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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour être reproduit en un seul cliché, il est filmé à partir de l'angle supérieur gauche, de gauche à droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nécessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la méthode. . ',■ ■!*■ » _.^. % 1 \ i ■» 3 i } 1 D 32 X N^ SM* p*. ,1- il P0PT7LAR NOTELS. By ICay Agnes Flenûng. l.-GlTY BABLSOOXTBT'S WIF& S.^-A WONDSRFUL WOMAN. 8.— À TEBBIBLB BBOEET. 4.— NOÎtlNITS BEVENOB. ^— A lOD MABBIAGB. ' 6.— ONB NIOETS inrSTEBT. 7.— KATB DANTON. 8.— SILBNT AND TEUR (New.) m .1 , '« * Xn. Flamlnc*! itoriM «n grawlnir mon and inai» popk lar «*«t7 daj. Tbeir ddinaraona ol oh ndy T«ô^ KcnM, moA dtqpqr t twwillng plôta, oombliM to ' tiMir rattiar fat tlie vHy flnttankoC XMUra Hof » TuubgortiteShrair* X HBW TOBKt I g. nr. Carieton 6? Co., PttèSiJ^,, LOMDON: S. LOW, SON ft 00.. MOOOCLXXVni. 1^'. ■■^ * f : - V il i '4- .•■*." i'^^W 1 PART II. -:ot- - I.— In tlie Royal Academr. Il— Terry ^ 79 III.— Madame Feui.... ' * ** IV.-Iady Dynd/s Thundiiy.*.*.*.".*.*.*.*'** '°** V.— LowTookUptliëGlaasofTii^ î°ï VI.— MTheLonioftbeLand'» ' Vll.-f Week'sReprie»*.... '" • '^ VIIL-'^WhafaShe?" '^ DC-Tening Tetry. . .... \ ' ' ''"'''• ""'^' A[ ~7X.— TBffil^ ït Oui •-^^-^-^ .nr„^.^^«*- XI.— At tbe paie 1" ''* ^^ • î'v' i8i ^|l^A.^■^^ ",iv \. .^•..., .> «^ g ^ CONTE J^TS. 'v ' PAG* CRArm XII.—" They Shall Take Who Hâve the Power " 190 XIIL— lightly Won, Lightly Lôst 200 XIV.—" Once More the Gâte Behind Me Falls " «M 2[v — " Stay " i • *^ XVL— "Gordon CaryU "...,. «30 XVII.— Through the Sunset. .1 r.'.J. «37 XVIII.— Killing the Fatted Calf ^....d..* 246 XIX.— How the Old Year Ended .J.*! ....... 203 .LSX-' PART III. mr%m '. « I.— How the New Year B^an *73 II.—" La Belle Dame Sans Merci" *9* m.— In the Streets...'. • • 307 . IV.— Donny 3»7 V.— What Love" s Yoong Dream Sometimes Cornes to 325 VI.— At theVarieties 335 ,VII.*-"AfterManyDays".. 34» VIII.— AMoming CaU 357 IX.—" The Parting that They Had" - 3o7 X.— "IfanyCalm, aCahn Despaîr " 375 XI.— M. LePrince 3^5 XII.— At the Bal d'Opéra.. '• 393 XIIL— After the BalL • 4^ XIV.— Ches Madame 4» XV.— "How the NightFètt "..... 4»» XVL—" Loyal aa Mort " 4^ XVIL— How the Momirg Broke 43» XVIIL— WhileitaM VctDay.«..w....... • 4 4» XIX.— "PostTcnebne, Lax" ..T.,. «45^ ' «"iC g'- <»^.W « t*www'W Tj!a-Ta^ ^W F ^ '' w^ '' wwMwiM**wf*u i i iwp pi^ 'r;»r 'r •*»■" /-' A MAD MARRIAGE. A » 1: CHAPTER I. Québec ; vou Z»^ ,l?™ î c"'î^' I^^Mliified town o( mile on, TOtt came nnonf^!™ ? ?P«n. couatry, and, a clear. " »«. But «lUl wAj, it wouidn'l let wû not so yo" inigh t hâ ve n«.H>' lg'" TT"?^ '" ■g-c u h aial tuni, w^^arewoodT.^''^ 2^^^^%^ m •t*--.. •• ■f ~ . '■•' » . '•' W^ , ■■•■■^'.r^:>F'-^ i - ; ■ ■ lO yOAJ^ KENNEDY' s STORY. ventùrous sportsman took up his abode at Saltmarsh. Il wasn't even haunted ; it looked rather like that sort of tliing, but nobody ever went exactly so far as to affirm that it was. No ghastly corpse-lights ever glimmered from those duU upper Windows, no piercingshrieks ever rent the midnight «lenoe, no spectre lady, whitp and tall,.ever flitted through the desolate roonis of Saltmarsh. No luurder had ever been done there ; no legend of any kind was connected with the place, its history was prosy and commonplace to a de- gtee. Yet still, year in, year out, the inscription remained up over the dingy wooden gateway, this house to be let ; and no tenant ever came. " Tom Griinshaw must hâve been mad when he built the beastly old barn," the présent proprietor would growï ; " what with taxes, and repairs, and insurance, there it stands, eating its own head oflF, and there it may stand, for what I see, to the crack of doom. One would think the very trees that surround it say, in their warning dreariness, as the seu' tinels of Helheim used in Northern mythology : ^* * Who passes hère is damned.' " ' • If this strong language rouses your curiosity, and you asked the proprietor the history of the house, yoû got it terse and liicid, thus : * "Old Tom Grimshaw built it, sir. Old Tom Grimshaw was my matemak uncle, rest his soûl ; it is to be hopêd he has more sensé in the other world than he ever had in this. H,e was a misofl^rnist, sir, of the rabidest sort, hating a petti- çoat as you and I hâte the devil. Don't know what infernal mischief the wotàen'had ever done him — plenty, no^oubt ; it is what they were created for. The fact remains-^lhe sight of one had mucJi the same çffect upon him as a red scarf on a roàd buU. lie bought this marshy spot for a song, built that disgustingly ugly house^ barricaded Himself with that timber wall, and lived and died there, like Diogenes, or Robinson Cruspe, or any other cAà bloke you like. As heir- at-law, the old; rattle-trap fell to me, and a precious legacy It has beén, I çàn tell you. It wofii rent, and it has to be kept in rep^if, and I wish to Heaven old Tom Grimshaw h f » (1 t ffj f«^h jt .wi t hJhi lii » ,yh )er^vcr-hc j g li L~=. =l__,___,^ l_li,„ A 'j'^'AVî '»'" î'.-r. .' -.^k^' ^..srXM^'^ *• ; ^ V 1 *■ -r*^. y04N ,KBNNEDY^S STOJtV. w That was tjie history of Saltmarsh p«, -• u* leas to be let, and hadn't léTwfT'* .*^°'; «'«^t y«art it bcgan and ended ^ ^""^ *** " where Ae mattei Gray, lonely, weather-beaten, so I had Éf>r>n m,- r i house any time thèse twenty ye^- so tW.ïu? -^ /°*^^'? • I am to Write I saw it a^ain »!h? »i. ^ evenmg of which désolation hVoSZ ove^K^M "^ "y«**^"?"» sHadow o| chTldhood it KhaHs JicLrion fi^"' ^'^«^f^^e. From Bluebeard's castle mv drSS m„ S r ""uT^^." ''^^ "^«^ "'k this fascinati^ horS^ t^^Z t^'' .^ ^ f^^ °»' a«ain. I ,tood still and loSàt it It tSf^f/' '''^^. "^" one be the ^sftr wTaïl Ltl'i^îl^-^^^^ ''?"«' »"d no ' home again, I winder ? " ^ "^° ^^^'^ ^'^^^ «^ Saltmarsh '*This house is to let ?" ,, / "-lbegyoifr^«fdon;I hâve startled y.t%'% ^.% 4<**'*-^^' Vir- , ..-,- ^,, y.,-.-.;j^t, ■"■^y-.-i;^ «. ■rtj-;. 12 yOAN KENNEDY' S SrhRY, I hâve been hère foc some titne loioking at this hoiise. I see itis to let." I stepped back and looked àt her,^too much surprïsed for a moment to speak. To. meet a siranger at Saltmdrsh, in the twilight of a bitter February iday, was a marvel indeed. f .1 stood and looked at her ; and I thought tben, as I tyiùk now, as I vi^ill think to the last day of my life, that I saw one ofthe moalj beautiful faces on which the sun ever shorie, j _M I hâve sàid she was a Woman — a*girl would hâve been the • mter word^ whatever her âge might hâve been, she did nqt look a daj» over sevpnteen. She was not tall, and she was very slender j that mzy hkve given her that peculiatly childish look' — I am a tall young woman, and she would. not hâve ' reached ray shouldeV. A dress of black silk trailed the ground, a ^ort jacket of iinest ^al wrapped her, a muff of seal held her hands. A hood of black, velvet was on her héad, and out of this rrçh hood her richer beauty shone upon me, a new révélation of how lovely it is possible for a wonian to be. Yearà hâve corne and gone since that evening, but the wpnderful face that looked at me that February twrlight, for the first time, is before me at this moment, as vividly as , 'then. Two grcat, tawny eyes, with a certain wildness in their light, a skin.of pearl, a red rnouth like a çhild's, a lon^ forehead, a stfaight nose, a cleft çhin, the gleam of small, white teeth, rise before me like a vision, and I understand how hien, from the days of Sarason the Strong, hâve lain^ ^owh life and horior, and their soul's salvation, for jûst such won^en as. this. ^urely a strange visitant tQ the house that wouldn't let, and in the last HoUr of the day. AU this in a moment of time, while we stand and face (»ch other. Then the soft voice Speaks again, with a touch of impatient annoyance in its tone: " I beg you'r pardon. You heard me ? This hovse is to /let?'\ .. I point t<> the sign^ to the legend and inscriptiori- affixed to the gâte, and read ifstoically aloud : <*This house to be let." * " Evidently my ladv is nqt used tb l>eing kept waitiylîg^" I -riiink, ** wfaorôei- she 18." — ^— — — — ^ — — ^^^ ^ / 7t>^iV kENNBDY^S STORY. 13 " Yes, yes, f see that," she says, still impatieotly ; " there * M no one liviDg-in ft al piS^ t^l^XH ti^^l^ii^^ , 'U '% > i-»Mv> 14 yOAA KENNEDY" s S TORY. :i( strangely |s(6mbre intensity on , tjie blank wooden wall, hei ^ profile gleaming cold and white in the steely twilight I ïcnow littk^ of passion or despair, but surely it was niost pas- siônate despair I réad in those iixed, sightfess eyes. I turned and left Her. L,was interested of course, but it would not do, to stand niooning hère and let nigbt overtake me. Once, as I hurried along the deserted road, I looked back. The small lonely figure Still stood as I had left it, / motionless, a black speck ag»inst the chili darkness of the ' ^intrv sky. \ " &)inething wrong there," I thought '; " I wonder who she is and what bas bfdught her hère. None of the officers' wives or daughters^ — I bave seen ail of them at the major's. One thing is certain, Mr. Barteaux will never rent Saltmarsh "to a slip of a girl Hke that." - And then the inysterious young lady and ail connected with her slipped froni my niind, for the red light from niy mother's cottage streamed far afield, and thé ill tidings I was bringing home filled my whole thoughts. In this strangé record which it becomes my duty to write, a few words of myself must be said, and mày as well be said hère and done with. I was Joan Kennedy then, and am Joan Kennedy still. . 1 was sevén-and-twenty years of âge, and the sole support of a feeble old mother and a sister of twelye. My mother who had been agoverness inheryouth, and in her native city of (Glasgow, had educated me consid- erably above the station I filled, giving me a very thorough English éducation, and teaching me to speak French with a fine Scottish accent. At my father's death, ten years before, I went Qut to service, and in service I had remained ever * since. This night, as I hastened homeward through the snowy darkness, my errand was to tell my mother and sister that I had lost ray place, and had no présent prospect of being able to ^et another. That isjoan Kennedy's wholç . pàst and paesent lifetory, so far e&you need know it. ' . The dafkniess was ail white with whirling snow as I opene^J Wie cottage dbOF and entered. AU was bright, and cosy hère *A large red fire bviri)ed on the h earth, the'tca tab le wa« read; a iJwle TOUD-noied^lê^tw^êcT ifs îàcéâse^àlôf^ '^ 1 -t^é^' . 4 yOAN KiNNEDY^S STORY. and aloft, my mother sat knitting in the ingle nook, and mv pretty sister Jess.e sang, as she stitched away, TCt^l ^ At sight of the.r snow-powdered visiter both^dropped theS work m amaze. "ff^" «."cir dr;%a;P"'^^ ""^ ti.„eof nfghtW a& T/y'^ «Who is likely to be withme, little Jess? Yes, I am alone ; and you are likely to hâve more of my delêctabS Mother dear, I hâve lost ôiy place." "Joan!" /F v-c. "I am not to blarae, mother, believé that Only (it is not a pleasant thing to tell) Mrs. Englehart has tàken itSnto Aat supremely foohsh head of hers to be jealous of me^f poor plam Joan Kennedy! The major a kind old sJ. has spoken a fnendly word or two in passing and-behold Ae resuit! Don't let us talk about it. 1^1 start out °o morrow mornmg and search ail Québec, and get a situation Ukracup'ofîel"^"^™''^- And now. Mistrfss Jessie,'rlî «hnniîl'tf'^ ^^^ ""^ '^f '^^ *"^ ''^""e*' îaughing for fear I should break down and cry, and took my sett. As I did so there came a loud knock at the door. So loud thS Jessienearlydroppedthesnub-nosedteapot. ' Good gracions, Joan I who is this ? " p« r'r ^? ^° *?^ '^°°'" ^"^ °P^"ed it— then fell back aghast ^^lufti. !i"^ candlelight streamed fuU across the & of the lady I had seen at the House to Let "May I comein?" .^Xî^'î "? '^^ ^°' permission. She walked in past me r.ff «f ^ "* ''^^ the fast-falhng snow. She drew her hands to the blaze two small white hands, ail twinkling îith rings à a ,.^„ 1 •■ . ^ o~""'6 "•■ •■•"o uo^Anug apparirton. m»J^f 'f^'^ anf moùth agape, and my^n hear^ muât confess, fluttered ncrvously as I looked! Who wai fcéii,*;.< ,;,fj f:.:4'My''''.:i i6 yO^iV KENNEDY* s STORY. ik r .,^ she, and what did she want ? For fuUy a minute she stood staring at the fire, then feeling that sonie one jnust say some- thing, I took hèart of grâce, and said iu "You hâve béen caught in the snow-storm," I ventured, drawing near. ."I was afraid you would. Will you please .tositdown?" She took no notice of the profifered politèness. The tawny eyes turned from the fire to my face. "Will you tell me your name ? " was the strange young lady's abnipt question. " Joan Kennedy." " You'"1iré a single woman ? " "I am, madame. " You live hère— in this bouse, with- stare at mother and Jessie. M a pause and a As a rule " Joan "With 'With my mother and sister — ^yes, at présent. Llive àt service in Québec." " In service ? " Another pause and a stare at me. f Kennedy, would you live with mgf" [ This was a leading question ^th a vengeance. ! you, madame ?" I gasped. " With me. I want a maid, a companion, what you will. Wages are no objeçt— to a trustworthy person. I will give anything she asks. I am ail alone — ail alone — " her lips trembled, her voice died away ; " ail alone in the world. I hâve had great trouble and I want some quiet place to live . —some quiet person to live with me, for awhile. I am go mg to tal# that house to let. I was overtaken by the storm, jusf now, and followed you hère, instead of going back to the hôtel. I like your face — ^you look as thôugh you may hâve had trouble yourself, and so could feel for others. I wish jrou would come and live wità me. I hâve told you I am m dreadful trouble—" she paused, a sort of anguish coming over her face : " I hâve lost my husban'd," she" said with a preat gasp, and covering her face with both hands broke out into such a dreadful crying as I never heard or saw before. " Oh, poor dear I " said my mother. For me, I stood stjU and looked at her. J\^t could J Miy— w hat 'could I dol JJfêàf soBs sbook fer from bead to (ooA À widow 1 1 glanced *•': -A» 'jîl '^'-:i^^ààmjL::.'j .gH^BWW^^WyypHjffy^ • 70^^ KENNEDY' s STÙRY. at her left hand. Yes, there among the diamonds gleamed thaï pla.n band of gold that has brouiht infinité blifs Tmi^ery nl^ï. Al "'T'i'-V^.^'^S ""«• It lasted not twJ looked up: "'"'^^ '^" '^"'^"^ ^'^^y '^^^^ *^*^« ^"d J'i^^r™^ H^''- ^°!:^°°'" ^^« ^'^> "as I tell you, I ^Hâ^r-'^ *'^™^ '° Q"^^"*= yesterday, I saw that house advert sed, and so came to see it. • It suits me, and I wiU ake 1 for the next six months at least. Some one must hve wuh me there I likayour looks. WiU you corne"» Would I corne? would I live in the House tici Let? I stood gaspmg-the proposai was like a cold douche-it took my breath away. emphatically this; «and in advance. It is a lonely phcé ^ it smts me the better for that, and you don't look Hke a young woman afraid of bogies. If you wo^t come," haughtily «of course I shall find some one else." ' You .;;:i w "°* ^^^"«5^»" I gasped ; " -i^s ail so suddcn. You must let me thmk it over. I will tell you to-morrow." lît^fh ?T^ changed-she lifted a face tb mine that was !:tped^^^'' ^^'^ "^ ^^'' of a chUd-she held up tw^ " ^^ corne," she said piteously ; « I will pay you anything I^Z^^^'^IJ °°^ ^*"* ^"^ "^^ q"î^*^°r awhile, and awaf from everybody. I am ail alone in the world. 1 hâve S luy husband— lost him— lost him— " " The lady is going to faint 1 " screamed Tessie. . her or the "dreadful trouble" of which she spoke had -w'^"/" ^T' f>" «^r^ «nsteadUy to and fro,tî2 words jiyipg on her lips, and I caught her is she fell. . bo it waS that the first tenant of the House to Let came Sat Zr ' ^"'^ ^'^ "^ '"■"' '^ ^«« ^' nt^y fr^ ■>>/ 1 - •* CHAPTER II. / A WOMAN WTTH A SECRET. 