In Brief Authority

IN BRIEF AUTHORITY - 1915 - CONTENTS - CHAP. I. THE SKIRTS O F HAPPYC HANCE VI. CARES O F STATE . VII. A GAUE THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND . VIII. A STEED T HAT KNOWS HIS RIDER IX. THE P LEASUR OF E T S H E TABLE . XI. A WAY OUT . XII. UNWELCOAMNEN OUNCEXE . NTS XIII. WECAT THE PIGEON SA ID XIV. BAG AND BA GAGE. XV. RIVEN W ITH VAINE NDEAVO U R . XVII. THE REWAR O D F VALOUR . XVIII. A PREVIOUESN GAGEMEX . T XIX. SERVAN O T F S THE QUEEN . ix X IN BRIEF AUTHORITY CHAP. PAGE XX. AT TUE END OF EX TETHER . 344 XXI. Wrros L IGHTS A RE FLED, IJ IIOSE GAHLANDS DEAD . . 366 XSII. SQUARIN A G C COUNTS . . 392 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY CHAPTER I THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE ON a certain afternoon in March Mrs. Sidney Stimpson or rather Mis. Sidney Wibberley-Stimpson, as a recent legacy from a distant relative had provided her with an excuse for styling herself was sitting alone in her drawing-room at c Inglegarth, Gablehurst. Inglegarth was the name she had chosen for the house on coming to live there some years. before. What it exactly meant she could not have explained, but it sounded distinguished and out of the common, without being reprehensibly eccentric. Hence the choice. Some one, she was aware, had just entered the carriage-drive, and after having rung, was now standing under the white Queen Ame porch Mitchell, the rosy-cheeked and still half-trained parlour-maid, was audible in the act of answering the door. It being neither a First nor a Third Friday, Mrs. Stimpson was not, strictly speaking, at home except to very intimate friends, though she made a, point of being always presentable enough to see any afternoon caller. On this occasion she was engaged in no more absorbing occupation than the studyof one of the less expensive Society journals, and, having already read all that was of real interest in its columns, she was inclined to welcome a distraction. If you please, mm, said Illitchell, entering, theres a lady wishes to know if she could see you for a minute or two. Did you ask her to state her business, Illitchell . . . No Then you should have. Called for a subscription to something, I expect. Tell her I am particularly engaged. I suppose she didnt give any name Oh yes, mm. She give her name-lady h i e t Elmslie, it was. Then why on earth didnt you say so before, cried the justly exasperated Mrs...