in his eye. He had not waited for the servant to announce him; and as he stood a second at the door closing it, he confronted the company, which he knew included his patron, with an air of modest dignity which more than one

remarked. His glance rested momentarily upon the figure of the earl, who was the only stranger in the room, and whom consequently he had no difficulty in identifying; and he seemed to hesitate whether he should address him. On second thoughts, however, he decided not to do so, and advanced to Mrs. Hammond. 'I am afraid I scarcely deserve any tea,' he said pleasantly, 'I am so late.'

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Laura, who had risen, touched his arm. 'Lord Dynmore is here,' she said in a low voice, which was nevertheless distinctly heard by all. 'I do not think you have seen him.'

He took it as an informal introduction, and turned to Lord Dynmore, who was leaning against the fireplace, toying with his teacup and talking to Mrs. Homfray. The young clergyman advanced a step and held out his hand, a slight flush on his cheek. 'There is no one whom I ought to be better pleased to see than yourself, Lord Dynmore,' he said with feeling. I have been looking forward for some time to this meeting.'

'Ah, to be sure,' the peer replied, holding out his hand readily, though he looked surprised, and was secretly completely mystified by the other's earnestness. I am pleased to meet you, I am sure. Greatly pleased.'

The listeners, who had heard what he had just said about his old friend the rector, stared. Only the person to whom the words were addressed saw nothing odd in them. You have not long returned to England, I think?' he observed.

'No; came back last Saturday night. And how is the rector? Where is he? Why does he not show up? I understood Mrs. Hammond to say he was coming.'

The archdeacon, Mrs. Hammond, all in the room were dumb with astonishment. Even Lindo was surprised, thinking it very dull in the earl not to guess at once that he was the new incumbent. No one answered, and the peer, glancing sharply round, discerned that something was wrong-that, in fact, everyone was at a loss. Eh! Oh, I see,' he resumed in a different tone. one of his curates? I made a mistake, I suppose. one of his curates, do you see? Beg your pardon, I am sure.

That was all. Beg
But where is he?'

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You are not Took you for

your pardon.

This is the rector, Lord Dynmore,' the archdeacon said in an uncertain, puzzled way.

'No, no, no, no,' replied the great man fretfully. 'I mean the old rector-my old friend.'

'He has forgotten that poor Mr. Williams is dead,' Laura murmured to her mother, amid a general pause of astonishment.

He overheard her. Nothing of the kind, young lady!' he answered irritably. Nothing of the kind. Bless my soul! do you think I do not know whom I present to my own livings? My memory is not so bad as that! I thought this gentleman was Lindo's curate, that was all. That was all.'

They stared at one another in awkward silence. The rector was the first to speak. 'I am afraid we are somehow at cross purposes still, Lord Dynmore,' he stammered, his manner stiff and constrained. 'I am not my own curate because, if I may say so, I am myself-Reginald Lindo, whom you were kind enough to present to this living.'

'To Claversham, do you mean?'

'Yes.'

'And do you say you are Reginald Lindo?' The peer straightened himself and grew very red in the face as he put the question. 'Yes, certainly I am.'

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'Then, sir, I say that certainly you are not!' was the startling answer. Certainly you are not! You are no more Reginald Lindo than I am!' the peer repeated, striking his hand upon the table by his side, and seeming to swell with rage. What do you mean by saying that you are, eh? What do by it?'

'Lord Dynmore

you mean

But Lord Dynmore would not listen. 'Who are you, sir? Answer me that question first!' he cried. He was a choleric man, and he saw by this time that there was something seriously amiss; so that the shocked, astonished faces round him tended rather to increase than lessen his wrath. 'Answer me that!'

'I think, Lord Dynmore, that you must be mad,' the rector replied, his lips quivering. I am as certainly Reginald Lindo as you are Lord Dynmore!'

'But what are you doing here?' the other retorted, raising his hand, and storming down the interruption which the archdeacon would have effected. That is what I want to know. Who made you rector of Claversham?'

The bishop, my lord,' answered the young man sternly. 'Ay, but on whose presentation?'

'On yours.'

'On mine?'

'Most assuredly,' replied the clergyman doggedly-' as the archdeacon here, who inducted me, can bear witness.'

'It is false!' Lord Dynmore almost screamed. He turned to the panic-stricken listeners, who had instinctively grouped themselves round the two, and appealed to them. I presented a man nearly thrice his age, do you hear!—a man of sixty. Do you understand that? As for this-this Reginald Lindo, I never heard of him in my life! Never! If he had letters of presentation, I did not give them to him. That is all I can say!'

The young clergyman's eyes flashed, and his face grew hard as a stone. He guessed already the misfortune which had happened to him, and his heart was sore, as well as full of wrath. But in his pride he betrayed only the anger. Lord Dynmore,' he said fiercely, 'you will have to answer for these insinuations. If there has been any error, the fault has not lain with me!'

me

'Any error! Any error! An error, you call it, do you? Let

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'Oh, Lord Dynmore!' Mrs. Hammond gasped.

'One moment, Lord Dynmore, if you please.' This came from the archdeacon; and, though the other would have repulsed him, he persisted, placing himself between the two men, and almost laying his hands on the excited peer. If there has been a mistake,' he urged, 'a few words will make it clear. I fully believe-nay, I feel sure that my friend here is not in fault, whoever is.'

'Ask your questions,' grunted my lord, breathing hard, and eyeing the young clergyman as a terrier eyes the taller dog it means to attack. 'He will not answer them, trust me!'

'I think he will,' replied the archdeacon with decision. His esprit de corps was rising. The earl's rude insistence disgusted him. He noticed, his eyes wandering for a moment while he considered how he should frame his question, that another person, Mr. Clode, had silently entered the room, and was listening with a darkly thoughtful face. It occurred then to the archdeacon to suggest that the ladies should withdraw ; but then again it seemed fair that, as they had heard the charges, they should hear what answer the rector had to make; and he proceeded. 'First, Lord Dynmore,' he said gravely, 'I must ask you whom you intended to present.'

'My old friend, Reginald Lindo, of course.'

'His address, if you please,' the archdeacon continued rather curtly.

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