1RS. GORDON did notleave our cottage that right ■ —did not leave it for two wliole weeks, and then the housQthat wôuldn't let was let at last,and Sait- tnarsh had a tenant. ' It would be of little use at this late day to détail ail the arguments she used to win me (çi^ber attendant and com- pamon— the most irrésistible argiÉteent of ail was wages, treble, fourfold what I had ever earned before, and paid in advance. Of her and her story I had very serious doubts, but beggars must not be choosers. I took her money and became her paid companion. For hours that night, after mother and Jessie were in bed, I sat beside Mrs. Gordon, listening to the story she told of herself.,^ Brief; vague, and unsatisfactory to a degree, that story was. She had been an orphan from childhood. She was not wealthy, but she had sufficient ; great trouble had suddenly corne upon her, and she had lost her husband after four months of wedded life. That was ail. " Lost your husband ! " I repeated, curiously, looking at her. " Do you mean that your husband is dead ? " ■ A simple and natural question, surely; but her face, pale before, tumed of a dead wHiteness from brow to chin. " Dead of course," she answered, huskily ; " for pity's sake, dbn't ask me questions. It is only a week ago, and I cannot bear it. Only a week, and it seems like a century. And to thmk— to think ôf ail the long, lonely, empty years that are to corne I Never to hear his voice, never to see hifl • /ace more I " A nd then she broke down agato aod wept oh. hou wepi ! My heart was fiiU of compassion, and yet—onîy . \4 / * ; ,4*' A IVOMAN WITH A SECRMT^, ,q Suee?storvon.h f '^«^l^J "ch, young and beautiful. A ^ Su • ^ °° ''^^ ^^^^ ®f ^'— a very queer storv indeed had been a plam young person, I believe ten p3s a week wouidnot hâve tempted me to take up with her andiurv f^^Jr "^S^^f ^f^ B"t her wonderful Sy fdr? tS ^:dT4r '" ^°'^'^ '^^^ "^"^ "^^' -- ^--t -y 1^" " And if that face can make a fool of you, Toan mv dear »' I said to myself, as I went to bed, "what awfil Lvo^if mustrnakeamongmankindl no^y~i:Zit^^r Mr. Gordon to d.e and leave it, anà how desperateîy fond she must hâve been of him, to be sure !" l^™^y »o°<» r*.o^„»"K^'" îf' ""^ stay hère until the house yonder is ready," she said next morning, with the air of one nSt Sed to being refused. « I dislike hotels-people stare so T^ It was curions to see her with her lovelv face her f^^a^r.* dress. her diamond rings, and her S flowing hS^S Strange y out of place in our small, bare, iiome v hon^e' T hardly know whether she should haVe stlVed or not but'oJ K'' totVl \^^' ^°'/ consent'ed't?a7;h'e%r posed. To take the house for her, to see it furnished to of s^h? '^^"^^'^' ^"^''^ ''''' ^^««^ '^^P' absoEroS ^nî^Jk^^'ti— ^'f ^«f" ** ^^'«^•^ I '^ent to Mr. Barteaux. and abruptly informed him I Ma.tenant for the House to re^^^n^J^r*'-^ '^'^' "* ^"- Gordon. Any ^vïwith hen" "" ""^S^ m, and I am engaged tl « Hess my soûl!» said Mr. Barteaux. "You don't sav SilyfjTjî.'^' '^'' ^ '^^^^ Jady, eh? How «;:.VS SA Mi m.,«>fl ar8%,^ baif;.*:SrTS.^'i^2d i^it^j*.4^'^ ■ «5b*a^^àj A WOl^AN' WITH A SECRET. No family, sir. Quite a young widow. You must close \ the bargain with me, Mr. Bar-teaux ; her loss is récent, she ■ . is- in trouble, and doesn't feel like transacting business her- ^elf. There are no références; instead, she will pay in àd-, vance if you choose." . ' We closed the bargain there and then ; and that very day Saltraarsh was thrown open to the sunshine and free winds of Heaven. What an odd, awesome feeling it gave me to go with my mysterious liew mistress through the gruesome apartments, silent and forsaken so long. Four, out of the ten rooms the house contained, were chosen to be fumished and fitted up, papered, painted, whitewashed, carpeted, cur- tained. AU fell to me, 9.nd ail was done in two brief weeks, and lyell done, though I say it, and Mrs. Gordon and Joan Kennedy, it was known to ail Québec, were domesticatcd at Saltniarsh. I wonder novi^ as I sit hère and look back at that strange time, that even poverty could hâve tempted me to endure the Iffe I led ail those dreary months. The listless, lonely days spent in reading or rambling through the empty, écho- , ing rooms, the long awesome nights when the winds held high carnival without and the rats high , jinks within. No bne ever came to the house, except s^ stout Frenchwoman, who did our washing and gênerai drudgery, coming every morning and going every night. For me, my position was a sinécure, nothing to do, and treble wages for doing it, but the hardest work i^or ail, that I ever did in my life. And my mistress 1 Well, the days, and the wéeks, and the months went by, and she was as great a mystery as ever. Wheré she had come from, how long she meant to remain, whither she intended going, were ail sealed secrets to me. She never wrote letters, she never received any. SJie could Dot hâve been much môre dead to ail the world outside our wooden walls if she had been in her shroud and coffin. She spent the heavy, aimless days sitting mostly at her chamber window — a dark-draped, slender figure, a dreary, lovely face, two great, hopeless eyes, a total wreck of life. 'Story of her life, whatever it hod been, no common , be sure, was ended fof the time ; the pla/was over, thelig^ts ■ST- i ' *V_.W'. ■» j'-'j ^ m.:,i.xf' -< IVOMAN iVITH A SECRET. ' j, out, and notliing left but to sit and look at the^curtain. t7TZ?°''^^''^ ^"^^-T^^ °^^^« ^'^°"g so^t, of the silent, SS iSèî ''°'"*" "^ something on her mind. a wornan Two things I discovered— only two. Onfe, that her hus- ^°. Z Ta ^''^^^^* 1"^"^*^^' ^'^^^ «^^ had run awa^ froa him and was hiding hère, m horrible dread of his evei finding her out. Secondly, that in spite of this running awav and this constant terror, she stiU lovèd hira, with a pisfon. ate and most despairing love. t>«»>jwu I had gone into^her room one night, anS found her sittinir holding a picture before her, and gazing on it as if entraBeef It was her principal occupation. I had often foundTer S before, but the picture itself I had never seen. To-night however, she talled me to her in her abrupt wav - "Joan," she said, "corne hère." She had been crying, I could see-silently and miseraWy. I went and looked over her shoulder at the picture. Photography was in its infancy in those days— every £amily had not its picture gallery. This was a daguerréotype— the ^ portrait of a young, dashing-looking and rather handsome man. A beardless and boyish face, yet a very manly one, lookmg up at you wuh frankly smiling eyes. ? " It 13 ail I hâve left," she s^id, with treniulous lips. « I mil never^ee him again. I loved him and I hâve spoUed h s whole hfe. It would hâve been better for him he had died than ever looked in my face." " Indeed," was my rather stupid answer. But I was used to her extravagant talk;^ not mudh affected by it. « He is a fnend of yours, madame ?" a ifcîîff lî°!f ^ ï ^u ' P^''*"'*' *°^ ^^^"^ ^^^ ^^ the'-e WOMAN WITH A SECRET. SA, •A- there are times wrtien I would lay down my very life only tQ look upon him once more." " You love him and — he has left you ?" I ventufed. "I love him — and I left him. I love. him with ail my heart, and I hâve fled from him, and buried myself hère for fear of him. I wonder I don'ttgo mad, or die. Once I thought I would without him ; but somehow life drags ou and on, and one is a coward, and afraid to end it one's selC He loved me once, Joan — ah, dear Heaven, yes 1 he loved me and made me his wife ; and dow, and now, Joani if ever he finds me, I bplieve he will take my life." I looked bacK at; the frank, fair, boyish face. "He take your lifel" I said; "that bright-faced boyl No, Mrs. Gordon, murderers don't look like that." " He is the truest, the noblest, the bravest of men, a loyal friend and a gallant gentleman." * " And yet his wife runs away from him, and says if ever they meet he will take her life." \ ^ She scarcely seemed to heed^me. SHe laid her head on her folded arms as thougl> she never cared to lift it again. " Ah 1 let me alone," she said. " You know npthing about it. If I could but die and make an end of it ail 1 Only this, Joan," she looked up suddenly, swift, dark terror in her eyes ; " I dreamed last night he was searching for me — that he was hère. He came and stood before me, st^9>:y» and terrible, holding my death-warrant in his hand 1 Dbn't let hdm come ! don't let any one come ! If ever we çieet, I believe in my soûl he will kill me." Was Mrs. Gordon going mad ? that was the very serious question uppermost in my thoughts when I went to bed that night, and for many nights after. It was a very qaeer and uncomfortable affair altogether, and the sooner î sot out of it the better ; and just as I was l^eginning to tnink of tenderinç my résignation, behold the dimax ail at once came of itself. ' March, April and May had passed — it was the close of June. I had gone into the city ope afternoon for car weekly store of groceries, finished my purchases, and, baskçt on arm, =ïrâs"^feg; home. Myiray tedBp^Strl^ \ 1*^: ,^-^i-i -*- l^^^&^âyiï^ .fà^lir V., 7:-»?TOr»---j!jwf»ar»-)7f*Wrrw^**fî ^-' 'm t;t,*«i'* ,-^>- fVOJIfAJSr WITH A èsCRET. passing the office of Mr. Bartean» t »- i.- . that stranger, and with one «eaT hn«n P'" "^ '°°^ «« mouth. #or it was the oXEf ?J."^ ^^""^ ^^ ^ «"X Gordon's husband. « ThXur and fhf "''"'■^" '^^^ ^^ Neither saw me I rll^A l *! "^'^ '^^'"^ corne I " Thesame. beyonîdoubr hesamTS ^"A^^^^*^^ ^'^' and haggard, set aad stern fhl ' '^'^ * difference~5om of a frafk, hkppy boy S's'^a re'^S ^"^ '^ ''5«^'^<^ ^^^ straw hat was pulled Ô^Th^ ev^T . '' ^««P^^^e nran. A was buttoned ut>4 soSieraK ge£rT.°^^^*=^^' dent at a élance. genueman, that was evi- had fled, was hère " wauïd ^f^""?"^ '^'» "!">"• «he half an hour was ai Saltoa«h ^ "'™'" "^^-i' "d » «■df:.aSfwtr„:i'l'â'a?;v;u^*-^^^^^ co»t rsrwlâthS'at toesTiad^f ""^t" J°« "«^ «.os. „„f„r,„„,.e„, wL oT^fte S ."■>,r '^^ well where to find h*.r «« ♦!. • ."'"es. i knew prettv <:on«ng rapidiy toward me at a swLlng pace '^ °''*'"'^*'' hJïtre.^'»-^--^ed.sopir^^^^^^^^ shicte^^hTi^^^^^ late. I turned and fled heaSonï 7^ ^"u ^'"^^ ^*'0"« of Path, stiUcalIinghern^e fch^^ *^« stêfep hiUside fast-flowing water, M^s. Gordor wau!ed. ^ ^ "« ** ^""^ ^ "^ \" ■»." mf^m»im*' fC» '*> f^- * ■u^v-' '^À ^ 24 ^ IVOMAN WITH A SECRET, She paused in her slow walk, and turàed to me in wondet at my break-neck aescent ■ How beautifal she was 1 even in that suprême moment, I remember that was my first thought "For pit/s sake, flyl" I cried out; "fly at once. Hé ishere!" She laid both her hands suddenly over her heart. Across her face there flashed the electric light of à great and sud- den joy. *♦ Who ? " she said, almost in a whisper. " Your husband, the man whose picture yoiàshowed me. Fly at once if you are afraid of him. I saw\ him, I tell you he is coniing. Oh, Heaven ! — he is hère l " I fell back in consternation. Yes, he had foUôwed - me ; he was coming down the path, he waé hère. I turned to my mistress. Would she faint? wôuld she fly? Neither. Who is to understand men's^ wives I Terror was there, in that wild, white face, it is troe, but over and above it ail, such rapture as I never before saw in the face of man or woman. She loved him and she saw him again-^all was said in thaf. He walked down t^e path. She came a step forward, with that transfigured face, and held oiit tp him both armé with an éloquent cry : " Gordon 1 Goidonl" \ •* ! WiaS^^VL " i.'" '"*'*';^ 'V" ■ 'si; <(. » r \ >. > CHAPTER III. .«^ ind wait wilh bated bra°h anH hi«''''ï^^^ gf hearing has become Hniii? .^ u ^^^^^* yo"*" sensé able to- hear. ail I ha^tosI^thZ^' '°^^\ ^^^ ^i» be detain you long andTo , n.ii f' ^ you stand. I will not Butletmôtell vou thic- rf„^?.u i^ ,^" ^^^^ >s passed. ^hat memorabSt fi;em^^^^ «''^ Play»d eavesdropper yoii did, if ï had found yoïïeforeT^ V°"^^ "«' ^^^ as ' would never hâve Hvèd ?o se/ Th '^^•^" ^ ^eturned, you >oI that ever walked the earth I tnT"'"^. '^^^ ST^^'"* met that night I «roulH 1?, k ^** ^een—if you ànd I had Ali this &id ?n a 3W^ «^^^^^^^ ^ ' *s rio worR'I^L cl fdL ^^ '^"^ '^«••^f"» «f «ûch hitred ,v ^^ •'?l wAv ^, a âwi the cold, pitiless voice wenti,pn ; "don't think it. I came tô visit General Forrest^jî'irationed yonder at the Citadel, before leaving thisàccursed Canada torever — accursed since in it I met yçu." Her outstretched hands went up, with a dull moaning ROund, and coverèd her face. " Would you care tp know how % found you oui, and why^ I caine^" he slowly went oh. " Listen : Last night at mess the fellows were speaking of a widow lady, a most Uiyster-- ious widow lady, young and beautiful, so rumor said, -^o hàd takeo a desolate bld house in a -màrsh, and there shpt heii^> self up, hidden from mortal man and light pjf day. Het Bame was Mrs. Gordon. . Where she caoie fi j ÉtL j JÉfeaiphe was, why she had cxm^i^ man could t^^^^NBHJrar^^ name was uttered I knew it was you. ^J||^PR^K^°' yoii fled from Toronto you fled hère; TcneW^K» tneiost woman who had been my wife was found;" Her hands dropped. For the first time she stood upright ^before him and looked him fuU in the face, stung, it would iftto tuming at bay by thèse lait words. ^ beep your wife 1" she cried, passionatdjr ; wife, Gordon Caryll 1 Nothing," a sort of cx- erthatl*^ * -^i ctSM^îw ^ M\ W T ^t^ '^fV-'^S: THE DECRÈE OF DIVORCE. 27 minute he stood silently Jooking at her a , lips, a pitlless trjutnph itj his eyes fothing car. change thât ? " he repeated ; '« nofhînir but , f? Well, I will answer Jhat before we Dart T ^ » go on ï knew it Waâ you. this woma^ they ÏÏed of .^^^^ lïpcffî Jier face once more, for the lâsf »m,» „.,,i .*^".' '"""^ wH., .bere was, if I ca„, i'„T, txKiXaut ,.' T'^lloT black eyes, its stra eht nose InH cii,^,. '^«^"i/i u» yeiiow- into blin'd, beso.«-d &"• T^e dWvo°„r'ha„d°"W""" mond, and )et me look at J.on ■• * *°'''' '^^- * Gordon, hâve mercy on me. I love youl » Again she stretched forth her hands to hini with thaf «Jf cous cry. Aga,n he motioned her imperfousîj rack hU ït set, his eyes p.tiless, his face like stone ^ ' '"' ^'P' "Stand stillJ» heordered. She ob'eyed.' . * - .For fully two minutes this strange tableau was befnr*. ™- fore him, her lovely, œloLs faL „pw5d hl;:*=7„Cr' — young, fair, uiDOcent to su. at least <;« .!,„ ! j ' t'â'/ofthTSa« /° j"^,"'^Ki^-^ K ^ /^ 'm r- 4 'J? Ksi» Iff 'i t.- // 28 THE DECREE OF DIVORCE:' — do you know it ? my fatHer has disinhented me — I am the laughingstock of ail who ever knew me. I look back and wonder at myj5(wn infaUiation. 1 loved you — I trusted you. Oh, God!/' he cried ont, a sp^sm of anguish distOrting' his face ; " 1 f^ried you — you ! You played your game Well, you and Lovell. It was your trade ; and with such afool as'I, it was an easy game enough. But you had causte to fear, and you knew it — I say again you did well to ^y. I . went out from Lovell's death-bed a madman — if I hadfound you onmy return, by the light al?ove us, I would hâve mur- dered you !" She shrank back from him, trerabling with pure physical terror now, from head to foot. "No need to tremble — no need to fear now" he went on, his voice losing its sudden fury, and sinking to its former cold monotone ; " I hâve told you ail that is paist and done with. But before we part, I should like tô heàr once frotti your own lips, just once (not that I doubt) that Major Lovell's story was true." j Her only answer was to cower still farther aw^y, and with a great, heart-wrung sob, to bury her face once agaia in her hands. "Ah, hide it," he said bitterly ; "hide it forever from the sight of man — the fairest, falsest facfe everaiiade. But speaiK — if such lips as yours can speak truth, and tell me that Lovell's story was true." " Gordon ! hâve mercy." « " Was it true ?" " I loved yoju, Gordon ! As there is a heaven above u», I loved you with ail my heart." He half laughed — even in that moment. " Your heart— j/<7«rj / What witty things are said by ac- cident ! Never mind your heart or your love. I knuv what both are worth. Answer my question. ' Was Love itory true. One word: — yes or no." " Gordon, I was faithful. Oh 1 what shall \ say to him to-~>' " Was it true ? Yes or no ? " liG erdo% X swear — :". * - H ' V •■=^'^fe^ •* ±\ ^1 fe^*i^É?' . r^ *-», ' r/r£ DECREE OF DIVORCE. ild hâve rnur- ^en above u», "Yes, but — " trionic talents for tirNewvdtr^^'' ^"^ ''""P >'«"'• ^i^- theni before long. Let us iThnlï^f agajn-you may need ment âgo. « You are ni5 Lr ^ '""u^^^ ^^^ «^'^ ^ mo- her"^ wS,irg7n'r VacTL t T^ r^"^' ^^"^^^ ^ ^« nothing had frightehed yet Her h '^^ ^^"^'«^"ed her as to ope^ the,,4er.a"n1 ?an;d. She oled at V^'" T'' eous eyes and trembling lips ^ ^^ '''"' ^'^^ V^> ;;i can'r"^she faltered; ''Gordon, what fs it?" so.^^Se'"^^^::^<3;b<^answered. L his cold, fliglu, lihs^tuted.a'^s.it or c^f^;^^^^^^^^^ yo^ oan read ihe détails [n th^^ ?-.o ? ' f ° ^^^^^"ed it. You Canada solong^'L'tZ'daTsï^ ^^-^^K '^«P^ "^e i had LT^teSTgeS iJ^At"''^"'^ fP^^^' S^^ had said " waiti " in a hofr^I' v ^f "^'^ ^°'" '^at ; slie It was the ghastly chaLethatlT^H '*"''' ^"' '' ^^« "°t ^^at. startled even him ^^^ * "'°'"^"^' ^ «"nk, it Shi^ZlUZr'^'V^^' yr ^^" «"e-this-^vorce?" l'.'v V "°'°"Se'"^our wife ?" «.ercif:rCof"h:T„'d"'^'"'^'-'''^°'' H--''ven and th. or deadV^ '"" "«""T « be in my power. ;i'^-fc'-V-..,> .' p^Ai^tiM^.^»!^" 'T^V -'■^*V^'^'' ' "'^ 1 f^,J»* J ^ ~'r(f> lit ' ■ Uk 30 2'J/£ DECREE OF DIVORCE. •' Then hear me /** ^ She drewherself upright, her small figuré seeming to dilate and grow tall. "Lovell's story was true — true I tell you in every particular except this : that I married you for your rank, and your name, and your wealth. I married you for thèse, it is true ; but beyond thèse, because I loved you with ail niy heart. Oh, yes, - Gordon Caryll ! even such women as I am can love ; and in- deed, and thoiight, from the hour you placed this ring on niy finger, I was your tnie and loyal wife. I would nave gone with you to beggary-r-I would hâve died, if need wero> for your sake. Now I am divorced and cast off for- ever, you say. Well, then we shall meet again one day, so sufely as we both live. This cold-blooded divorce I will never forgive. Go, Gordon Caryll I but remember this, one day or other, so surely as we both stand hère, I will make you suffer for this !" He laughed as he listened — a low, contemptuous làugh, that woutd hâve goaded any infuriated woman to madness. " You do it very well, Rosamond," he said ; " but so niany years' hard practice on the stage of the Bowery Théâtre could hardly fail to tell. For the rest, it is rather wasted on an unappreciative audience at présent. If I should be so unfortunate as ever to meet you again, I trust, even then, to be able to take care of myself."/ He turned without another word and left her, striding up the steep path, and never once looking back. She stood where he left her, .watching him out of sight, the color fading from her face, the life from her eyes. So, standing motionless there, she saw him pass from view, heard the last écho of his footsteps die away. Then I came forward, for the look on her face fnghtened me. She turned to me slowly, the fatal paper held in her hand. " I dreamed he came with my death- warrant," she said ; " hère it is." , And then without word or qy to wam me, she went down in a dead faint on the sands. How I broight her to, how I got her home,- I can never tell. ' I did it somehow, and laid her on her bed -»s-the^ -fa ne m o o a^ ro s e And^^ie stars came ont, - = ■'T. '*' ;4 ■THE DECREE OF DIVORCE. ,, -r-Sf feh*^^ ^T'^ï ^'^\^°'"aB, was still pottering about -^ fte kitchen In her charge I left my çiistress, and fled into town for a doctor. For she was very ill- o iU that ,it seemed doubtful whether she would ever live o see day dawn. ^^ ' ^J^''^.S^^^ °^ ^"^^^^! ?'«^ "P »" steeples, silvered by the qmet summer moonhght, were chiming eleven as ouV first visitor entered Saltmarsh— the doctor And when the lovelj June morning dawned, and the swallows twittered in the eaves, Gordon Caryll's cHild av -ï m niy. anns, and Gordon Caryll's divorced wife lay white itsi "ï^riXiJ:''^ "' ^""^ '«'"'^^ '^^ ^^ ^^ ' . ' , i . ■ ■ tnM .1 *■'&%■ ,"^4 ' ''' \' . ■■"«. y -^ CHAPTER IV. A STRANGE ENDINO. IIFE won. Days passed, two weeks went bv and the stmggle was at an end. Pale and sha( owy that marvellously fair face lay among the pil ows bu al A STRANGE ÉNDfN^O. Il ; ,^azing >»ith dark, sombre eyes out at that radiance in Heavcn and on earth-that glory f.o.n the skies upor. rivir a.Klshore. I-oMnoro than. an hour she had been siî L motignless her dark, brooding eyes never Icavinr L fi f scène as though she saw her mvn future life ovcr^ ère 1 e^ yond that sh.n.ng nver. In the dim distance, baby ay i Juâ cnb fast asieep; deepest silence reigned w.th n and mtHoit ITiat silence wassuddeniy and siiarply brok^by he H v feeble wa. of the child as it awoke: "^^s I roseLd cros ed lence I obel^ed Th T !°,''^ '^'''^ "^""«'^^' '^"t in si- lence 1 obeyed. Fhere had been swpething revolting to me m Uer utterwant of molher-love; in- her unnatura i^d f beTidfVer! """'' '' '' ^'" '^"'^'^^ ^"^ ^'<>°l-d to'plàce it "No, no," she said with a quick, pétulant gësture of r^ pulsion; "notthere; Idon'twantit^ 1 alwa^s S ba- bies. I only want to.ïook at it." " ^ \ " Shall I bring in the lamp ? " I asked. Joatf ::L!^!trî'^'^ "" '" ""''' * ^°* °^ -l'^by ,/ Vo2I^LTu"^m'''w'''''''''^' "beyondthat it is i.n-" possib e to ell. Mrs. Watters says, thoiigh, it is your verv "mv verV m::S"'^ ^'^ '"'^^i'^î^^ thaVever w^rbon^^ My very moral she repeat^d, with a feeble laugh. " I hope so I I hope it may be like me. I hope it nuv never resemble >5/^, in any way. I hoptf it may ivèVheb avenge its mother yet 1 " ^ ^ reowZ ^"""'-«hocked and scandalized beyond power of reply ng. Hère was a Oiristian woman and mother i.iïï saved from death, talking like some heathen.of revenge Uir , 1 answered, shortly. " It is time you asked " ^^wS T'^,5'r'"".'^ '"-T^"^^' b"^ i" "o ispleasure.' .,,'^'^yshouldlask? It didn't matter much A drll « ; e1n5"rpSt;'h7' '""T' ^^° ^^™ ^^^^^^ beÎD«^ S^'n^™f '^^«'■^^'^'^'"g'yet. She may -w«t«rncdiOTiacerj:oin'ïhe iight,^a^^ for "a long >. 34 A STRAIfGE BNDING, ■< I time still, brooding over her own thoughts— dark and wicked tholights I well knew. VVhoever or whatever this Mrs. Gor- don migKt be, slie was hot a proper or yirtuous woinan, that seeoied preUy^ clear —a wife whose hu^band had beeii ' forecd to put her away — a mother who only looked for<^rd to the future df her child as an instrument of vengeance on its father. There are some services thàt no wages can repay— to iny uiind this wasone. The moment Mrs. Gor- don was jvell enough to be left, that moment 1 would leave her. . . " And what will beçome of you with; such a mother, Providence only knows," I apostrophized ithe little one on niy lap. " You poor, little, . spectral, black-eyed njite I I wish you belonged to me altogethér." From that evening Mrs. tçllà me," she said to • Mrs. Watters a few days after. '.' Joan Kennedy can take care of me now. I shall not require ypu any more. Joah, pay Mrs. Watters her due. She leaves/to-night." Mrs. Watters left. Next morning Mrs. Gordon asserted herself still fur ther — she insisted upoii being dresaed and allowed là sit up. She had her Way, ôf course, and I wish I could tell you how fair and yo\ithful aïKl'lovely she looked. Youthful ! I déclare, whatever her âge really was, she did not look a day over sixtcen. But there was that in her quick, black eyes, in her colo^rless face, in those latter days, not pleasant to see— something I conld not define, aiid that confirmed me in my resolution to leave her very soon. Of her child, from the evening of which I hâve spoken, she took not the slightest notice. I truly believe she never once looked at itagain ; when itcried s^ had it impatiently removed out of hearing. She sat thinking— thinking stead- fastly, with bent brows and compressed lips, of what — who CQuld tell ? ** ni give her waming to-morrow," I said résolutely ta inyself; "my month is up in a week. l'il never liv« anpthef w i th ycH i. m y p r# SrXANÇE ENDING. 35 jsl tboight it. Did she divine my very thouchts ? Thî to a most misérable Tnd ïonely wonl^n %T'**^k "f "^'"^ "'.Tctd h' *ri^\°' "' anStrrSe'say'^g^ïïV;""' ^°" '•Gomg away, Joan: hiffh time is it nnf> au • to.morro» 1 go ow in.o the wÔrU once more^dL "lî eighteen •' "**'° *° ''^ ^'^°'"'^«d ''^^«^at the âge of 'W. ' .c a(»^aSf,i*, j4*.te, , "n^JSM. ■MPPi X y ^ »\ 36 -rf STRANGE ENDING. v ' bu^r Ô.n? iî fTh"^ ^°'"^'"'- J°^"-^»»^t' I ««appose, you kno. ; but I qmt it a thoiisand tunes worse. I. came hère with â human heart, at least, a heart that^-could love and feel re- morse : but love and remorse are at an end. I told him I- loved hmi and had been faithful to him, and he laughed in my face. Women can forgive a great deal, but they do notforgive that. If he had only left me-if he had^not got that divorce, I would never hâve troubled him— never, I swear I would hâve gone away and loved him. and been faithful to him to the end. Now-now VsS paused, her hands clenched, her yellow eyes gleaming cat- .ke m the dusk. « Now, I will pay him back. sooni or later, if I lose my hfe for it. I will be revenged— that I r,i "'''■^"'^^a^ay .O-om her, from the sight of her wicked lace, from the hearmg of her wickec^l^ords,— the horror I îelt, showmg, I suppose, in my face. ««r/.î l" ^""^"^^ /.^'■^ horrible, yery shocking, does it not ?' she asked, bitterly. - You a/e one of the pious and proper sort, my good Joan, who walk stiffly Ilong the smooth-beaten path of propriety, from your cradle to your graye.' Well, I won't shock you much longer, lel that be your comfort. The day after to-morrow I go, ànd as a souvenir I mean to leave that behind me." « She pomted coolly to the crib in the cornei'. » /°"— you mean to leaye the baby?» I gasped. Knif r 1,"'^^"'^.° •'^^''^ ^"^^ ^^by-" she answered, with a half laugh, parodymg my tone of consternation; "you didnt suppose I meant to take it with me, didyou? I young lady-young lady, you understand, Joan? and you icYh f 72 ^""11 ^ '^^" ^^"y "° s"*^^^ land-mark with me as that of the old one. Yes, Joan, I shall leave the baby wuh you, if you wiU keep it, with Mrs. Waters if you will ;Ji* ^^' i^.îî^" ''f^P ^y^ ^^^y *P^ welcome," I said : « poor «n L Ku^""^ ^l''^^? ^" "' s'^^P' so «'"ail and helpless, so worse than orphan)Ed at its very birth, I stooped and - kissed it, with texfs ^ m y jgy ér ^ ' pea ang '-- tf,. f'^-^.-'-X v:**^;'^ 37 ^ STRANGE kNDWG. But it js late in the day for wSi ""? ^. '^«'"^ Jike you Vou will keep the child?° '"'''^'"«-^^^1 ,s doqe i, done. ;' I wUl keep the child." <^l^f^^J^^^^^y^^ One day . " has us work to do in the ^^id ,f ^ ^ ^«^ « die, Joan^ W you, of course, and welî Th "^ ""^'^ ^° "• ^ wil «'hen I came hère is almost Je kT"^ ^ '^^^ ^'^h me your d^nadian woods anTr ver th.r. °"* r"^'^'"' ^^^0"^ busy *,ns and hands. The fi^ rn ;? '' f'*"^^^ '"«re for leave w,th you to sell or keep al von"'^ °1 ^'^"^^ '•°'^"« I "'ay be, I will give you an Ll^ ^^^ ^*- ^herever I reach me." ^ ^°" ^° ^ddress, whence le tiers will " • c^IZ:!! "^^^^ -turn-never corne to see your • shoufdT/' ^l27rcVfoTTt 'not'" '' '°^ fi°°^- VVhy you mean. On^ day, if we bo;;:T ^/^f^^-i» the way- day its father shall l/arn to hU .'''^'/ '^'" ^^^^im "J one has a child." "' *° ^'^ ^««t and his sorrpw, that he f^^n Sl^^l^ Zi^% ^^eat eyes for an in- h^rfplded hands^a;^1dly"o„ ^L'erl" T^^ "° '»o^e!l turned upon- the raoidlu L i, - ^^P' ^^r moody g^e twUight was shrouding ail S^^ g^ay, creeping, î„iv babyawoke and crfed I hf/V\^ f^^^^^^ hLe^' K amp and Hfted it As l t ■ ''' ^?"'^ ^«^dy-J m the us feeding-bottlerits hg blIS eve^sV^^^ P'^^'^^^ ?""'"« at Sf;."^ n,other -ne^d ï;rm\rwS;ï:d"lM fusîT^oflonM^^^^ ^'-'^ eyes. and prc changeling in a fafry tai^thL 7^^, ^""^ "^^^ some effish " Ifs a hideous i« le ob^e " '' '^ïï^ '^^"'^" <=hild. X ^i^^tà. . w \ * 4 ,•■,:« lA-,- ; ','ijï '■■'"• :;#'"**Sr| ♦'•S' 38 A^ STRANGE ENDING. ~\ It must be pretty. Will it, do you fhink, Joan? ^Wm it rcally look liice nie?" " I tlîink so, madame— :very like you. More's the'^pity," I added, under my breath. " Ay " still thoughtfully staring at it, " is there any ,v. birthmark ? The proverbial strawberry on thç arm, or mole * on the neck, you know ? that sort of thing ?" " iv " It has no mark of any kind, from head to foot." ■^,:; "What a pity; we mûst give it one, then. Art musT "^ supply the deficiencies of nature. It shall be done to--^' morrow." " Whqi must be done ? Mrs. Gordon, you don't surely mean — " • "I mean to mark that child so that I shall know it again, fifty years from now, if need be. Don't look sô horrified, Joan, — I won't do anything very dreadful. On^arks one's pocket-handkerçhiefs— why.not one's babiesA^ou may die; she may grow up and run away— oh, yës, she may ! If she takCs after her mother, you woii't find it a bed of roses bringing her up. We may cross paths and never • know each other. ï want to guard against that possihility. l'want to know my daughter when we meet." " For pityls sake^ madame, what is it you intend to do?" , " You hâve seen tattooing, Joan, done in India ink ? Yes. Well, that is what I nîean. I shall mark her initiais on her arm to-morrow, exactly as I mark them on my * handkerchief, and you shall help me." ' " No, madame," I cried out in horror, " I will not. Oh, you poor Jittle helpless babe I Madame 1 I beg of you — don't do this cruel thing." ^ "Cruel? Silly girf I I shall give it a sleeping cordial, - and it will feel nothing. So you will not help me?" " Most assuredly I will not." " Very well— Bettine will. And léist your tender feelings should be lacerated by being in the house, you may go and pay your mother and sister a visit. By the by, you don't iâsk me what its name is to be, Joan." " ^^ •* As I am to keép it, though, supposing you don't kiU il to-morrow. 'I sUall be glad to kncwirf Mrg> Gordon." ^ i.., . \r^ :'-i^!^ » % , wm it ."^' ,.,, W" tt e any i r mole „ ■ . "4' : mus! surely again, Tified, i one's - may may 1 bedof ' never • „ » bility. <. do?" „ ink? nitials n my ft Oh, f /ou — '^ -I STRANGE END ATG. di: ' K lÏV^^t:^ i^t;:--- ^ar; I do Jt .ant ^l She paused a moment, and tuSëd"^^^^^ On />*« point, evenshecouldfeelvet '^ ^^ **^^^- ^'but I will still call it & him r "V "^^^''°' ^^^^dily, nariie, s it not. Joan ? an odd o^e ton f°" ^^'ï^-^ P^etty clami Tt, howrever, and the nron/r ° * ^"'^- ^"'" ^ the Caryll, and call ft KennX TJnT^' ^" ^'^ ^'"«^ Scotch, respectable name-Gord;» i^^^^^» » good old ^ I said, to-,norro«r I wiH mark th. i^-T"^;: ^'" ^°- As Vafn.; and whatever hàppTns ve^ '""jf'^ ' ^' ^' "P^^ its ?iy daughtèr and I evVr meet \Tnl^ ^^^'^ ^'•°'" "O"'- >ï ^"l 'co^rdo'^ï "-""Vert-" "" '" '^^^^^^' ^"*^ ' Tu'J^'' <^rueUy/S5t sh%i'''^ottr'anH ^'^^ '"'^^^^^ could do as she nleased I wonW . and.mistress, and •«"■"i up, Beube «c tet S;, ^'A^i- "» "■'', the .rm . cpol. '•'"°' *"»• Gordon coBiposed and until «fadame double druâ^eH^f i-*"? ^'^^'^ ^he heart, 7the poor infanttwill b^sore' and ' «^ ^'ï* ^he arm day to corne. It is a heart «f »? ^ >nflamed for many a the pretly little madame" °°^- ^^^'^eUe Jeanni^ . w ^i lj:i I •* v'•'&•J&^É^li^î^*.>^ -'■. l^'-.f ^^ <^m R 40 A STRAUrCE ENDWG. \-y^: ■ lever stirred A„S li, ^ "'' °>"-'en, eleven; she figure was there ae rte wfndo "/jr ' ""^ "°"°"'«^ "'"» .he cabriolet ordered S QuXc wST.h:?''] """'• S** Slooped for a-moment over hVr babe "h.?. "^T- ^''° re?^°-l%r-^-*'"""»';ieï.s;^^^^^^^^^ banfl. ^ ' ^" °°« ^S»'"- She held out her n.e"S«^tkrgo°„e-"a ^Sr li.tP""-' ""*.'°° ^^<"^ »' bas gonehard. vTla\ ^ g ^^àTZla, "'""l "^^ I ;«.> corne back year^ toi d7,t^J^''\^r^\ iney were ehe last words she eve, .pok. jn &ut»..rA r,'f • i fAvt, ■ ^~ ,i "t -^ i -''1 "-rr "«'-■» . -> >: S:^ÉMÈ' ■ J«ï ■■!>..'. '^ STRANGE ENDWG. ' JasïJl^!^ S^^S^^l S\TT ^ ^- ^°'^- I watched her enter th^ rnh ' ? °"* °^ "^^ '«''« fo'-ever. ■ pale, lovely face" of i little Vo^/h'^I °"/ lasrglimpse of a old Québec 'slept in to^'nlg'^^ilt'XTôrd^n^^^^ floodingu^steepstreets it^ tin rw '•. , r^°'^^" sunshme Beufn'r "pir:^i'^r::/„t" fi'^'^^ •^--^ -^ ^'--d bec and sold J a ein Z • ^^'?^' '"^''^ ^ «^"^ '""'o Que- replaced the placard ter th', S "S '"^^^^^-d. more a "-House to Let." ^ Saltmarsh was once She had corne among us a mysterv— «;h^ i«ft mystery still. I write tliis rtr^i^ 7^1 . .^^ "^ ^ greater Jay it jnay need Tt l fèel "haf the' ''' 'ïf ' ^"'^^-^'^^ not end hbre, that it is but f h. ? T'^ ^ ^^^« '«'^ does So surelyas t JwonUn and thi^SI' '° "i"' ^^ ^^ ^°"'«- -sad and deep troubîe to th/r '';^^ ^"^ •"^^*' t^O"ble corne of it I savTa.fn î *''?* "^f? Gordon Caryll-^vill her. If I dï I Will p£ it n Jr" ^.f ^'"^^ ^« «^ "«^ »<> her, and so I «gn mysetf ^^ ^^"'^''^^ ^^ g^^^n to JOAK KenxeDY. !^ ^«3ji ;. JiiKr^ fi-A - ' .^SJiCLS^Ii- CHAPTER V. r^ AT CARYLLYNNE. lANY milis away, niany miles of land, many leagues of sea, far beyond that " city set on the hill," Qpç- bec, far away in fair England, lay tlie broad do- main of Caryllynne, Gordon Caryli's ancestral home. It lay in one of the brightest, sunniest of the sunny sea^ side shires, a fair and stately inheritance, stretching away for miles of woodland and meadowland, to the wide sea, sparkling in the late August sunshine, as if sown with stars. ' Under a massive Norman arch, between lofty iron gâtes, you went up a sweep of broad drive, with a waving sea of manycolored foliage on either hand, slim, silver-stemmçd birches, copper beeches with leaves like blood-red rubie?. sombre pines, hoary oaks, graceful elms, and whole rows of ' prioi poplars, those "old maids of the wood." ' Far away this brilliant forest of Caryllynne stretched to the emerald cliffs above the bright summer sea, to the little vilJagç nest- hng between those green cliflFs, a village which for two cen- turies had called the Squire of Cfiryllynne, lord. You went up this noble avenue for a mile or more past the pictufesque Swiss cottage that did duty as a gâte lodge, past green and golden slopes of sward, past parterres bright with gorgeous autumnal floMters, to the Manor hoiise itself, an irregular structure of gray stone, turreted and many-ga- bled and nîiich ivy-grown. There was a stately portico en- tr»nce, a.flight of shallow stone steps, and two couch- ant stone dogs, with the ancient raotto, *'Cave ranm."*> It was a very old house, one portion as old as the reign of the greatl-y-marriéd-man, Hertry the Eiehth/ A gift, indeed, fromMMQ s t Chri s ti a n MajestyloAr-Ja s p e rCaryll, Km '- ••• ■ pk^ .«>,, %> ï«t'.'*' ^i-*'^!^^^^^ a (. r-^fsr.-^^m^'^ ■ 3 • 4^ CARYLLYNNE, P P m t' • • iv' ^^1 *«■% 43 ly leagues lill," Qpç- }road do- ancestral unny sea- ling away wide sea, vith stars, ron gâtes, ng sea of -stemtnfd d rubie^ B rows of Far away emerald agç ncst- two cen- lore past ite lodge, es bright ise itself, many-ga< rtico èn-.~^ • couch- iw.'V It ;n of the , indeed* , Knigh t , h^"i:t°rf4^"^-^- ^^'^' °^ '^^^ ^^^ocç^ion ot with a brass tablet abovë h J J.'^^^- ^""u^'"^^ °^^ y^a^-s» nuny CarylJs had been bori aJd r^^^J^'" T^^^> ^"^ within those grav stone w.Hc • "^?^^' ^"^ had died, . of life, " Hatfh^^grM:trhi"^^ T^'r,^''' î'-'^' «'^ business on and on within those andQue.?'''K''^'''"Sv' ^ad gone Marian Caryll, widoTof S^^. ]ate Gnî^''^^"?, ^''''''^' now in the Manor alone ^""^^'^^ ^^'■>'"' ^^igned do:s':atseti^dh:?,XTaï:Tï^ ^^^^^^"S^- -" tories gay with flowe ; thèse 3 l^'^''^^^^' ^°"^^^^^- bright. Flowers, indeed were Zlr^ ?^ ^î^^'^^ ^«^^"^"8 in half a hundred nooks in swinTn ^T.^T' '" «^'^^ ^^«^ eventidelayovertheland ncVi u^^* ^remulous hush of Phaeton da^shed up the îo;,^^ï;"^"f ^^J^^P^k gâtes a pony h.gh-steppçrs. a dainty.ffi baske? r.^ •"''^' Two black suting vcry erect and upri.^^^^^ ^^^ a lady hand-a lady in sweepinim^r Inf m * ^^"^^^^ firm weeds-the mistress ofThfs f^rr^^nfain '"^'''""^ ^^^'^^^ hi^^^rSl^rard SeXd o^^ ' ^'^^ '^-^ As she flung a very tall a„d st &°tSf ^ '""f ''''' ^^^ ^af . well. A tall, pale, ra^her cold'IS. ^I ^°"^ J'^^" «^ «& lady, handsomer i^rhaDs inÏÏr t ^ . ''^î"?' "*«^ ^aughty could ever hâve bJ^nTyou^'' "'"'''' ™'^^^« ^« *han^«hj ACn7sh':":?dfoXl;oU^^^ l^ynelyAbbey. exercised and well rubbe/do^ ' u^M^^' '^^y ^'^ '^^^7 __ .;: nian^maclc a «,rt of hâTffliirury galute, as to his com- V -F «nanding officer. ■■■m* m K % V C r^ tiif^f ♦T^* - l X- ^ ^ ' *vry ^ ^--; ll|> ii'<^i- <> r; ,' 'Aï .;S«*'i' 44 ^7" CARYLLYNNE. "Post canie'alf an hour ago, ma'am. l'U dtttnd to thc ponies, pia'am, ail right." Mrs. CaVvJl passed on with | slow and measured sort of tread up th'» stone steps, past the great couchant dogs, along . thé vast domed hall, hung with suits of mail and antlered heads, up the wide stairvvay and into her own rooms. Thè rose light of the sunset filled those elegantly appointed apartments, and Jying upon an irilaid table the mistress of the Manor saw what she lookedfor — a sealed letter. Her heârt gave a bound, cold and well disciplined as it was, but (it was chaiacteristic of the woman) before taking it up, she slowly laid aside her bonnet and veil, drew off her gloves, and then deliberately lifted it. A moment she paused to glance at t'ie ftpe flowing writing she knew so well, then she opened an •She CTUshed the brief letter in her strong white hand. Her fixrdly pale face, even in the glow of the sunset, seemed , lo grow paler, her firm lips set themselves in one tight un- pleasant îine. " * My dearest mother ! ' * Your affectionate son,' " she said, bitterly, looking at the letter. " Yes, I will see him — he is right — for the last time. After to-night I shall be as though I neverhad a child." She folded the letter, laid it aside methodically in a drawer with many others. Slow, methodical habits had become second nature to-Mrs. Caryll. "Yes," she thought, " I will see, him once more — once more. Whatever he may hâve to say in his own défonce I will hear. To him and to ail mam ,kind I t riisLl shall alwaysdomy duty But corne what may, after to-night I will i^ver see him again." i^! ■^k^^dp''- iA ^^■m ^T CARYLLYNNE. i 45 b.ifgV°tldUTver:r^^^^ would possibly Her whole soûl cried oût fnr ïf ' ^ 'u ^ ""^^ ^ ^^^O"^-" after thisonce,tose^r:o1rrfSev\"r' ^^'"'^ ^^^^'^^ looked, was the porttaïof h.r h 'k^^^°"^^* '^'^'^h she years ago, in the aalknt 1a t'^^T^^ P^'"ted twenty présent tohis b ide A hf ^ ^ "^'r ^^^' °^ ^'^ ^0"^^. a ever been handsoL men "andThi/T ' a' F/^^'"^ ^^ womanhad loved her h!.cNo I -^ '^'^°"^' self-contained love. Now. he too îav^n Rn /h ""''^ ^ ^'T ^"^ ^^^^^less ago they had laid h^mtlfee llft7Z"^'''\''^J «"J^ ^ «^onth brought upon hin, by an^'n^t ""^" ^' ^^'"^ '''' ^'^^-^ son^"¥^o ytrraTtL^rSr'^^^' ^ ^"'^"-"^ his departure for rfn Ji vu î-^^^" P^'"*^^' °" the eve of face of tie lad of f^^enf.' ^'^ /«g''"^"^- The frank fa? at her from the canva/' ^W^t'h^^^ and yello«r.haired, smileS doMrn, and turnedkwltii .hTf ^/^^'"'^ ^^"^ ^^e took it again but it told how mln'the' m " '^V^^ï ^ ""'^ ^^ing expect when he sto^d S^hls SL''°^'°'^ ^"^" '"'«'^' - mi y sky^Xteer''' .P^^^ugust moon rose up the cast bng slamL^f.A'"^'''"^ ^^'"''>' '"^ *he sait seaWind! high road, as ?rôaf tt fn""' f '''^'''^ ^"^^^ ^-hiteness of thé tion, a fly frlm the ri- °r" ^^°"^' J'^™ '^^ brightly lit stl ' themoon'litTenuetofe^^^^^^ T""^^ the.^ttes and up Paid and.dismissed he man Ind n«^T^ "'"^ ^^'"^"8 °"^' pallidlighttolookabouS On^i 7 ^ '"'''?^"* ^" ^^« f toodl>e %iast^t^ryé^^^^^^ but his life, and he ho? fe..^nt L"* had changed-nothing , «uu me not fever of hisown youthful fancy-- -. 4>' i l^îîfei ^>^ 'Kj> r^'" ''' ^ ■^.^ •f i¥ ■r: 46 ^r CA/iyLLyj\rAE. the fair, treacherous face of a wonian had spoile.d that for. c V c r» " He lifted the heavy bronze knocker and sent the echoes nngmg dully do^m the great hall. The man who opened the door, an old fam.Iy servant, started back with a cry of surprise and delight. «• »-'/ oi !.' Sure to goodness, if it isn't Mr. Cordon corne back ! " Mr Gordon corne back— bad shillings always corne back. don't they ? Ho>v are you, Norton ? Is my morer ^ ^Z^lf ^'' ^°''^°"- ^^ J^er o«rn rooms. You kiîow the The nmn stared, but obeyed. Gordon Caryll stood in the long echoing deserted hall, staring moodily out at the- moonhght, and not at ail sure, in spiîe of his letter, whether his mother would deign to see him or not. But hîs do^bS were speedily set at rest. Norton reappeared. . ,«rî^^ "?*l"' '^^ '^^. y°"' Mr.- Gordon, sir. She bids jou corne to her at once in her morning room.» - h.rA? T'^^aJ°' ""^ "^'^> she would see him; he had He ran lightly up the stairs and tapped at the familiar door. ! hand?hrenS;ed'" "°''"'^ '^^™ f^^ "•^' ^'^^' "^^^ - ' r îî°^r^'" f°^ ^°° stood face to face. A cluster of wax^ hghts ht the room briUiantly. In their full glo«r Mre . Caryll stood. her tall figure .upheld at its tallest. hfr Jido^s weeds traxhng the carpet, her widoVs cap on her dark, un! sdvered haïr, her face like a face eut in white stone In that moment, ifhe could hâve but seen it, she bore a curC ?.t'nfr"? r """"l'' '•? ,^""'^^ ^' ^^ had stood, pale and relentless. before the girl who had been his wife. • " Mother 1 . She made a sud'den, hasty motion for him to stand stiU and " '^!SJ' ^^^^'kP *«^'° """^ **'* °'^'» as he had repelled his tnewing his whole fate in that second of timc ^ ».*"« s^^rUfi * # ' . -.1 AT CARyLLYNNE, " Yçu know that he is dead ?» were her «rst words as «re both live 1 » "^ '" '"'S"* J"™ «> '«"g ■ toT three hundred years." she «wJrl în fi,»* * of suppressea passion, " thTcaryll hL h^/n k^""^ k°"*= lived and died beneath thJ, r^of k ^^^" ''°™' '^^^ -^j _r . " "^ *"« «ïeait. He d»ed unfoi]giving you—every *' .f:vf iiii)t'».-''i. j . tHfh ^^^ ■^, -^ ;,.;,f:^'r.^r%:l' S-j^'i ?,rV-v^s^^M ^ / i h K :^ •H \ < . ■h i*. - ¥ :^|.H^ ■Ai \« 48 ^r CARYLLYNNE. Not an inch of Caryllynne is entailed-that you Ifnow-^nof onefarthrng of the noble inheritance that w.s your birt^ right shall you ever possess. The name yoû dishonor is yours beyond power to recall ; , but tbat alone-ÏTe one Ïiï fgr "• ■ '''' '''" r '^'^ ^°" "^^^^ crosrthisXeT Still no reply-still he'stood like a figure of stone. You say you hâve atoned," his mother went on. in that W, passionate voice. " Atoned I That meanswu hâve dragged the name of Caryll through the mi^e andS of a divorce court-that your story and hers, that lost wretch ik in the mouths of ail men in Canada and Englàn? Yoùr atonemerii is worse than your crime.- Your ato^nement S\ as tyour hfeldng No^go! Ail I wigh to say.î hâve frceTgarnl"'"^" ^"^"' ^°"-^^"^ --^ ^-^ u^on î^ Wl^^^f J?f ^""^^^ ^^ ^^^ 'P^'^^" t^ his divorceid wife I What fatahty was at work hère ? She ceased speak^g and Gordon Caryll hfted his haggard face and lobked at hS-to tîan'rj; te^^^ ^ ^^°' ^° '^^-^ ^^ ^^^ - P- sharper 'a ''^\f^^}}^ ^^ y°" ^^y" he answered, veryquietlv • ««I don't thmk I expected anything else-L supposa I d^serve no.thmg better. I will not tîoublp you again. For [he name I hâve dishonored, hâve no fL-it^Xu be di^ ^iTe'l^f -y bearing it no more. I leave it behind with ail the rest Good-night, mother, and good-by." And then he was gone. The door closed gently behind fcg'no^/^^^^^'^^- ^^°-^ ^^^--^^ b^ aKr 'cK^u^7^^ S''?^*^^' white— ashen white to the lips But— hiif. ^°"&'l°"ely years to corne. She stood for nearlv half an hour m the ^.ot where he had left her, stock stUL Then she slpwly turned. walked across the roiiJ Med a velvet curtain and entered what s^thed an oratory Over a sort of altar. a painting of the Màdonna d" San S ""'^ g~-ftg_exQm5ite canif- ar^A «u^-i. i-„ . . ■ ^ . . ^^^|y^€opy)-aad^ h eav e nl y t nother, m l j^mSEL \ -fT* CARVLLYNNE. 49 fort. And this is what she read; ^ ^ ^°'" ^°'"- was grieved for his son Rnftl? ' "^^^ ^°^ ^^e king the Wng cned wUh a"-lou^"V^'iL TShT'' 'Vl"^^^ Oh, Absalcm, my son, my «,n r »' ' ^ "^^ ^'*^°" ^ ■• -5ji ;ently bçhind e alone her 'r-^ TT^r-yr €F : £■»>•, V .l^vt-v ' r CHAPTER VI. . ->- GORDON CARYLL'a STOIW. IIS trial was over, his sehtence was passed, ana Gordon Caryll went out from his niother's présence an outcast and banished tnan. * . '^ ' "AU forloye, and the world well lost," he |aid to himself, with sometliing that was alniost a smile. •'"Ah, well ! Corne what will, I hâve been blessed. For four months I had my fool's paradise— ^let that thought console me, in ail the years of outlawry that are to corne." He did not leave the hôuse directly. On the landing h« paused a moment irresolute, then tumed, ran up another stair. way, opened one of the many doors that flanked the long cor- ^dor, and enterçd the rooms that'had been his own. Only the moonlight lit them, but that wa$ brilliant almost as day. With that slight, sad smile on his lips he walked Ihrough them. Every where traces of his%ead fathef s pride in him, his mother's love for hira, were scatte<%d with la^Sh hand. More luxurious alniost were those rooms than his mother's own. "They will serve for my mother's heir," the young soldigr thowght — " whoever that may be. Lucia Dynely's littlè son Eric, very likely. She was always fond of Lycia ; so, for that matter, was I. My pretty cousin ! It is but seven miles distant, and there is time and to spare. Suppose I look her up for the last time before I go forth into the outer darkness, and be heard of no more V' He selected a few trifles, a picture of this mother, another of this "C ^ village forge AameSh lur S red S?" i'^^J^ twinkled, the D^:?; X^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ to his destination, tonc pile, that long cenLes^^^^^K ^^^^ '^"^^ ^is- njohasteiy, in the days wh^-^^^ "^^^^ f Cistercian Triple Crown "heldmiah7„c t ^^>'^ ^"^ Cross and As he rode at aÏÏllo^ u^ t^^^r^"^ ^" ^^^^^ ^"g'^nd . the great gray Abbey^eaiîv «Tm '^ -^^^ .^^^^ horse shied at som^whiCobic? .V^?^ his as almost to unseat hrrider rAr? '''^'*^",'>' ^°^ ^'°'e"% l-your nervous System like this ? " ^'^^^ ''''^ ^^^^^> "P^' ■ «e threw the bridle over a h-«.A a«^ a ,f- pawl, stood. ^''' ^n^^^apped in a whiteifleeq? ^Lady Dynely,.. he said. lifting his hat. «good-eveiH„g.«. M.l'S:±^& •*% "w - -( -"■.■ri r"tf.'^.-"r* î;^**N.*--'v-T*^*-'î'^?'^T'^"-^''"î* ■5*''*^ ^'-rf ."''' - ,- ■ . ^ '■■■ ^ -*-:■.• -•■ : ,..,• , "^.-r 52 GORDON CARYLDS STORY. n«f ^l 'l- '^ ^f^^ ^'°r'^ P^^'"«' ^s though for an evenino alarm— then, as the unexpected vis tor approached anrf hZ bnght i.ght of the moon fell on his facef l^e hkd .'uterej ^ yoû'?^°''^°'' ';* ^^^ ^"^^- " Oh, Gordon I Can it^ be She was a pretty wonian— three-and-twentv Derh-,nc w. h a fa.r blonde face, a profusion of pa e bloôde hat> a tall, willom-, fragile figure. The fair face, the plie bîu^ eyes, ht up^now with genuine delight ^ "' "I, Lady Dynely. You hardly looked for me to-nidit did you ? And yet, you must hâve known I wc^d corne " ..s hère to-d.y-she said nothiSloVtt' V^h^^n^^l^u fi JT"^" ^?T^ ^^°- . "^"^ ^^ to-morrow mornina, by the / .W vn '"' J l"^"^^ "^^T ^°^ g°°^' ^ '•^" the risk of^koYfind! ' ing you at home, and rode over to say good-by Bv the way, it's rather a coïncidence, but one Augnst n,W / year. ago, you and I shook hLds anï pt"S o Jtt verî spot. You were dressed in white that night. toMeme7 ber, and looked as you always do look,^4.Âir SiiiTfâïr" and sweet, alid pale as a lily " ^ <:oustne, lair ■\hei;S«on'i,tL«"' •"" *eblae,s,a,.led^es fi«d " Say good-by-^eave for good ! " she repeated. " What f„ ?' ,? ^ ' ''*''* ^'^n ■"y mother. I hâve iust come >■! \1 . ^WJ!lk*QÎHINWU«B!«K' >a, I remenj- ïr %m,^^f]--i . K "'^ 1» ^ I CORDON CARYLDS STORY^ Si " Gordon— cousin," she said, genilv '*is i> tm» .u- story ihey tell, that is in the pape?s hât a 1 I nnH ' '^^ wuh before we left ? It muit be lue. and J^t^^^^^^^ '"^^ doM unless you tell n,e with your o.n Ups'? J:^^''^:. ;'TheA I tell you," he moodily answered, " it is true " " 1 bat you niarried an actress— -in «i r- V f'., said passionately, " Lwould tlh seeVou de^d'^" ' ^''^ . "You are not alone fti that I fanrJ" K -^ -u drearily reckless laugh. " Al tlLame?L^''''^' •''"'' * the same, tocml havt had enn„!h ^f - \^^ '^°''^ '^- ^11 , forone lichSlit fs nw 1.^^^ /^^'T'' ^"^ ^'"*^'-"«^^ the cry against ne %i ' ' "f,'"^,"~^""'^ ^P" ^^^e up friends always-let us Jo part " ^ ^ ^'^'^ ^^^"^ «"^^ ' '^ef's^^:tî:ï'^:-iSt:d^it^tf^^^ ^ gazewas bent on ihe watei-liliè. in th. . j u 8'°°"'' sure,', r p^er 4ir£i„S'ur^ ,T*-', «"^°^- çe™ed,„b„t ,„„, he;o:'lrsot*S":i;e^re?°V yo„ seeone looks ra^/ or E« ,han for'i'î^^'r''"'*' one's niother." * "'*^'^V tnanior justice froral "But she doés not mean it- will repent and call you back " He smiied-^a slo.v, hard, inexorable sniile willw'fbet'^Slfe"''^^- ?-^-^oneisdone. I îiame^he only atonement /V*'"'^' f ^"^'^ ^'^8^^^^<ï »he Sl^e bas ordered TefZLLîZ ""!? k '^ *° «"°""<^ i^- .nedoesnotwaûTott^^^^^^^^^^^ "%^j '^^ she speaks in anger. She ^ f '>! .,^ *!. ./" $4hH^--. r 1 J'fil ^*^t. ^•f^-è &v Ï4"' '\fi ■'■•>_^_. ' ' ■■i^'w'f»' S»Sî%l%»îSl*A«ir«(.w,..-.- _..; ^„ r '?t "■^' ■■''■■ 54 • GORDON CARYLDS STORV. ■ Oh! how coiild she do ît! Gotdon, r, tôo. hâve a son my httle Enc. and I love him so devot'edly. si ent're I Z I feel, I knû«r, no crime he could commit, thoulf KTé SotLf he' ' '"k^ '-"^^ '°; °"^ ^^^°"^ change'Lt love Uo what he might-yes, the very worst man can do f would stiU lov- bifti and take him to my heart " ' Her pale face glowed, her pale eyes lit, hêr voice arose Her cousin looked at her tenderly. ^ *rose "I can believe that," he said; "but you see I ucii and M.s. Caryll are of two very diflferent orders. I never d.d prefer the Sparta* sort myself, ready to run the knife "cordon ; T ''"'f,"^K ''^'>^^" ^^«"^^^' ^"d is just." tle I r/. ??K '"^ ^"/^°"^ '^' ^'^ yo" ? I know so lit- tle, I read the papers, of course, but still—" aoie Story. Do you really care to know ?" " Gordon !" "Oh, I know ail your affectionate interest in me and rav concerns faitest coimn,. and I don't mind boring you wUh «ho , ^'w,°^ *^.°""S fool's folly. Folly! good heaven ahove! What a fool I was! What a gullible. woXi hçaded, nnbecile idiot I must hâve been 1 " ^oodea- "You— you loved her, Gordon?" J'JIf' ^^u ^ J"PP°*« ,< was love, ihat bllnd and be- sotted fever her beauty and her witcheries threw me in?o She was a sorceress whose accursed spells sent everv man she met under sixty straightway out of his enses ^C she threw the rest over for me (she had half the battalion aï her feet) was clear enough. I vas the youngest, the richest n?i? u ^rT'' ^'' ^" 'r°^°"^°- She turned scores of weddb;rfn!;,''"^rV° ^* ^'ï*^ °^ '^^^y wWch pgffers Ter to^mS' J ^^ °°'^ ^%''.^^' '^ *'™«^ w»»en 1 ask^d K to marry me— you may faintly guess the depth and brea^th of my i.nbecility when I tell you that." ^ 'Shewashandsome, Gordbn?" "'""""'^^ IfL^'^Lr"'^^^^.'^^? h^ndsome, ' Lucia. Sne had a àeau/i du diable whôse like I ba ve never sp^n-^ -that no man S^ voice arose WmW-' ..^r,- ■ ■ ■■■ • ; ■ CORDON CAfRYLVS STORY. 55 cou d res.st-a dark, rlchly-colored, Southern soito>beautv of the earth earthy. She vvas small and slender whh â warst you cou d snap like a pipe-stem. t>vo large blâck eye^ hke a panther's, prec.sely, and a smile that sent you strafght «it of your sensés. AU the fellows in Toronfo raxed o her-she was the toast of the mess, the talk of the townl Only the women^ought shy of her-they took her^aUe b, ntuition, I suppose. Before she had been a week ii Toronto. Major Lovell and his daughter werë /L 700^ n ball-room. and boudoir, and barracks '' ^ ' "She îva^^a Miss LoveU ? " Lady Pynely asked. in a con- str^jned sortV tone. One hand sdlPrestedon his arm and uo d'' 'inÙ'r "f ^' ^'«"^>^ ^«""^ ^"^ round th"'fish fffi \ w^ l''^' ^^'''^ ^^«"^ gone she had been very fond of fier dashmg boy cousin and playmatéè^very fond-S SIS tedy fondness she told herself-- nJthihg more^ " the S'/rîn i dreary year enough, with nothing but the daily dnl the parade, the routine of military lifl the SrS Catd^n tr P'?h ^'^^ P-vincial Vtat'ion! with dark Canadian belles to break the monotony. AU at once she came, and everything changed. Major LoveU brought h.s daughter among us-and it seemed to nie my T nv^fi^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^ disreputable old duflfer enough, tSï Lovell, a drunkard, a sharper àt cards, a rooker at bflH^d^ l.v.ng on h.s half-pay ànd his whole wit . He was a wiS? w.th a daughter out in Bermuda with her mo^SePs friS^dl' whodechned to hve with her rascally bld fathir. Hewas oaa tmies— this time, after a longer absence tl^n uRnai k- reappeared with his^aughter. ^ T "'"*^' ^^ ? ." He met me one bleak autumn nîght loungiU aimlesslw idown one of the principal streets, drefséd forflheavf stcrt Sin^'IS' • P^^^^P-"i"g ^t..the boredom in S^vt fcing«HmtHed todeàth eveii at thé thbÛghrôfwhal « in stote for you. Wi»y make ^^artyr ôf yoSrscîJ Q^l Éïv^ rJê'Ud^; ,^ I : . "^-^^ -y^k ' ^^,f :^î^>%?*^ ^^rr 56 GORDON CARYLVS STORY. i^'- \'M -,V anceship ? Throw over the bloated timber merchant corne . to my lowly w.gwam, and lefs hâve a friendly game at ecar e ril g.ve you a deviled kidney, and a glass of The? y-vou can drop m at Rogers' when the heavy feedinïs ov^r Bes.des '-^after a pause, this, and with a sidelW ^^^^^ 1 want to show you my little giri-bless her ! Sh|s con^ to^keep house for her old dad at last.' ^ ^ were blaclc or ye>fe,«r, justas the shifting firelight rose o fe 1 ^, i- *°°.? ''^"^^ "^ ^ ^^"P^fi^d trance of wonder and a 1 ^^.r^ion, the majoi^s fat, unctuous old voice droned in my "'Rosamond, my child— my youn? friend Mr Parvii of Caryllynne Devon. England, and Her MajS ;£^ 1:1^^^^''''''''^''^''^'^' Gordon, .yb^r-i^^ii^s: "Then a little brown hand slipped out to me ih,- rt,* "'"rmr"? *';^ di-Plinglip. smifed .^e h^r * »ha.f r ,r g T l'r '"v^.^/j -g;!''?'' <^'^" °^ — .Xr^H'^ -ip- , 5; Lovell ? ' I VVe must tr> VVhat with ■ GORDOl^ CARYLVS ^TOUY — .** } . «"-You djn't like Canada then, Miss managed to stanimer. ' I ani sorry for thaf. and change your opinion W it before long, skating and sleighing, it jsn't half a bad place '* ."She-pouted and laughed like a child. She was smgularly ch.ldish m forni and face, hardly boking sixteen. . " Not half a Dad place ! Where yoii grill alive three simimer months and shiver to death nine winter o^ies Oh my dear Bermuda ! Where the hearts were as warra'as thé chmate, and the faces as siinny as th'e skies. No fear of being lonely, or misérable, or neglected there.'.If papa vvould let me, I would go back to-niorrow.' " ' But papa won't,' the major put'in with a chuckle • papa can t spare his one evve Limb yet. Mr. Caryll hère 1 a.« sure wiil do his best to make time pass, little one. Hark ! I hear a Tcnocking in the south entry— the othei fellows at last.' "Then with much laughter, and stamping and noise, three or four military men came clattering in out of thé coid and. damp darjjness, and were presented to 'Mv daughter, Rûsamond,' ' ' " ^,/°"'' '*»?"' how it was with them ; I can answer tor mysef-from the first moment I looked on Rosamond Lovell s face I lost my head. You knowTne well enou^h. Lucia, the speaker broke off with a half laugh, "to know I never do that sort of thing by halves. But this was différ- ent from anything that had gone before. I looked on those wonderful dusky eyes only once, and said to myself, 'I wiU wui Rosa,mond Lovell for my wife, if it be in the power of mortal man to wm her.' * " 1 lost no time in setting about my wooing. No wonder the other fellows laughed. They admired old Lovell'a^ daughter, toc, no doubt— that was a matter of course— but not to the depth of lunacy. They left that for me. I declmed écarte, I declined deviled kidney, declined the doubtful sherry- 1 was sufficientlv intoxicated already. Ihe ,,eerles3 Rosamond smiled upoAje but shyly ; she was açc astonved to such^» dde n and ov er powering devbtion -Uinid «ngelj StiU, she did srailc, awj tel me ;Lomi,àn" f',. ^wt"*^ s& GORDON CARYLVS STORY. l^' her to the distant corner where the piano stood, whik tha other nien played for ponies in the distance, and the major with great impartiahty fleeced ail alike. She pHi}^d for me on the jingly piano ; she sang for me in a rich contralto. "I can see her now as she sat there that first fatal night, in a pink dress, white roses in her belt and in her bosom, the lamplight streaming across her rich, dusk loveiiness. Paugh ! the smell of white roses will turn me sick ail -ray life. ** It was late when we broke up, and Miss Lovell, shrink- ing pettishly froni the other nien, held out her hand with a soft good-night ^p me. I went out froin the warm, bright room, into the black, rain-beaten midnight, with head and hf art iri a Whirl. The others, not too pensive over their losses at first, chafFed me clumsily, but the hospitable piajor had bled them ail so freely at écarte, that their deadly, IJvely jokes soon lapsed into raoody silence. To-morrow evening, they were to go back for their revenge, and the friendly major had asked me too. " 'Though you ^id throw us over, Caryll, my boy,' he said in his big flebonnaire voice, 'you'll keep little Roaie froni nioping herself to death. Yes, yes, corne to-niorrow and fetch her the new songs. She has a passion for music, my little one, and a voice that would make Lind look to hei laurels if the poor old dad could aflFord to cultivate it.' "I tossed fejKîrishly thi'ough the dark morning hours. ♦ Rosamond 1 Rosamond ! ' I kept repeating ; ♦ there is «lusic in the very name, miisicinher voice when she speaks, fluisic celestial in her tones when she sings. And to think that my little white " Rose of the World " should be daughter to such a confounded old cad as that. But iwill marry \\e, and take her home to Caryllynne and ray mother,' I thought ; and I could picture to myself my mother's whole heart going out in love and welcome, tp her son's fair young bride. I didn't much fear a rejection — I was conFti- tutionally sanguine, and she had been as kind as heart could désire. Unless — and I grew cold and hot at the mère (ancy— unless she had left a lover behind in Bermuda. — -^ At the very eartiest possible hour ncxt mornii^ 1 Wi, '> fl'î'5?Jp|~"*i«i'?'^ S-^'. t »">» <*, ■^/m^i^' ■■ ' GORDON CARYLVS STORY All^'h?;oli|tld bes7" Oh ?'' '°" fr'.°^ "- ' " * By letting me corne to— tosee you everv dav Tîv " I hngered for hours, while she tried over the &c,r^X ^^À d,ml^ reahzed two facts : that her knowledge of pfano US.C was but meagre after ail, and that shf had S Aery little to say for herself. Only dimiy • I was m.,rh i^-^ \t- ■•'%. ;4 ;ijtti^/.fJ:-.-.V..?: j ; 5-7 \ 60 GORÙgj^ CARYLVS STORY. L^y HuleTv'e? '"'nJ^'^' and glared. fiercety ont of I,û iicry niiie eyes. ' Not to insuit him, surely ! A noor min he^m.ght be-alas I was, but al.ays kn ofiiL and'a gentS, liftll^f"! ^^ stopped sonorously to blow his nose. « Very i-lave I taken a viper into the bosom of înv faniilv?' Gordon r' old .htrn^bug, melodramatically * V^ Mr Sne the r ' /"" ^'^ >^'' *° ^ ^^'^^ estate 'and for,' £^l^^hl^T■°^l" ^""'^"^ ^"^ distinguished line; it i, âlso true that I am^.but one remove from I ,,aup<;r, sti 1--^ tin^s^o'^t'^h^TH"' '^^''^l!'' Jt^"^^o"t. împe'tu^u y eut. tmg short thisrhQdomontade. ' What bosh are you talking ? 1 nean what I say, I mean it more than I ever meanf w thing ,„ .„y 1,^. Insult-nonseifse ! I loveyour S g£ and I ask yoiHto give her to me for my Jfe wë hlvê known each other but aweek, it is true^ wkat of t at? Love^is not a plant of slow growth-it can spnn^un Se the gourd of Jonas, fully grown in a night.' '^'""^"^ ^'^^ m. ï : l ""^^ ^^""^ ^^^^ that'somewbere. It struck me even at the t.me as sounding rather absurd. and Ilooked was ?or h^h^dT '■ r Nodoubttheoldvnian • " 'And she— my Rosamond,' he said, at leneth in a vo^ce husky with e.notion and 'much whike^un^dt-ln^y •httle one. who, only a year ago, it seéms to me, playèd ^l her do Is, and-and marWes, and-er-that sort of thTnl "non 't' '^' '^J"^""^ ^ ^^°"^^"' ^"'i ^eturns you -L'f; — pon my hfe, very flattering passion ? ' "I smiled exultantlyas 1 recalled a Httle sceiïe of last •": »ï . ^...~.„ X, wu.uMig miss Kosamond Love l's .two hands in pSn'^Vnd ?h' 'r', \^!l^P^-î'^l story'Tcon'su t g ^ -^'?^. the hands had not been drawm aw«y ^...itf^ u th. cxqui s itc face drooMm:th;'di;;; li^hr s is :>.r. ^ '*" '>^-^/iâ'-î4 < GORDON CARYLÎTS STORY. g^ ;'«^e.d that .hich had „,ade .e the happiest n,an 6^ sanction. And I hooed h7 J. m^ '^''' "^^^^^ ^""^ his beihg at once. Urnèed w^^lher^jH^ 'f "^"'^^'^ âge. and two months over-what n.fn ^^ -^ wantedtomakesMreormyprùe. ^'"^ '^ ^^^^^^^ ' consenting at first She wif . "'^"^^ ^ ^^'H "^ ""t ^:as so fcandaously short whr""^7.°"în^*^^"^'"^^"^«^ to be thoiight oX. '""'«er say ? The thiqg was not Tc^c^P^^Sp'Ï^I;:';^^ ]fl-'tdidit„,.tter«vJ.,.\ ".other had no thot?ght b»tTr If? ^"^ ' ^^ ^^^'^^^ ^«d -consent was ail S ^ut for my happmess ; theirultîftîafe \ world's tOnm,e le"fhemnJ k ^^^' '^ ^e. dreaded the ^ he pleased.^ml in a nZ hf;' P*^"^'"' -""^'^^ P"vateas could get ieave ôf ab encl 'l an^ "'°"'l?'' or whenever-^ EngJand. When the S^' ^""^ '"^ ^'^^ ^«"'^ «ail for - out' Marryn/ydldU^ius^^ ' portable, etc., etc ^tc ' ""'"^"^ ''^^ ^^^ irtsup- \^^^^^t^^^^ i -f ' that ti.e. that in the da^ ofour first vô^,,^hP'V^'''^ '^^' ""^'- ^^ss female^acquaintancT? v^Dnli;.! .°'^'^°"'^ ^^^ '^"^ «"e course, was bridesmLd ^n^%-^^ ^^"sic-teacher^she, o£ -an. Ve were SedTn tK^^^^ o^ Ours,:^as best aufm«naroiorning,al ôhtheauiet rfr P^'^"""' ^"'^ ^^«^ bridesmaid. ail promised sec^recv & "»"' roonisman, the cpttage with her father as b/f"- '^'' retnamed at . the town. I did not write to In ^ ^^^^ "^^ ''^o^^s in ^nough for^all that"î tEh \""°""S^ '«T marriage-tirae . >2^ > * fi would hâve to look io •»; .^ ,.* 4-* r *• ;v''>''^'/^J*'f-«^eC(?#<'^P^"«Pi-^ ii : * 4 f H, • *- { t 62 ""OXDOAT CAHYLVS sTOXy. ; figer The story of n^ S m ^""^ "'^^ °"^ «^^^et no sf"", I nuist hâve seen thp M^i/^ W'ndness was upon me But l saw nothiL, susDerflï amusement and contemot came, ù fell iike a'^S ^ "„& ^"^ ^^^ th.^W I hâve sa d this «rîrl r u a '""^5"- J'fe ; she fo4d me to thelL „f ^"k "^""^^"-^^'^ ^o the Meve her whole heart was nZe "'^'^^JM she mad* me matrnnonyshe held her dune",» i' ^^^^\^°^^ «"ontJ,s of he first day. Somethrng^^;:;/^ 0^^ '^^ ^^'yed as on 'east I saw. She looked at ml »? .• ^"^ """^' ''^''A at feared me; she looked at L - ^^ *""^^ « though she l"n). The old fellow had taken to'/' f'?^"^^ she feared ever, had been at death'sdoor^ùt^''," •'''"« tarder jLhan than once since my miriacï^ «'"h dehnum tremensCre after^abbled of wh^atThaTCe' " '"' ^"^^ <^ ^--d . /.vve hooked him sir' fi,» *• legs, -hooted him I,k/fh„' '"««ingon his rickelv oS «...pot ïïd^ïlÇ^Slt" ''^°'^^' «' "f !>• T.. a„a I h;." «.Il, nursed hl„i fairWalfa^d'devoS^.'^^'T'"''' "'h '"• ^^vrrd'«r:is™3^^^^^^^^^ *"'" "'"• J B hc wottl4 pfea^^^ I — *— » Ji-^ ■ Aii4 .: : .>i • î2| r-».«Bs»««„.„. 4 f -'*•;■'- ^1 l^f>:'^.^ GOJ^DOJV CARYLDS S TORY, ■•c^ .1, ^s •keep away— don't eo în vA., wants no one but me ' " ""^^ *^*P'' ^^e feyer. «He fceep me from seeing him Off ^L °'u *"^^ ''^ ^^^ce to as a ruie he had hif wT abouf him th°n ." ^"/ ^^^'"°"«.- like a satyr.to the last " ^''°"g' ' and^ould griiT never cared about her ànd it t^^i^ i '^**'^^' ^hough. 7 ^ sl^ame. to go off hooks'' you LTf^^ ^ ^^^'"«' ^ «^"«-ser» " ' Not tell what ? ' î askerf^^' .""^ °°' ^^"•' "MVever you n.ind P^a' ^^'°^^- fastenough. 'C:i„'tSS"ba7sor^H ^^"'^ ''^^ '* -•' and rm sorry-yes l'm sorry I did i^ ^^^ >^ ^^ou are. unhandsome triclc 4 one gentleman Vn Y^' ^ ^«^'''«h -^ but Jt was good fun at the rime Th?. ^t^ **" «"other ; admit yourself. Hu^h-h Miere 4^ ^ ^°" " ^^ ^««-ced to /ï-^. m tell you ail by and by ' '"^ "°'"^^' "«' ^ ^ord to to diliS'^t^Stt^^^r ^^ ^'^° ^ b"^ I -t it dowa eyes from his face to m,;? ^°°^'"« ^"*^ ^^^^k, appreheS . J^ot/i ng ^^« w,yuld care to hear p • four months— I was destined fo i?^ ""^«^ness had lasted over " . "Themajoîsanklower ^nd^'^^^s^ll^again. near. Rosamond never refthlr'' ,%'ast.hour was «rove mth ail her migh to kee^Tf,'" ''^"^"'^ ' «^e stilî wonder now she did not h»c. ' l"^ ^P^""^ ^ sometimes capable of it. I belleve '"'''"" '^'^ *^°'*- «he was quke cot.age"\';;f ;,Lriy 'reac;;èd mJ'^S *?""•- ^ '^'^ ^«ft the .. \. ^^ '..^*l iï ; • J'if ■ r: iiV- i. : -\ H % GORDOlf CARYLVS STORY. «> able fJepression had weighed upon me ail day: niy wife was ç4..gdy changea of late ; I could not un^rstarid l7er Tli* nK.)or was very . low. almos(«at Jiis last. What ,fTe Aed wrnîe I was absent, Rosamond^and the sèrvant-maid ail alone. I turned hastily back • I would' S^rJ^ deor gul's vigil I thought-na^, I would c^m^i ^'l ^ " I returned to the house, and entered softly. The maid servant was alone m the sick room. Miss losamo^JSad fallen asieep at her post from sheer weariness, and had been persuaded to go (p her own room and lie don^i ^^^" T A nu- ,i ^"'.^^ "Sht,' l said ; ' I will share your watch I don't thmk he wilLiast out the night ' > ' toSar'' '"'*'' "^'' opened-a c^nning leer in them ourtlfe^^nlD ^^'•^°"' '«y-boy-don't you think l'il last l/p-stairs m her own room, açleep.' " ; ^^hat s nght. When the cafs away the micecan olav Send th^t.wo,nan back to the kitchen-I've a worHr two for your pnvate ear.' . ^ «* wora or two " I obeyed. The woman went. " . ' ^iZ^fV'"''^ ^^^- ^J?"'' ^^^ "■ g°°^ f«"o«^. and corne hère u ed And'' r "^'^^ ' fT' S°"^' -"d l' can't ^W as f used. And I sayMook hère, Caryll ! no violence voii know l'm an o d mari, and l'm dying, and l'm sSrrï^ . ;.yes, blessed if I ain't-that I ever fooled you as I did^ aÏÎ the rejmration l<;an make, I will make-that's fair s'urelv No«vhsten, hère, Caryll; this has been a put-up 'obToS first to last. Rosamond's not my daughter / ' ^ ^ . '" Not your — ' ^ " I sat staring at him aghast. ' " ' Not my daughter— no, by George ! Mv dauahfpr fh« T '5 .^?r^^' y°" '^"°^^' •« in^BermudVstl and a deuced hard-featured young woman-takes after her mother and wouldn't touch her disreputable ^Id d«i wîth i '»""■ .»i^ Si--" i CORDON CARYLDS STORY. 05 isn't my daughter. I don't know who's dmighter she is but she's nothing to me.' ^^^^ ' "I sat stunned, dumb, listening. If m y life had d^ bâteinton ^^"r^''''^ '' ^^«' q^rylV the dying old repro, \-n jTI V ï • '• ^' ^^' '"^ ^^^ York I met lier first- Zr^y 7°'^' u""'^ ^ •"°""' ^^«^«'•e I brought her hère Strolhng down the Bowery one night I went inïo a concerî* rooni, or music-hall, of the lowest ^orf Ro.„ ^^"cert. <»;fU *u • L ^ •» "* luc luwcsc sort, iiowerv rou<'hs ■ Th I K^^' u°" ^"^ cigarsjn their niouths, vvere S It was then,\uting there and lookingafherthat de «; among the feUows St. k^ «oft-headed. soft-hearted foo fe^fc^^>3rXS^ '•#■ î ■; ' ' ", " -^ ?*Çç> - -^v ,0:- '# r;, j, ^ *i^,-*,,^î«. ^. .' \ . 66 GORDON CARYLVS S TORY even then-^e's the heir to one of the finest fortunes in tha tigate. The thirtg's ivorth trying. Of course whenthi? fi k^ is hooked /corne in for the lion's ^har^ Ècarte's no. «n unprofitab^ amusement, but there n.ay be better thinîsin U>is wicked world even than écarte ^ * n /lîml"^^' * ''"■"'^ • ' »^e^-even you must own that. I lost the œni^TJod'rr- ?""^«d up Rosa.nond" beS rne scènes. Cood GedJ such scènes! and there and thf'n • had a longand fatherly talk wiih 'her. She gave me her sn^rno'rS"^' ' iSf '^^^ "° l^^^-^^' "olieTds to fr^fk î' relations. She never /w// Iwd a father so far ' t^' yea"s'ri'e '^L'^^""^- .^^-^ of ^mothertd dieJ debut^ia^rl^^^^^^^ XS rat^r: «nH */ ^^î î^"*^'"?^ °^ '"J' plan.that night. I slept upon it and fouild it rather strengthened than oiherwise hv JhLt ' K . J: "^T^ "'' ^"' Rosamond On ,Wte lif^ tv called her Sally) next morning. in her Bowerl attic! and kid my plan before her. Gad, Caryll, how sbe ju. ped at ? 1 Her eyes ghttered at the mention of the fini d esses and gay jewelry-she had ambition beyond her suhere had w^rV.^'"'"^ f'^^ ^^ un^holesome hght litSatur; and wasequal oanything. I found her cleverer eten E'an I had dared to hope-the girl had been more or lels educat »d at ajpubhc school, apd could actually talk well The nelro minltrel gentleman thrashed her wLn heîot rfrnnt ^k bvX fo f '^^ ''^ ^".' u^^»^^™-" atod'tefto ^^ ,' îhlm^ Vnrt A^' "^"*^i ""^ '^'^ ^'"^y Q"a«ier Latin of Ne™ Yor>, and eager and ready to go. n^l'^^r^K îl^r^ *° "^^^^^ ^°'*^s, Caryll-the thing was an .l'TK^&^'acTe^SS ^ish fly walked headIoDg in at first sig ht. You m^ ■#i-- 'fg»^ QAr CAJtyzL'S STOÂY. and wonld finish. I held the dHnk r^ K-^'P*"^ ^° ^^^^ «"d da.ed .o« of .a„ T. too -LX îlfi^e tlS^^^^ yet. th* bond, but she is. ànd her effhrfc r T^"' . ^^^^ ^^^n't in die and "„,ake no ig^?' S wo .f ^k' ^"^^ *° '^^^^ '"« I ani't snch an out-and o^^A^ ^ \ ^^"«'" cause. But _.when.he's going to die So pL ^^^ * '"a» anygood •«y boy. and ySu can do as vn„°^f ^ ^ '^'^^^ breastff?^ spoonyon herfi knoVand if^vo„^ l^"^- . ^°"'^« ^«'f"»y about II-, cf.w t- u .' *"" " you hfce. wir c^., „„.i..- ^ ; : "<».iicu gins JJke Rosiê— anH où" V . '-'tner nien Jhnll cry of horrorf riotVkU,\^.^^^^d "P both hands wiSi I I was out in the black storrf. h l ^^^ "^^^ ^ remember "Pon midnight. At thât hn ^^^j^î" ^'^^^t- It was close nooneabrofdin Toront Tw^eel of ^'^^ ^^°™ ^h-'-^: through my brain, some nahiÏ! "^^ r'f "^^««d crashin» "Pon me. In a stjpefied watTi?'' ^^^'^^ ^°"-o^ hadfalJef «nore. And then-a» \nln\l}jT- *=?.n«cious of that-of no had passed and rhllZ^xSl^^i "u ^"™"^ *° ™e the nLh° 'y«^- And thV ïïs' ;i.T ' î;tf^",yf th, S^ ^T % ■i s .. r •'"•'''♦•^'V. t •♦ï'' , ^,r.y,^m^m^^ 68 OO/tDOAT CARYLVS STORY. I .. o! •■ '">' ""■"• <=5oive—to hâve her life, and n?more, I S (o"Q;e£''r '"■'""'"« Canada 10 relu™ l'iroiigh Québec, of coiir'4'fei /^ ^OZ-Z^OA^ -C^JfyZj^.S sroj^y erthedeardepaitta. ,/^fa'/,^ i^'ke a flash me truth camé , "'*^ost thrJIing indeedi . to^rarosnerr *Vhifh are wj I believe at lir#kl»'i^n • j° "^^ ^een mir wife f *an,e ,ha, Uuk7JZtS:^î "' '*'''> »f'^^ « Pause ■ « ,h. <^ ti i ii /> ■ ,t. P- * 70 GORDON CARYLVS S TORY. put at once. VVhèn pne's life cornes to an end at home it js well to be of some service abroad. And so, Lucia, mv s'^d^bSê iTo." '''-' '-'' ''' '"^ ^°°^^>' -^^ ^ooJ He took both her hands, looking down into the fair dropping face. ♦ "Andyoïi " he went on, "are you happy, T,uda? You : arepaleandfrailasashadow. Tellme, does Dynely-" he t'ISaway' ^'■^" '^^': . ^ands from his clasp, her face'sùl! ''I made a mercenary marriage," she answered, sudden coldness and hardness in her tone ; " that you knovv Ail the happiness such marriages bring, I hâve. While I possess Z P' ^'qJ,7 1 T'^^ '^" "fr^ ^^ """^^y '"iserabll. Gor- " vJ 1, '^oï^^d "P suddenly, her fair face crimsoning. "You knew Lord Dynely before his raarriage-you were with him one autumn in Ireland, were you not ? Tell me—" the stopped. "Welli, Lucia? What?" " It niay be only fancy, but I /lavi fancied Ihere is some -some secret connected with that Irish summer. It is seven years ago--you were only'a boy at the time. Still— " agam«%he paused confusedly. "Well?" . ^ . % . Tor/n'^ r' •i' *'"^' "° S^à"° P«^sa"t girl to whom Lord Pyneljfpaid attention tÏRt summer in Galwav? I hâve heard a rumor-" for the third time she broke off, afraid. it seemed, to go on. ^ «^naiu, Her cousin looked at her in some surprise. "You knowwHft Lord Dynely is^was, I mean, in his bachelor days." he said. quietly. " an admir;r of ever; pretty girl he met whfether peeress or peasant. There were many handsome SpanislWooking women to be seen that long aeo summer we spent fishingat the Claddagh. on the ollwly coast. His lordship adSled them ail, I am bound to sS ; Dnîî.l'L /^'^ *° "^y* i'^P^ially. so far as I could iTe Don t take fancies mto your hild, Lucia-facts are enough. ^4mw I musiLgp. 3yJov e 1 h o y t h e t i me i H ia ^ owft h-f m have kept you hère an uncpnscionable time in the falling dew .xu iCj>" *ïftS. t'iS,.^,,'n ï\tL'J,"j}> -"V^Ai*^ î*i>*j ^''■t, 4 -• "3 w»"»* # +i'^ home, it ucia, my nd good the fair, ? You y— "he face still sudden vv. AU possess le, Gor- isoning. •u were me — " GORDON CARYLVS STORY. more, good-by." ^°'" '"^- ^'"'^6 hefcl^^et" tetotiudtnlv' .'^"* '°"'" ^"^ ^°-hed " Oh Gordnn ^ fuddenly mto a passionate sob.^ goj.. ' ^°'^^°"' ^°"«^"' "breaks my heart to sec you Hesniiled. ' " It is best so," he said. -«41 »« s some It is 3till— " as :-^ whom ly ? In. afraid, in his pretty many igago ralvtuiy >s4; i see. lough. '4-- .«<> ».,' •^ • # • ( ■ - , >"'■■■': - ■ • ■ ■■*■/ « « ,i'-i^\u- ÉÉëft^É^ iÉAic . MMMWiieMiii' 'jjiw^iny ■^m^mmmmm^^^ ±.:'-^ I ^' II ■ .Si- ' " t^. CHAPTER VII. «^ HOW LORD VISCOUNT DYNELY DIED. ?ALF an hpur had passed away, and still L^. Dynely paced slowly where her' cousin had ifft her. heedl^ess of fallirig dev.. her thin dinner dress danip and heavy ' already in the night Tn fhf days thatwere gone she had be/n very fond pf her bov cousin, three years her junior in actual years twentv in Thou^ :n °'" '°^, ^'"^S'"^"^- There hadTev^r E^^^ ;f°"ght of love or love-making, marrying or giving in nm K'.nH rT'^''"^°' '^'^ ^^^ givenVisfount Syndr her hand of her own free will, and yet, die sharpest keeS he"^fir!/h*"'i Jf °"«y she had ev'er felt, she h^d feU when she first heard of Gordon Caryll's marriage Not a 3^ fierce pang though, after all-lt might iave been ^lidS her as of Lady Jane, in the poeni : "* °' " 5^'"?^^ *^ ^^^' mUk-white her skin : bhe has not blood enough to sin." Dynely and twentfeth Baron Can|erdZn Sh^'hln k"°' taken up to London at eighteen. auTpre'entedttr kfnT woman the Countess of Haldane. She «ras tall \Un.Z^ r ?? A T ^Jl^*" '°^'P'^ *° somè tastes, but she suiteS LoM Dynely. Hecame horaefrom a yachting cruisearoùnH Norway and the Hébrides, presen.ed himself sudden,^^^ Vanity Fair, the most désirable prize of the mail Sl^. «onsand estâtes in four counties a viUa aiTv^ u^"' ' :'^^''-'^^'' \. './jêi'u'^'i*'-* ■jÈ^^Lx^^i^^i'^i» •-vwtmmmn\^v^,^-' ^^^'' coul re msipid nonentity-thlf Kl A ""r""^^^ ^'^ *e day— tCLir ^>5a/ did he sef in £ ? ^^' ^"^^'^'^"^ ^ worn^ut ro?" ' '>': fee^^^rL?^^' -^ fWn W haTdLrJ ■ "h: wt v^Tr!; ^f wert^^frt^^^ '-'' ^^-1^^ yet loyal hère. He took itr oS /^ " P'-°''«'-'>, i|e was then returhed to Endand «,?.? u ® Continent foràvear Lord Viscount Dynelftas th "r '^" "'"«« Enc "^S r-^e most devoted^rCblnâ: °l7V°''"^^^^r^^^^^ \ son a change came over him R . ^T*" ^^^ ^'^h of his ;nto moody, darksome rêve Ss h? H °°'' .* ^^'"^ ^f falli„ ' unpleasant hints of some S doi„t°^P\^ "ysterious ^5 gloomjly of his infant heir^d f om^L'" -^^ ^J"'"' ^^ «pS «oman's nainéin hisdisTS^ÏÏi "" ■»*• He sMire . ■1 4 ^^^'^ nwr^^nd more afiid of Hm r ■V , ■ ■M^ s* M ^OIV LORD VISCOUNT Dy^^lY DÏÊD. . ' ' ■ • j / X -' as the years went on. Years didgo onJ Eric wâs five • tlj^s secret, whatever it might be, wa« Lord DyrieVr secret ^tilL Only once he had said to lier : ^ • ^r^eir s secret stUL .«"il"^'^ if I, die before you, I hâve somethinii to tell bed confessions, 4on't they ? Oft fjie princîple; I ^,ppos-. •n.,««i • ,. , ■' \"'*^ "• " *" interesting trait m. the Dynely succession thdt we alwa^s ar^ eut off in a hurrv) it he LT'I^ ^'^t' "" ^'^^ same/There's one consSk,n,'' andïbore fc^^^^^'S^'^'^^fj'"^^^^ "^^^ never cared ov;r Sëuien^s J^vTm k""^' *u^ '^^'^ y°" '"^•"^i^d ^"d the set- thé rh.n.J ^ " ' T *^^'"' y°" '^no'^» to the end of ^e chaptef, so you won't break your heart." ina n« '^''''''^^ ^^^'^ ^°g« ^"<1 walked moodily off, say. d"fate3 Te^'/Î^'^'' ^'^^ "^^^"'"g ^'^'^ P^'« <^heeks and e hlr mSn ^"^ "îî questions. She waS not strong, - V^A ■ f "i°"5' «^'th almost cowardly fear. If Lord Dynelv iShL A. tTîîT'' T^' ^'■""^ °^ "^^ »° talk of mak- hâ w^- ^ ^^ ^u^ ^^^^ ^'^ ^•■^a^f"! masculine secrets in lue, let him keep them in death. ' left he^^îni- ^ri^ *'''"'''"« '^'' ""^^'^ Gordon Caryll had wL robe? h ^- 'k^ r*"^ 'P'"* °^ ^he raoonlight in her T^ t^. ' î^' ï«^t, floatmg hair, and colorless flce. And even while she thought it, the messenger was drawing near to siinimon her to hear that secret told • ^ hJfU^^^u!rf'^°''^ chiming loud^ eleven awoke her from ^hni •vW"**'*"*^^- Shestariîd. How late it was. 3 naa telt of cold and danip, and turned to go. But she stopped for the sylvan silence of the sumnS nigh waS oudly broken by the ringing clatter of horses' hS daT ng up the apnue. Was it Gordon coming back? Luîe -norsG 41^1 ..Ucr came in view ; Tfié min ëspied îwranà \ ■ \ h 1L._.._ t ./\'' l^i^s »ru w:'.;,..:ii l'^vtp th« t ' mW LORD VISCOUNT DYNELY DIED. , 75 '«Whatisit?"sheasked. eu '"^^'ship was m it, and ." ' ' ^ |;WasLordDynelyhurt?"sheasted. ' . ror "J ;i|ï:'= '" *' '"•=™P'«i- "«r vpice sharp wiU. *. ôiie turned from him and ran to the house On th^ »,„ evening-dresï oui on Sr tîT *. ^"ï "*^*'* ^^" ^«^ '^«te lujnedte Atdtnl:;3;rcïi^^^^^^^^^^ taraed into an adjoininir loom-^hL «.LÎT „u ° ^'r-^'^e lïoy= \iL """."ai Tl^e night-light burns low^he Ues in his downy. Uce "^ # "«* mi* M :^ISfti| j^^!ΫT.'i,4ç^f«jv; ^♦.1 gied dimpled h|*golde»cut|s falling o *^*P- «le slOQBlËîind kiss( " ' '11" .dent, 4e fiSed rian^ w- ^ 1^'"^"° *^^*^"^ «f the accj» • • ■ > .kt«ifs by .h, Mside. Her da k dS^Sy sfos off lf.°" ^" dress, Ker soft laces h«»r fii,; ^i^o*- t* • ^ °"> "®'^*''^>fe \^ ^<'r-s,aSd^^^^^^^^^ ^ .apeaksa Word. » "F"" ms lace. bhe never » Jle li» arid look, a. her^ ,«g, „.^,,, f„^^^ ;'ïamdymg,"hesaj's; "rif knowit i Vn., ».„ ■ . ^ — __ .,.. — .__^__„_...™„_^„ fa^. \ , ^| \ \ 'î it 'm is li^idly . ! proppÉ^ dless 3L^à. ' the accâ» . is frowrt, s on her - ler white itrangely >in head eyes fix le never » owning wronged ràost B« yo„ Ln h^^^ f^l^!'^''^ *""' •"="• sh^doasyou see fit iS°n d!Ïw n=i " °"' """'' """ ^°" o^ne bends doser above him «« ♦ -i u . ^, . Glauber, thp doctor and Mr À.fni 'f, ^^''^'f *^«"g«- Mr. easily, looking at their watchê JnS '^V^^"-' ^'""k un- sible Lord Dvnelv ?n hf» f f ' °", ?"^^- ^V* ^"'te 'n>Pos. Presently Mr TexTan f«^i k ^''r,''^"^*^^ fallenasleep He opens the doo° an^S'^^oe^fn ïorTA" f'^^ ^"r^^' back aoibng his pillo^-s de^ fî;^ f "^ ?^"^'>' '^^^ ^^"«n his.face; 4 lad/S^ne S" bfi^^^^^^^ . upnght,.aswhrte, ascold as thn.. J,?., j 7 ~~^^ "^^' ^^ "My ladv !" S^° C ^ ^"™^^ ^^ stone. Lady DySl. J ierfnf "°' ■^^''^ °' ''''• "My dear ' tone. ^ ^' ^'^ '^^'^"^ ^y^ ^» an uoutterably shocked and catches hersas So'? ^!?i' ^^^ ''"V^L^^^ unstekdily, b«dc, and faints wj!"''^"' '^^^Jl^ «^""^ «»»« »«Ps heavilf ^■'* « l" , *> . " IT .•^«isi ,h4^v*/^. ^^«r ■*v . "•->>■. «K, '■'M A' V ^i .^.^\ t V-.; ^Jk 5, >«i*f ii,"^- 1 ^ - fi, ) a*' ». % PART SECOND. CHAPTER I. IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY [HE brilliant noontide of a hn'ii;.,»» %r j r AcMemy. ^ ■ " "^^^ ''^^ °P^i"g day of thc Royal "a mob is a mob thouïh J! ^nd gentlemen, but hen dilettante- ookW sVeuf ^2T^ 1 ^''^°^''" ^"6"^^. long hair, and pfcturTs^e 7aces • ï? crS h^l"'^'". ^'*^ ciUnhand; academidX r^îL; • ^"^^ ^"^'^â, book and pen- dealer^ n^^ki^X qu ™ • to s>oop ; statlly do24e^ "weeniL t? "^^n P'^^°*^J^ mi^nd.n,se compleS J'âc^SSr^"^^'^^ «'^'^ -"N théi^eS^CiaSërSiSr'^K^^ ^^^^B four asi through.thT I^^£^g^"X>-'^° ™-^ slowly; trfctedconsidèrablelttS cLAÎS' *"''"' "^^ . proacKkig middle ace. a fair nniï^ ' -^^ ^^'^^ "^^^ ^ ^ woman, 5ith a stamS of hih ' ^t ' P^'^sive, /ojj^ loofcing eveiy ckrelSs Se ^ï °° everyfaded feature, il e-scort was rîcf? Si vei^Jr''!f î***,?^ attraction. The vciy tall, veq. broad-s houldergfaejy powexfu l .^^ ; \. '^ ilùuél !^ > / >y was f car- of ail- Royal L jOSt- then guid, Vfith pen. cture. ently rainsj withi iras/ yyvlyi at-i ^Pl î, m' rhe ^ \ • / ^ '4 /AT TVSœ ROYAL ACADEMY. 79 looking young nian, niuscular Qidstianiîy personified with a certam m.htary kir. that bespoke his calliVrÀTck. Tè I dish beard and mustache, reddish, close-crop, ed hak arid Sri' ^n; g°°^-?"'?«'-^d eyes. m was riot' Jhe attraction f S ^;""'^°"ï ^^^l '^as as w€ll known about town as Landseer-s couchant lions around Nelson's pillar, in thi square beyond. It was the thiri^of the trio, a girûaU and f^^r^^^f very graceful. w-ith a figure that'waf rLreîy pSr fect, and a way of carrying herself that was altogethef^i,m)e-\ ml. A dark beauty, with a warm, creamy, colorless sk n w/Th ^T^^y^^ a profusion of hazel hair, armnged A?^ «^^A a iiandsome, dec.ded, square-cut mouth, and a gen- eral air of imperious comi>,and that said to ail ^ ]'Incedo Regina I ** { I move a queen." She was dressed U passant, as it were, with a careless sim &e a^rf'^^f &f rr "' ^^e*^ ^'- An IndLn i iTce Jîth W ^^T:; roses-on her head a touch of point- K^' Tu Jf * ?"^ ^"°^ ""ose over the car, and in her oearl. kidded han^a buy,cH of the same scented yellow rose? A çoveyWidle,el^ant dandiesof the Foreign Office and guardsmen Jounging !n one of the door-ways,^puY up the^ /' Something new in Vanity Pair," one said. «and the best n'o ô^e te"ill""T" """^^ "^"^'^^^' aS^one?" air" ^Thlre" 11 ""Zl^^ 1^°" "Y' ^^r'^^- J°^« ' ^l^at a régal airi ihere is nothmg on. the wal s~not a nvmnh or aaà dess Cthem àll. with a lovelier face. Who is sh7? " * ^" -^S J°"^»^^"'mi:^."""V',/''. * "T «0 i «r TSB, KOVAt AÇAIlgj^ «"Às^j-eare not to kno" ,"_" ''"'' '"'» ^ep. yoo, ej-e. «C*?""^ "" ''°"'' ™»' ^^ 'V.o i, .Ha. ï^orresigr." -^"^ "«an, w jt? That girl anin- is Wer naine is Fran^*. t? . "^ .wered catal^ M, De™lS"~J ")'<"■ '"'' « •«"er." .„. the mysieries a little^d nS ^n^ °^^^^ ^^^^- Open "^ei^s no Jfôre ""r^**^" WP^e." Jl - * „ ^ a^mreâ;convent,andthe"eshfH^f"'^'. placed her ^ W\.he died, left her a forZl T** """^ ^^^ was fifteen gardian. That ^a7Îh%e ïlnr' *°^ ««ade Mrs. Caiy £ ■»i'i («f . '^ 5! . %_ conveyed to'the ' ;/.' W^ ' H ' 1 '' /AT TVSri? ROYAL AdADEMY .'ti 8i i'en^t seen anything i^hat with inadttin< of the head, and wa« Eternal City. Until ttwj «ontlîs ago she moved and had h*.r beinç there-noMT she has corne ^ver. t J œme out under fhe ?S.i h '°™"«^h'-'?ay?Terry. with a sudden sensé of iniurv "the thermometer is high. and I tlp't used to it." ^ " ^' Ihe F O .?,£^""'f'' «^'■«l'iaway, and the four men from "Safe to make a hit," one said ; "h 8o thoroiighbrçd for three àeasons. ojselles beauty and grâce, and f/ia/ pois» of the head and -two fortunes tackçd to her train, and hertWent7auarterilu ^^^Ï'^K -rnf""^^^? ^^™''^' 'he ForrestTrsrshrS S e a bnmânrmatoWiefQre the season ends.» ' ^ itr^i ^•i î • ^^''°.".*^ ^°^^"^ always Win the Derby îîSr '?i''^"'^''r''""-'^^ ' ^ say, Castlemain I Yoù ^ri^^~?'" ' '"^"^^ ^ ^°" î" that faniily once ?" r«.î •^P''y"~:'''''">' finefellow-knewhimat Oxford" tS S?;"^^"^""^' "^<>'"'"i««oniû theRifles-lo^dstory that-Mxteen years ago^aU over and forgotten for S «PeadP'Vj " Don't kîiow-all, the sarae— extinct Made a horrible mesalhance out there in Canada-scandàl~dh.orce-ex . ?a"tf „rJf"V° India-never fieard of more S^;:^ f --fate of ail of us by and by. Deuced slow this." strue- ^' ghng with a yawn ; "I say-lef s hook it." ' ^ f^Jr. J''Z^^^^^°'''' ^"' °*''^" ^aJ^e their place, and the men, one Ma", turn for a second look at the fa r proudU boking heauty With'Lady Dynely, she still stands whëî mde^'tr 'hfe *'^™' r "l^^ ^'^^ Picture thaT'S; «S^ .A T^^a^g" Square— it is marked in the catalogue No. S56—B0W The Night Felir »^wiogue .rriMî Kft * ^" ^"^'''^ f *^^"^- "^a»^ d^J^ hi"s in the back- «ot Uiese dark hiU-sides. A broad river, with th- to«» -Zi broad river, with the tast rej i A I. pifth', f ^r tW 1 . ■ r- 82 /AT THE ROYAL ACADBMY. light of dying day ghnting along the water, and over hill-side SLh Tr ^""î fl°«'«"g river, the gray darkness of conSng night shutting do«rn. On the river-side two figures stand a inan and a woman. One red gleam fron, thf western sky au white and drawn with woman's utmost woe. Passion- ate despair looks eut of her wild eyes at the inan who îpiiîl ""f^ !;"• ""k '*"^/^^ <*" 'stretcheîîn'^onL'S Sfn • ^t '"*"; ^"^ standsand looks at her, one hand Î^Ia Ï ?"^^ ^' '^ ^^^"» *^*^^ ^ff- Hb fac^ is pa^tly Se* hi h T "^^ ^•^^'^ î^! ''^'^^^ *»»*' ^^^ shows. You Si M.. •''°°"u". '5^'^** ''*'y*^"d rédemiîtion. Over ail, the creeping night is darkening land, and river, and sky. The two ladies gaze in silence for a Unie-Lady Dynefv looking weary and rather bored-Miss Forrester's fine^eyes '^'.^.^:^^: °'""'°^ ""'^^ ^'^ ^^'Wd, the ex^res- " It is beautifal," she says in a low voice ; «there is noth- ,vi o' 1 '" '^^ '?V'- ^^ ** ^'^^^ '^«"derful effect of hl .?r A^ r""^""? *^«' and slanting along the river, and ' ^e gray darkness that you can ahnott /^^/there beJond Those trees are tamarac-can it be a Ca^adian sèene " How The N^ht Fell,"' she reads from'lgr Staffie* «t^.»k'nc"eTi '"'^^ '^ ^^'^^^^ f ^'^^^ ^^^' rJr^l& ^"""^^'T* H-m-m~a new candidate, probably. Certamly I must know him. In Rome, we-Mrs. Caryll and D^red^^'^.Tit taking u^ evéry young artist who ap- peared. She was known as the patroness of art. Our rooms on our art-reception nights uUed to be crowdéd. -The man who pamted that is a geniu*," /* Mrs. Caryll was the patroness of struggling artists for ïl? IT"; \f^n-^' '°" .^^ * devotee^âar^t once him! jelf,^and studied for a year in Rome befoi* entering the rJ,lS" Sli' ^"^ Ffn-ester repeated dreamil* «Ggrdon GuylL Pfechaps so, she very seldom spoke of hSi, poor fel- V, j^ tu THE ROYAf. ACADEMY. p'cture through her closed hand ; « there is a fascination for me in the auguish and despair of that woman's face. /A beautiful face, too. I wonder if the artist painted Wspictiyb fromlife?" j ' " My dear France, no. They ar% ail imaginary, are they net— suggested by books, op sotnething of that kind?" " Ah, I don't know. Artis^ and poets, and novelists, ail tiibi theit' sorrows to account in thèse latter days," says Miss Forrester cynically ; ♦• they paint their woes in oil and water colors, Write them in hexanieters, and niake money of tijern. Lik^ Lord Byron, if they weep in private, they certainly wipe their eyes on the public" • . '" My dear child," says Lady Dynely, looking shocked, " where hâve you learned ydur cynicisms so young ? " Miss Forrester lauglied. **I ani but a débutante," she answered gayly, «not coi je out yet before the foôt-lights ; but I hâve seen a deal of life, I assure you, behind the scènes. Hère cornes Terry." She glances over her shoulder. " If the artist of ' How the Night Fell,' be présent, Terry shall fetch him up and introduce him.'^, "But, France— " ? Miss Forrester laughs again — a very sweet, low laughi She is unlike raost English girls— in fact, she is not an Engf» lish girl. She has her French mother's blood and vivacityi as well as her dark complexion, and dark eyçs, with somet thing of the frank-spirited independence of an American girL With thèse and her late Roman expériences, she is a bùndW of contradictions, and a bewilderingly channing whole. "But, Lady Dynely," she ra^cats, "I warned you fairly m Rome what you might e^wctiwjen you consented to be- come a martyr, and bring ri^orjijf I hâve had myown way ever since 1 was born, and jCtWay» niean to — jf I can. I hâve lived in a perpétuai atmosphère of artists for the past three years— the long-haired Brotherhood of the Brush havf been «the playmates of my youth—the fiiends of my bosom.' " Hère, catching sight of Lady Dynely's horrified face. Miss JForrester breaks oflfand laughs again, the sweet» -T|>irank estt me rries t l au gh, that eve i^jc ame i ro m ro s y 4Îps^ "Wbat's thejoke?" asks Mr. Oennison, sauntering up. • ■ ;.*• 83 /. •' ■^'°"^ i»" " • '*V.^""y»" says Miss Forrestei- «,l« i ist?" i-orrester, do.ypu knp^ the ar- very fair n,an^ Crops 4 haif .L "î^^^ artist— more of the he^v^ï-J ' "^ '^''^'"^ ^^o^ like ao •See him ?" heavy-dragoon eut than anything else ^^^^'^T:^^^Vf- She sauras Terry • and beard, a compTe^^n Lroice LS r'*^ .^'^"^^ "^^'^ two grave, gray eves anrlTfK^ ûi ?"^^ ^° g®'^en brown. ^ man Iqoki'.! everfdky of hi tevfnll?K^ ^^^"' '^^—^ particularly handsome foce perhap: E^^^^^^ ^''^^ ^«t a hiced, , Whether Miss Fo;rr^S^\Srort\^ M. S^.K^''toSr' Ta^inte^Àtively. ^ ' whoni the acme of nii *°J'^^^ '^rge «// «^^wrJSjass to looking:- '^";" °^ "" P"-^'^^ «/ '"O'-tal beauty iHfo' bad •>r?^^1:ttes';S ix'^'jy P"-- Dennison. «•ght be the pet of the pet fcôats anThir" "^^ ^.°^^' «^^ Picture, but he won't. Lives for hi, i '^^'?" ^^^^' ^^at . know. but doesb't ca/e for wo^en '' "''~^P''^' ^^»°-> /«^ introducThS"'"^"'^^ B""« him up hère, Terry; and ' "Frahcel" ' , ' - \ .»♦ i,;.v, •'l "^*""ë aeocient, Mi « jJP '^^'5 and introAice him " ^ . * * —"' """S /bur'Se'S;^^:^^ î^î ^^'i^"- ever donc te' Jjan I Do let him be^"^ ^ôoi the h^'''^^ *"^ succe^sfil ,. thôse painting fellows in Ror^J ?.'''''' ^°"™ade amonàlr'» .lî* ^■^■*>^ c J "^l» -t «' .> \ n e w fa c< t)i m pomt ^^ jfflv é J T' ' , ,\ ■ .1 ■jê ^. '"ifi^'r lAT THF. RohL ACADEMY \ ,'♦ te , rîr* i A «5 ^ noble army of martyre I "• breathed, to her • fe.l'hX^'l^ockL'îr^l';.' ""' ^'''■' "-"'O y-' '»■•«>.= and .' seconds, and t/e deèd is die ' Sn '''^'='''"?' '°'' «'= *.*'"xio'ctr^ =^?w-t":k.r,&aS:raro"nc ™"' "■' ■4J^,f™' "'«-•-." «ys Ter,y,n>eekly;,..hany,I,i„g l^erry Denhtson, from the altitude of his «» fi.», i i. dbwn upon his dashing little suDerinr^ffli "1 *^^*' '^>*^k« ._i%^.h.ùneeye^„;JlrS"^^a»- «e of «nringajîd bting^ pre«n.ed ?* '^ f "","" ''"^ « 1^ «M 81004.' >, • .^ ^é] ■ IL '%•!■ -• >'^^ ¥-„ ■*>'i;r'<^^ ïT'If "^ ■^^*''> «■?r*^ ^^ h w.n really be confefnng a favor fn °ï^ '''°"'^"' b"* y°" J^ady Dynely I mean of course L n • ' '"«^^"ce. She- of art and artists. Never heL^'L^"'''' ^''^ °" '^^ «"bject sut^t pf that f^ictureof Jours - ^'^ «ercised as on the ^-if^^l^V::.^ -ci the ar.-st and bore him off in triunapr « '''' "™ '" ^is own, Forrester.»' ' ' ^««^'^s'ey- Mr. Locksley—Miss,^ Locte, "n^i^^areta "'.^ "IfT" ""'"y" "r. derful-wonderfuC ha<^^ "I ' jr" >S?,- B"' « '^ «n- yo..rn.odel,MKLocksIey?" ^'">«« did you fi„d . h.s,oice and face k, oddiy fa„,îlii J' t^^" "" l'ère in and bearded, was not like ITl^LJ^^' '"«• ''^"«d He stood ealk ng to France PnVriff *?.,'"'e«', yet slill—. of a Keswick a ower showS "^'^ °J'»''>'' ""ère waa talk l^cksley, let me congramla ë ,0..% "^"'î' ''"'"«• •hipiP. I hâve Jn.f?xalfes ST'Z '^ ?™ «''«er >h.ct i ^^ ..., ^^;;,p;« of ^X-^^^'^i^^^^o^ %^ tkifÈtJk^i' Tv T'.-?^-^,. /^ ra£ ROYAL ACADEMY. «7 myfr ends ™ Sh. .T' r'^K^"".^'^^ ^^^"'"^ *° ^««^eive ^rlT' ,^'«.\*^o"-ester murmured some last, eracioug ..ntlSr.N^"?'' '^''?;''''P '**'^'" '^as her remark, as thev entered the barouche and were whirled away • « J^ave von ever met tbis Mr. Locksley before ? " ^ ' ^°" h.r \ !if ^ "^''^'' ™^* *^'"- Locksley before, I am quité sure ^' bhe hésitâtes a moment-then answers : "fone who must bave died, in exile vears airn \Vh«« he sitoke first, it was the very viice of GoS cSkU.- ^ ^ /' V •\ i -i •é tr-r ' %'^~f '/ I ,. ^^ .,, ,, .^- ,^ -^,.^^rtyif*7»7«-"^r^'i^f^ ' ■ 1 ^-" *■ ,..«-. CTHAPTER II. -^ > *? TERRY. ... . ^"^tt^^iM^ soft pn.„,se pots~-a few stars duster Ke^bL^ 1"'^^'^ ^'^''""^y- over the streets~the '^pea soô„ '• ^' V^^'veryhaze hangs tKese West -End stuccoed^p^^T^s l^f^^T^ «^^"^^"'- «' ' The room in wWch Xady mSv ^LPu-%'''''^^ ^°*n. an âpartment as beautiful and eleà? "'^^^^'"8 ^°°'"' ^ /païnted «» ^«f/^^;. i,^;;"^!: J*^' P»c^ure is a portrait ( dear no other^ictu e n,u?t le Jtf.^' P^f^rait we/held o' tratof Eric Alexis AIbS«!i\r*^®™P*"'°"- It is a por- first Baron am^eâown' °'^ ^'«^°"nt Dynelyrand^v^eS?;, «ost casual observer If o„lv fn^'f'^^ ^^' «'"k» he „artist haij«ostXssîV L«ifJ K**' t?*"*^' «i*er the t ^ / «y. 18 ,an uncommonly h»fldtome nfiûu T|Sg ^ V ^i^^fe;- -^ T * * * « . . . •.. 4 .\ .. . ■;■♦. k-} • ■^.■,:2.i\ vats of ail ■ Dullocks, and the broachmg |f niighty of ter IS andL";'''J f^^>^ gh^^ng ^t is not altogether majonty at hand~is he not to marry tr oet FTIni^ p "^ aîdst had r •* *'^^JS'"^ ïmpatiently back his fair Hair, M,is \2Z^''\^^'^^^^ ^' ^* °"" a*^he sitg hère Iftat W nsn-|xyf . i, a aherf of sUvcr %ht tt^ihett-feet-shé se^^ fe?l %H"^tmgîtalongsli^ the yeï^sIS^^ 90 TBRRY. Ijjci,*» *^^ cousin she loved i^cniaps wiiat had |Mce been the to hear, that, in the soft waSof h?^ ^ ''°'''^' '° ^'^""^^'^^ rom-head to foot as sL Sf^^^^^^^^^^^^ «he shivers has stamped its i.npress upon i?l heV'fter 1 fe ''""^^ "'«'^' ' ThttL^rarstll^^^^^^^^^^ ™at can. after. allJierhttfeaïnre^ed"^^^^^^^^^ but weeping nota People wonder a little atthir, Ln ' Y^'^ °^ f ^P^' ^"d would hâve it so-^„: t pas raiV"irh . "^^^ "^''^'^^^ band and shoukler-knofc of rrl^T i ^u^*"/ ^^^ ^°'"" o»" the batjy viscount, and had cauiffht^ ^'^'ï^^ "•^«^ ^^e wiWIy : ^^"fif"' """ to her breast, crying r^ph, my Eric I my baby f n,y baby l" ^i>sband, a father. " AndlS ^« T ^ u "^«^«t^^e, a theglowing record l^it Jn ï^ *' ^°"°'' ''''"»•" «^uJ ^ w», o^er, an d then tato Lady i>^Xb m; .,^, . i /- ^ ,^C^! 1 ' "* -- f f 1 '^^M,..^. » ^^■j'-' :*r , Tenu Y, « / .■ , She left herlmaid behind her the dàv of h^rT • ?" ^"Z^' ga« « thf paie, fair EnglùA S "=*«=«'"' «!«»« to L^y p;„elv lUed ^m faJto Ê°a„7|'l|," ^ '^"^ iightod aiul Hn^^ - -„7° ^ ^^ ui°f y J*" «"O w-1 *" i -'»' f.. .^ji' \^n,^^jt^ 'a* "i^» -«J' ) . ©. 92 TERXY. V ù ) yan, i„ the corne/ '"fcJ''>-'^= «d-headM g«sBoon be " Ai^ orphan ? '♦ h*»r 7,^ l- earnestly at Teny, who S'''/*P"'="'' '«" Sazfng yen, / ?ÏÏ"«r.'° .P''''"er, I*ly Dyn^ Ba„s^ and ort^ î„ ''•'P"; "»'' «? Is-- fla^^dVay '"''^■'""' "« Olue, handso™ cye, «Jon''«?f èrbuîl; ;^t!;!r^ «"-■ ^ P-^nœ, I "« ï'"^'" ~" '""'^° *" »<« "- ««'kadKlefufke'Noi'^''?'' «« ««"»-. ùmre *»- BW,. ».j.i*« ^L.». ^^* ■+ ,- ,.s«S-' !o,' TER^Y. V ^ 93 yi \r: e, I use de- jre eU ' ( n .h, Parish chapel>ey:„,.'''',^'j:i|°?rSt";:S Sl-r"™' rta"^ri"' hère widout the ring. HeSan Engl,sh,„an-bad cess v,II atope for hisfather's wrônf^;;P^^^^^' steadfas l you consent, you shall hA , ^'^^"^'^ yo" no more u and expenseofthepast r^,^ ?P^'^ f^»" ^U the troubli «ow, tell your parents. anH L° '^'^ " ">/ own son Go t„ ,he i„„ i„ .L tSSge f„d™f f^l'^"',."'" """^S: 2sne arose- and left » k^ 1- ^ "'^ ^ady Dvnelv " * ri;h ,he look of on. U„ A;„ '^"k™" ^"Sd, ,„d Th.'f ^ Dynely „e„l teck. ^ * ''"^ ""'' h"n.iliâ' Aij I ^'hifJ» 4 TERRY. 95 and they would humbly accept her'offer' ÎÎT,^ k «n her train. She went to Dnhlin / .* "^^ ''"'« ^eing, ail disniissed the xZ\aJ1^a^' ^""^ ^^^""^ ^^^ gopd and ^^e engaged another who would act L" n^"" ^"'^ "^'^^' Terence.andmaidtoherselffor h.i as nurse to Master journey to England ^''^ P'^'^"^' ^"d P"rsued her wafhTnaVv^e'ïlirJtrih'^i-^'^^^ '^'^ ^- charge. It friend. With thfvT^r , J L^'"'^ The vicarage lay do^in X L^T ?en'' '"' "^^ P'^^^^' dank marshes ali about it_the fl7. ''°,"""'>'' "'"^ flat, gloomybeyondthesandyioTst H. '""' ^'"^ ^'">''^"^ only in many daughters and /!^ ""^f.^ P^?*- ™an, rich that they should brinf-up" Terr; 1.^^^^? ' P'"°P°^^ Heraccountofhimwashri^f ïî^ was gladly accepted.- the orphan son of a^^^t^nt coSfnTf l'^'T °^""^°"' An Irish cousin-a verv rH^n? °^ ''^'' '^^^ h"sband. as such, with a daim u^w orS"n ~?l" ^ ^°"«'"' -"d bargainwt Sed'thet" Ld t^ ^'^^"f- ^^^ ^^e Dennison's life began anew! ' ^""^ ^'"'^ ^^ry Hre-Ve^^s "air chfld'^C^^^^^^^ ÎS"^»^ ^^"' ^- -rly beenbroughtupalngl've Jp'o^r'^^^^^^ '^^ "^'^ he remained at the vicarLe thln k ^"''^ ''^ ^* ^^een ' bttle Eric, Lord Dyne rSfdli;?? ^1 T^"' *° ^^^^ '^ith That Christmas J the firï rim. r **''' ^? ^cquainted. Pynely Abbey, and AenceforTh ^u'^^"' î*^^ ^^^'«n ^t holidays it the vi^..rV and £c ^i/l'''°y^^y passed Jns_ / «i ucsL Al the Vicarage, Air. and î i. 1 - ■< / «> A ip • , #• ■ ■ ' ■ ■■ " ' '' ' « . , ■ 4. . ■ r V V ',''{, 1 '■\. ^ ^\ / • ,/■ - , / ■I u J 1 .î-.v" G .#' *» IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) '™. 1.0 l.l IA£M2.8 m lu IJ.6 r/. _,SGifflices Corpoialion 23 WBT MAIN STRf ET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873S1903 ^^^ t ""^r^i ".^ .Jf ^. / c Jf' ^ 5^ ?" #- ii/^,'*»i ,,^ „•_»:„ ," ..-.np^- ->*,,< "t^^^s^ .rv 96 TERRY, dwelt the angel of his life r ni rt ^ ?'^ ancestral Abbey Teror Dennistn had for tbis lar VT ^""^ ^'^"«•ation the most bea.itiful, of ail women .k 1*" '^°'"^° «hç was realize ail she had done for h^^ the best. He could now d«pths of poverty and mis^ry she hï?/l°'^Tt ^~" the of Jight to rescue him. ^ ^ *'*'^ destended lite an angel ^p^^r:';ol;^^^^^ .. had she gave him a gJld™aS th. ?''' ^^'^ Christmas Costly présents andSl^wordl h. /""^'^ ^^""^ ^«'^^ys once, one caress. Ins incnJ!? î J "^''^'" once-no, not had adopted with a JoSot^t':^^^^^ ^'^^ ^^ "«^e of terror at timesr This Crv d 5 L/ '^P"'«on-al>solitely was sIo«r, but bis heart mrnedvlf.T "°'''''^-. ^ ^^^^^ said he touch of her white 'Jim h?»!? f"^'^^o™^timesforjustone -^st one of the '^st^h'; av^^^^^^^^ tawny heK: Enc-thrice happy Eric-lnorhS il ^" '°°- «« «vied h«s «realth; ah, no I but one of .Sf*"'^' "P* ^« '«'«» "ot sliowered on him like rain p • *''"<^, '"otberly embrâces boy-like, of kisses andfSin. "'li't''^'^ hefoff, impaS see Terrys round Celtfc etTiiSëd '^■\^y I>ynely S the longing, path;tic patiS^ you J^f " L^ ^^ ^^^^ f^e with This love, little short of wSn .!! " 'L^.^^^^ «^ » dog. h«ni she was the perfectTon J kS fiT '""'' ^'^ S^om^fo sjreetest, noblest, aiS^ng wo^en H^n ''^ »*"'"?^^ ^»^«t. mos hkely he could notl^rhaif tS *'''^'' •?"* '" «'«'■ds- she mspired him. And ^Sy fo^ hîr* ''t"*'^«on with which o«rn, for thegalUntandgSlden l^Lt/tSÏ^r^ ^T^y^^' his ne loved Eric, as once fmnn -^ V^^atcharmedalfchearts. yo^ng David-..yrr."C .„Xte£r i'"" '^5 "»Jonty, and then hu bene&cSL £. ? °"î"'''' ««''«' h» s ri w A! «( 'O fll mi an • irt. '• '%i 1^, >■ y*'-Â^ TËRRY. 97 ^ îiS^rSi o?tï^S.;^-'hi.„se,ratherfeetand phrases of thanlcs. '"coherenily two.or three stupid nedl^ ^r.:^X -' ^l ^^^y^ said hur- are a relative of mv fate S J^^"""' ^erty. You-you "Only her dutv" Ah k ^ - "T-. AJ^^ays dut;; nev« lot "''"^^ '^^'^ ^^*^^ ^^^^^ ^erit her lajsh^tl ^nT^^^H^ ^dd^^ "^^ ^-' ^'-.•• Probably suffice for yôu Yo„r h^K- ^'°" '° ^'our pay, w n spends more in a month for h^ ^'""^ ^°'" 'nstanw. whô youdoinayear. S iuhouEsfffi '^' «'^^^^^ »^^^ to drawr upon me freely, and at af t?l w' "«^er^hesitate C ï '"^ ™>^ ^^'^ son " ^""^'- ^y -P»^se is open T-ftr^^^^^^^^^^^^ f^SteitrhT '^'^'" «^.an poor ihroat, and tears. àctual tear^ .n X ^u^?^ «engo^àn ij^if ,,,' -She sits and looks at h^mV k''*' ^""^^ fooIJôTSlue evel :*^oad-shoulders, sunbuîned he...!' ''^"^-^ ^^^^^ ^er, L sonie, not in thé leas^/rrcefu^ ^A "^J '" ^'^^ '«^st hari?: refinement that is her^n" Eri?.^??^ '?''? ^"e grace a^ man from head to foot S,^ Il birthnght, but a gentïe. ' «•m with wistful eyes ^^''^^ ^'^ ^^nd and look" « nakeyouhappy, And'yoû a!^ S. ^^^ '^^ ^ have-t^ ,-^, 98 TERRY. Jove, you know I should think so, with a comnr issiôn and five hundred a year, and the pot I made on Derby, and — er — your regard, you kriow, my lady. Secause," sayshonest Terry, turning very red again and floundering after the fash- ipn of his kind in the quagmire of his feelings, " your regard is \yorth more to me than the whole world beside. I ain't the sort of a fellow to speak out — er — uni — what I feel, but by Jove 1 I do feel you know, and l'm §iwfuUy grateful and ail that sort of thing, you know. An3," says Terry, with a great bttist, " l'd lay down my life for you willingly any dayl"' . And then \\g pulls hîmself up, and shifts uneasily from one foot to the other, and looks and feels thoroughiy ashamed of himself for what he has said. m^ "I know that, Terry," hèrjadyship answers, more touched than she cares to show. " I Believe it, indeed. You are of thô sort wlio will gd to death itself fô^jittr friends. The motto of our house suits you — \Loyal^^m>rt. ' One day I may call upon that loyalty, not forTUrclf but for Eric. One day, Terry, I may remind you <»f your own words, and call upon you to redeem them." - ^ * " When that day cornes, my lady," he answers, quietly, " you will find me reatty." » ^ " Yes," she went on, not heeding him, " one day I may call upon you to make a sadrifice, a great sacrifice, for Eric and for me. One day I shall tell yoU^' She paused abruptiy, and looked at him, and claspfed her hands. " Oh, Terry ! be a friend, a brother to my boy ! He is rtot like /ou — he is reckless, extravagant, easily led, self-willed, wild. He will go wrong — I fear it — I fear it — and you must be his protector whenever you can.. Let nothing he ever does, nothing he ever says to you, tempt you to anger against him — tçmpt you to désert him. Promise me that ! " He knelt down before her, and with the grâce a Chevalier Bayard might hâve envied, the grâce that cornes from a triie h«Ait, lifted her hand to his lips. " Nothing that Eric can ever do, can ever say.^will tempt -"mê td anget-^that T swear. ^^jriiis sake, afitifor yours» I- will do ail man can ^o. You have been the good angel of J TERRY. 99 my life.,'" I would be less than man if I ever forgot your goodness." • She drew her hands suddenly from his clasp, and bowed her face upon tbem. „ • " The good àngel of your life 1 " she repeated, brokenly. " Oh ! you don't know — ^you don't know 1 " Then as suddenly, she lifted her face, took Terry's bet\yeen her two hands, and,' for the first time in her lifie, kissed him^ He bowéd his heâd as to a bénédiction ; and a compact was sealed that not death itself could break. « * « « • * * « * With a start Lady Dynely awakes from her dr«ini. The softdarkness of the spring night has fallen overthe great city ; its million gas-lights gleam through the gray gloom ; carnages areiil-oUing up to the door, and Terry Dennison goes.down the .passage outside, whistling an Irish' jig. She rises. As shq. does so, her eyes fall upon her son's picture The light of a street làmp falls fuU upon it, and lights it up in its smiling beauty. " My darling ! " sht whispers, passionately, " my treasure 1 what will you say to your mother on the day when you learn the truth ? It is due to you, and a|i ! dear Heaven ! it is due to him. Poor TeVry 1 i>oor, foolish, gênerons Terry ! — who holds me little lower than the angels — who loves me as you, my hearf s dearest, never will — what will he think of me whçn be learns the truth ?" « ■■ A %i .» 'it Cî" ■t*-^ ■", H^ P CHAPTER III. 4 MADAME FEUCIA. . IW\Y beyond the stately and stuccoed palaces of ' SSïT** ^^T^^** "^•'«^"^ bustle of the City the fashion and gayety of the West End, Mr. Lockt He sun'ds leamng with folded anos upon the low wick« ^^Z' „ "^ • ^'"S^' "^ ^^««t pathetic song in an ehn-tre^ S f ^ r^r "^^ ^"^ ^^^ ^°^ ^«"1 drink fn ail the ender . hush and lovehness of the Mav *.v*.nf.H- lenaer y? though. for his though^ are fiï^ffieîd ^''^'-"""°"^;^"^'>^' froI*!f«^-*'"',*'T ^*l'^^ ^'"^^ this man'sreturh to England from foreign lands. and during thèse two years he has lookëd ' r' Thr3,1n%"£ '^^''"^^' half inVad^ainnTong co^-nteî^h'tu^'iXdTD^^^^^^^^ bas veampH f« iXal. ' ^y^ely. She is of hi» kin, and he ^ past is dead and buried, and he with it The worM thJl Wh.m once, knowshim no more. Tfj^/^^^^ t^ '^'îÈiqp.^ f: •^,v ?'»V" ""'■*! "i' .'♦^-.- i-ir ■l*"^ è • *^^ MADAME FeÙcIA. and pain, of sorrow and disgrâce. It is ail ov^r o«j ^ gâte and s™otes.andfofhUi„S„\%ï°JS, "'"" ''^ gorgeo„s masses of pai,,,eddoudSeTjr;r„ st'""' *° .»d w Irsrc:a"T„^,;o'„'.r%^ r-- """"-" "- ^ «M^Xy -, "his ow„ son 1 Wdi.'thy no"?-?^'"'"'' >"•»" da„gh"r""f!^nrca'±';a!;'f?*^3 'l^'"^''' """baby .i.. Gordon c"^ ^"Ked^^'ÎSt .7X"^^^^ mih bnuM m ,ha. h.nd,„™. «plifted head, ^"i'^llS tt^r» -v^ „' ïd. 'a- y 102 / * ''ÎV MADAME FEUCIA. heTilSiacter ''SSnT' »•»"* «"*««>'«= little chîn bHi. n rSn'iî..'"*"" "" ■"««J'th^grea..,. fo„Ui„',„a,. "Mr. Locksley!" ' looïfn!" *J"?^'' .«'defly, yello«r man, shrivelled and foreien- My name is Locksley," the ^rtist replies. cJsare 'nf V ^^^"P'r,,"'^ " hands him his card. « Prince ïnLhl^ï'™.^^'L«>*' ^'^^"«'^ f^»- the moment hehid been Jù7r^' ^'''""' * ^^^ '^^ ^'S^' F«»'' i? yours, mon. Mit. Locksley b owg. . >,^ r^-/f »<-•."; ,~_,r.,«- * . 3 v-,-,'*'.-4; MADAME FELICIA. 103 "Itisnotsold?" "Itisnot»" "Itis for sale?" ^ ,. - ' Mr. Locksley bows again. "It is not yet disposed of. Good ! Then monsienr a lady fnend of mine desires to do herself S pS roi becoming ,ts purchaser, and I am commissioned a" hei agent to treat with the artist. Its pricei»" Mr. Locksley names the ï>rice, and inquires, rather sur- tion, if the Prince Di Ventunni will- not corne in No no-it is but the matter of a moracnt-he wili not detam Mr. I ocksley.» He produces T^Waik check and pen there and then, scrawls for a âecon^ùpon it, then ^^ a low bow, a sniile that shows a row of glitt^rinutee passes it across the little- gâte. The next Instant heha^ leaped hghtly nito the phaeton, and the fiery^yed coaï Wack horses, that.look as though they had but lately left the Plutonian stables, dash away through the dewy darkness Mr. Locksley stands with his breath nearl^ïen S h.m by the bemldering swiftness of this nn^^Th^^S and looks at the check in his hand. It is for 3U amoun; named-the signature is his excellences own. but he had said the picture ^as for a lady. ° « Who câjï shp be, I wonder ?" thînks the artist, pocket- ing the check firid going into the hoose ; "a pers^Se of rank,or-staylJhispopular danseuse from over the water ..hose name nngs the changes through London, and whosê , beauty and whose da«cing are the tllk of the own The ^ Pnnce is known to be the most devoted of her devôtees- .n by the by, spme night at the B^^u, and loTat hT So my picture is sold at my own prie;. Lady Dynel^s fashionable doors are thrown open to me siuely a tïrn in fortune's wheel, this." »"*ciy a lurn m rhîSt ^^"^''' u 'S^*^ ^^ ^^ the.possessor of more money j^^,^.^^ lae a^s itjat are ^one lie hâs^tnown poverty îq — < «3 si "M im ,- 1. -Vf?",/ ,C ht, % V*" . **^" '..^-r,. 104 MADAME FBUCIA, inan born to its bitterest sW the bitter poverty of a tbe purple and fallen from bis high esTate "- picture. " If by an y cbanfe f£ p • ^""^ pi'rcha&ed bis latch-ke? and left The house "! ' 'n ^\^^^^^^^à his know." "°"^*'' ^ ^eally should like to .«ly M he [ee„ P^it'T.h'? ac^e " '2^:^ ""'^ The roonas, as usual. were fiii^H ^ inat afternoon. centre of attraction was " hL k ' .fr u"'"^'' ^<^°' ''^e shortlyafter thed^rs4re.hZ'''*^-^'fht Fell.'- Very a lady and gentleamn-^h^'^^^T" ^^^^^ and whodivided the inte^s^ifhT ^ ""'^^'^^ * sensation, The gentleman was theCa^ï, f,7tî P'^ most popular danseuse in Lond'^n M JamTp r '• ^""^^ '^' ' Sfehe™30»e ^^âTF^^^^ and perfect, and she was dressed inX^Ai r ^""'^ ^r""^^ ''''"?'/ silver-gray silk with h^rl o i.? Perfection of taste. A andtoUsï^^:^?,fd^:,:^ «^tlel «nantua maker of the Rue d; b p^ff "?'"" °^^ ™"^^"''"« gavî after this lionne ofC„!,L«^K ^^"^ ^^'^ ^"'"0^^^ to they said that ever b^unded S? ' ^^S T'^ P^^^^*=* ^^"cer days of Taglioni T?ë Prfnce hunf '/°°'"!?^^ ^'"^^ ^^e Jightest Word, but she tumèd Lr^?^ ^evotedly upon her J^ncing With . s^^^lî^îra^^r/te S^g'^IS gfeînC^^^^^^^^ blue eyeSiinsiDid a« ,i,,,', „ ■ J^^""" '">•' and ch na. Bah IwVdoS'^itkiX'TôubT.Vr '''•'''' '"" """«' ■T~7--'-rr ■ • ■- 1 •'^^yji^lV^nff-:^., MADAME FELICIA 105' ■ Ali languor, ail ennurfleS^o»? h" r" '"!'" ''=^<' '" f""' ■ faded-she grew ashen „avT„ ,h i'^''", "* "'" '=''l'"i"S .pac^of ftdly%ve miomefKi'd'^"^ "<«• «<> f"r ,1,^ I.al.&er '"'''™' «°''«'" ^= suave «iceof ,he her face, .lo^Vn^ 'ie «« C^"'' "^^ '«»">«1«S glovedhand'^cruSitrcaXuV',';'"'''^'''- <'"=^»« rasc,„a,ed she stood Iheïfand ïï^fS' "a«.n«,ou.ly_as if, 'Thon art nleaserl u;;fk »if • , daurnin^n h"'r lips'.' ".. p«„'?''7 m''' f. '''?"'' «"nous smile ,^;-u.^ if i. is a.u ls^^\::^^:^t^:^^ it. HowdodilrcalfS^artTs ?°\ÏS^'*^^^ """«^ hâve - Prince?" ^^^'^siey.^The name is new-is it nm, ' still ia the niarket." '^'^'''^'^y a°d purchase the picture i( " I do wish it, Monsieur Prince Tho* • ^ , havethopghitcosthalfafôrhmi /« . P'^*"^^ ^ «""st ^ She tuî-ned back to it and i^'t A^^'Vl''' ^'^^^ ^eU | • " she could never l4 énôugh "^ *°^ '^^'^'^^ ^ *0"gh paui; "a;\tsL^SVo1'l7 ^-^--. ^er a face of that woman in the^ o^ctur/.c "''' r,**^"*^' ^"» t^e onehaIfsolpvely,bïtverySrneJ'2;ï^^ Net . dàrae perceive it?" ''^ ^' "«^ertheless. Does ma- - 'VJ • :$T •y- / ik'W'^'^TV' m,. î t ,,* 106 MADAME ffEUCIA, k you ? He isièaving her— is it noi ? anHTi^'h-«r» :. v, ï «.g. Bah I i, i, lik/.he .g<,.i,„, cf Le" ,t, de«tt„,' ti He escorted lier to her carnage. At sun^t acrosç the gâte of the Brimpton cottaa*. th. bargam was struck. and, « How the Night FeU " b^c^! Î! propcrty of Madame Felicia, the actrek ^ 4 \>^^- / r' %:X rjs'P- ,(iM ' *. • r' ,-tlt ï 'fcl-^ bi eak< is and îst be -Si. ,i. bow; e the etbc / r'- CHAPTER IV. . LADY DYNELY'S THURSDAY. IRILLIANTLY lit. brilliantly filled, Lady Dynetv'. - \n his cérémonie costume, the artist loôked '«om,.»!,;»» ' more than well, and tRat military air of hS^wS^^^^^^ «picuous than everi . ^ "» nis w^» more Con- niore than once under the cowlof a monk Your mJ n,;l! "*''^'' ^^"* •''^ "^^ '"3^"^^- Locksley. So you fin*d the S^/^t^"'"^*'!!^^ ^^'^'^^ P^'"^»"g. France. andTuwUlbe 1^ Zl%u -A T^f Y''^ ^'^""^ «'as the popular new ^ " Terrv -mIÏÏV^ ^'^f' '^"^ ^'^ ' P°°^ ^ocksley ! ? V* neveTau;moth.°?''"f^^' '"""?'>'' "^"'^" boysshotald 'f^. ^ ^ss.m±'i„rr ïi,râs= free.knce, andri hâve hefcd. brave as a lion." ^'^^''^^^ ==^llJ?oJ«J France saidî dreamik^.-«île^i,ar ïfcë^ irire atr noble, Surely that man is welfborroreS ^ -~«»' iv :W.f'îfc. ^i'vff «î î% ,"^ 7:/7d/^^Z?^K. d.dn't he? J, commun caTënou.rt'"." ^°^ * ^«'«an* to your heart o( h^arts for^at?.?^ :, ^""^ > °" t'-^ke ftifti ç. Forrester? I know voTh, '^^'^'"^'^"ce.don't yoi, Mi'S a sort oî dert,i-god° ^rhero l^''^"''-''^'' Gordon CaXn as . ^ She smiled, then LheS ck'^'PP'^^ ^'«""g 'ady."^ ^' haïr caught back by gleaminf dl.f Z""'^' ''^ »»« brown for bnght colorsanVrichleSs^fï'';^, ^'^'^ ^^^^ ^ love on the white tulle ^vaL^^^^^ ^^^'^^^ «:"h conte.n.n " What cJergym;#Y^ if ? • f "^ '^«'^ ^oung lady friehds operatic airs^to^SôL^ll once-when he introduced , say it is a urtv/vôur niar^;^ ^" ^^^ sanie princiolp r . bnghtes. coSCj Sfcr tH"t"";"'"'"'-'l.i gems, the roses and laceT .m, Jh^ ."^ "'<"^. 'h' vivid Cai2„''ï' >r ^l t>X°'fï fr "■"= "-' -x""-- The' I>^»»u«,„, and ^e no secre7o? U '"'"° "^"'^ '°' «' "Ae'S It^aîr atS:^-" * - -". ,„ ., . „^„ aiive and the greatest simpreton ever ae' "^^.SLZr^^X^^?^::^: a:,ho,„efo|,he „i^xX'*Kra.'ïL^ '^-^^r^^^^^Tû,- "the Nàht Fell " L, S' *'""y <>">era look, too "Hoi ta^^sTin .he paîn'er""'''' ' ^"«"o" i 'herVeela langue ^ i^™^" Mr. DennW sa,, afte, ^^ ^^ „ , ^^^ 1 — _] : — ". : -Xy!-, \ - " . 1" >>'•'.? y-} A L^Oy J,yjfej.y,s TKURSDAy. and au that soriof "ifif Z/^^ '^^ '^^"^ °^ ^js fathérf, , fortune. It would beTS'coZo"r,' ,!° ^'^^ y^"" <>"* of a stage, now wouMn't j^p .l'"^^'»^'"^"^/ l^ke a ihing on the . dainSy t!jili'' .^f "l,^'^ ^^^ «^^ge.» Miss Forrester dis- ' life. Ah. no hat wouTd bet^;^ "n'ike anything i^rS - Caryll. poor fellow, is dead Tr?J° "^^ ''""• ^^^^on ..sees, if indeed she sees anv î, k ? ''''•^"^'^ ^^^X "^y^^^ is beckoning-let us go ove;- ^ ^°'»^'d«"ce. See, she ihey cross the rooin. Mis.» -'^«vr^e* of welcome, and lookîng yZ ^Z'^Vf" ^ ^^^nk^s-nile arust a most gracions grfetln7 '^''^' ^'"'"^ ''^« do thVhTnorof7n;%';:j,l-^2/-ce, and want you to better cicérone, Mr. Lockclfv T °", '"""'^ "°^ ^^^ve a says in an t Wre^^^^^^^^^ as she „.^^ And fannharuy breeds contfn,pt,.*rur. Mr. Den. ^^^ ^^^^.^^ ^^^ .^-<^^ Miss you, Terry, that sarcasni i^n-f 1 c *° ""P''°«« "Pon much pleasure in dTsSL bur In"^" ^°"^- ^ ^''^" ^ave eyes, Mr. Locksley. iSvs fee '« T' ^^ /«"^ "itical with artists-they were the^stanfi % '''?^/^'-'"nn>ediately Rome Jt i3 th^ hoS,^d of „tiu3 "L^h"'"^ there, I can see." genius. You hâve studied l'ghts up his dark, S L^^r ^ "^ ^""^ ''^^^ «"""^ many times." *^^ iace~«l bave seen you there life'sktclg in"îhe'%S ''lî.?"^' \ '^^' ^'^ "7 . ?*'r- B V l IIO LADY DYNELV-s THURSDAY. ad.Snnrï;es'"" "^°" *^ ^"^^ ^«-^X ^^ce with gravai, -est -?ual"b::;eî'"fays^^^^^^^ ^^^^ .,ust strike the a second ideà, " and £ fs" h "'. "^""1^' '"'^"^ ^"^ Roman poses ! They werë sn,th« • ^^'"^"^able dearth of .1 was there, one haT M^V^n^ii^Vr" ""{ "°'"^' "'^^" Placent,, a. an opposite .U?'.. 'Zla^:SZ^. and niottu of the DySsr ' ^"^^*^°«ed with the arms " Loyal au mort." r'^T^^iS,r^^^^f^f^- --= passes, room." ""^^ °/ ^ '^a°» one of the gems of the hîs wives, isn't it ? Thèse ôlrTmT* ""*'^ ^ ™®^°' ^"^ of four, hadn't theyJone burLd 'toT ' ^^^""^^ ^"^ ^^'^^ «r to marrya rnaVorgenbl F^n^' "^'"^ °°- -^O" «"ght ♦capital iife for one woudn'^v^T' ^^^ ^°"^^ «^ake a his side. urging hTm'oZote ^Tull ^C' S^ ^""^ '-^ .Pai-Iiaraent you would havJ. hK« ^^ ^^ ^^ '^ere in artist you would W hiraMTchl.^T ""-^ ^^^^ -" Beethoven, eh? wouidn't you ?- ^°«^^^'*' '^ ""^'^1' « r^hav^^^^l^s^ef tr^^^^^ Irr."^? — ' wife of a man of genius is a Tôciat mlr?^ ^^ ^^"^^ '^^ cross while her hufband wears the loTn^ "**° *^^^ *« Thet;^::s:rr^a^^i>iy^ ,. * ; \ — :ïJB-- iiyrA34.'iïJft^;*;4(t,, .•^'* ^ a^ „.. *-^-^ t.. - * Women never write hn?U ^ou monopolize ail that. statues. GW Eliot Ro4 S' T"' l';"'"''"^ °^ ^^^« ail are myths GeS £ !k bonheur, Miss Hosmer, etc., master-Man » '' '^' Prérogative of our lord and W'Sckikff:,iH""^°'!fi"^^ prérogative then," says waL'ttr^ t^îeVv^rt;. cut^-i'^""?»' "^^^ ^-"- I ain-engaged for «,?„,;, i. " "5"''^ ''''"" J"»" «de. barsafar off" "' "^"^ "■"' ^ •"" «>a o,«m„g such a frt.i K • u. somehow niissed my destin v. It is «•nm bas haum^ e^ S^^ The ftce of tha '■ -> . 'kit». ,.*^ i il A 112 ^ADY bYNELY^S THUUSDAY. ' V siill alive ? >■ ' '""'°- ^» ">« o-raer of (ha. wondS &ce out of ,he world SI? L if ï' """• "»»•« as ,ha, are Si Hour very beautiful she miref h, u , dream,ly; «even wieh that S,*"!? b«n," France says is beautiful still." *' tortured look you give lier £ Jt|y„ra iuTanswrt T'"'"' ".■='" «"•»' • offended. Ali.tleou.ofehefineôfH""''^ Forrester is not she certa^nly miirht h- fc„tj "'"""■<= younïladvhooH "pthedarkgravitfor4'alriTelL'r\ ^-'^l^reaks Vou honor my poor oainfîn^ î ^^^ ^"'^^ »* her. pver and donc with marTv » i ^® ^^^''^ " tells— that is hâve painted is cSe nori^orthva^/'"."«?' ^he woL.n I hardly know-it was the whim^f ^^'^ P*»"ted that I < hâve the success it has nie" ihh î SiZ ^3^""^'*' '' -«"^ She colorsslightl y. he ««ee^y Vo ht^ "1?!.^ " ' ^^~— „, __ „ —-w^ **buketf her iirepre». .■/^ > ♦ "^^^^m- ^j. -wsi j. 1 "■ Z^Z>I' ^K 5,-isi»^^";^^ ^s?.??^^^' I Àk ** 114 ZADV DYNELY^S THURSDAY. •' Fclicia, the actress ! the—" synon^ms ivith Fdicia." " ^'^ ^"^ *° ^ave are .. . yello. excfellenc;s t 'o goôd t^S'Vt^ '^'^ -^^ ^•^ ^•"^"• thmg môre than annoyiSg-a "o JtU aSdin^^^^^ carrL;:rîoÏ:i^^^^ byone coroneted of Ladj^^Dynd/ ^""^ °'"'^^'^ ^"d takes leave " How do you like yoùr genius. France ? " ;«^ • -r. Dennison. «Does he bear the ordil of H '^•''■^' ^^''^3' OJ the Cheapside tailor's son ? " ' "^ *^^^® "'"Sra'el Ofwhomthen?" régal „re«„ceB„VaJl fhejrioÂS"1î^"'«' '" ^^^ lA>i)dbn Sun." • ' "othuig like her nnder Uie i*ef '■"^^ """ '>"' r« ««""l-'oly '«minous « he «„. " ^^■?i*S5p%j f g rcv e r IV P ooi v geod,.iKmesr' •^r 4 •A,^,-'' «i-i -* .A rr,-.. '■^^"! ^ the.omenyounZyLppy" ''"""'^ ""' "^° ^^--'^^ at fno"hfrC;r «^ '^^ ^- --^' -J her «ind goes ofl Royal Bijou to-.no?fo^n.W Ïk ^^^' '^V^ ^"^ ^^ ^^e thèse peopleoweT£^hL? ^t"''^''^''^"^^°««' but powder, and Xr She hL^ '^' ^ 'Î^PP^'^' *** P^'"^ ^nd she need notS been ir!?.S excephonally well. too ;.but She panses inTer wand^rin^ïhn^^L^^^^^^ '^^' P'^^"^«" lights. 1 1 Èars thJ^ Ï«S 5 **'^' ""^^'" ^^^ clustering wax- cLiation oHoy Miss For'rtP'"'"""^ ^"^' ^"'^ ^ l'"^« e''' and reads'eSy tSon^h ?ï ^^'' r^^^ ^''''^' ''^« ««^l this^alliance TS^ fL^fel^^^^^^^ ^î^^^^ '^ «^ h'.s happy wife is the désire of Iv heart ^?V k- '*'^. J""" clearest ^vish also. In everv rîlL.? * • "^* '^ his 01011161^8 both dowered wUh vomh ?J I 'll."^' " »* '"««^ suitable— you I am s'^1 iinC*^A"M^^^ ^"^ beauty. He loves had you let h m But vo.f h. ï ^^^^^'P^''^" before now nature my dearest child, so uX^heT^rl^f '^''"^^'" ** . so self-willed. and radical in 3, • • 8'"^ of your âge, . you. Not that you toSîd Z/rZ ''T''''^ ^^^'^ ^^" ^^' no dread of thaVyou are fir t^Jn"^ ^"k^'^ ^°"- ^ »»»^e ' fome one whom your fancv wmlr?'* ' ^'^' y°" «"^^ «'««< aaaiostit— l*»f ««..V: ' 7 ""^ *bis will be so. Guard ■gwost it-let your engagenien/ with Erip be announoS^ ■v" ■ ^\ >i1 ^^^. ■.**> vï»-. m ti6 fa > ^Z)K Z)rAr^ZK'J THURSDAY. ' • " Marian Caryll." Caryll's wishescarried force h^f^" PetiHant, and ail Mrs \ Eric Dynely," she sairl " o ^"*'"fr «he would or no fumedcoxcimbfkdandvoffh/fiT''"''"-^ «'^^ doll, a L. I detest pretty \l^T\ lufd^iîl^^'."'" ' ' ^^'^ dandys - son any day J •' . ^ "^^"^^ «>oner marry Teriy Denni as"deand leaned out into the' f ish^l^^ '* î« P"^ ^hem " The dày for thi«! cnr* ^r • ^ çentury ago." she thinks fuil "r?'*^^-^''^"'^ ^ave ended a of alliance should be leVt "o /oiT^'ï ?*'" ' "^his kb5 it seems to be toy faté h °^^^^^' ^"^ «^^/„^^ ^^.J^j" I kno,., the be7second?n «7"^r"' '^« best ^tS grâce of a Beau ir^^^^^t^l^Jf "t' '""^ ^^^ ^^ -what more can one wam ? a?S ''^''* ""^ ^^ ApolJo H;e. does he, grandmanfma? l"h ^'' ,^"1,^°^«- Loves gleaming through ihe fairneTôf L k • ""*** "' «'"« Wa»Jto.C«,.U„»ongU„p„p„^, h^^'^v'''^-'','*?^ i ,-v^ 1 CHAPTER V. LOVE TOOK UP THE ^ij^ qF f TIME. Win his bHdl ^""™^' ^-^ '^^^ i^'/wan^ly ?X^S ï„1 had predicted, a sensation. A cerSn roi ^^^«^^'"7 whose approval wa«. a «»»-«♦ • u • '^^f'" ^yal personage, itself, haS œ^esœnded to nl'J^l- ""^ "^^^ ^^ popularity ,'â probation upTher and MU, L '^''^"^ stamp of a,,- words told the whole storv w^ !. , .*"^^* ^'"o magie for the favor o{TwlhzLltJ^''-'t ,^«n .^^iplomatized ^ent. In t1i«^ ride fn tht 1^7 ™'^''' ^°i P"'»*^^'^' prefer- Forrester wastti 1 the be^Ï .uÏ^un'Sï'^ opera-box" Miss peersasked. "It isn't her bea^fti i her envious coni- . îling— an|^( .j" p-^'o iw'BTîJSvsr^rsjt^ îi 9-'' "! I-' '4* Ii8 I ^c.^^ r^o^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ with lông-hair7d,^?:a:i^'^;:3^ ^ disœuTseîi? Clans, or the latest Belffravian W • '• u""* «^a^^ly academi- not the man; her hearf ,y "^ '^^^ '"^erested m the thème clad in steel^no one it seemedT?"^ °"^' "^ ^ And then, presenilv it leaLn ^^^f .î , »'°«'^'" f» touch it for years to Lbrd^nel fnd . 'TIk''" ^^^ be#h engjg '^ be pubUcIy anounced to allwL™^^ .engagement SoulJ • fauh m hià affianceà " saiv! S« '^ ^® '""st hâve great [n no hôt haste to joi^W T^'"^'' ' ^^ ^^'''^'n'y «ee^ Sd had said "no" to tio of the mo^T^''' ^'«^ ^«"e eï . sea8on,andwhohadfonowedrri?*'**l^«^"''e™enonhe ~ l'ke her lap-dog or Lr shadot ^''°"' ^'^^ ^"'»™«^ through! vict6;%r£7o^âte^'tï^^^^ ^""-t careerof Locksley the Paintr^SrSel t^ed Tn^ ï"? °"^ ^ "^° • t^une seemed niade. Madame pï^.vf ." ^^"^^ ^nd for! a çompanion picture to " âot thJij- f "U'^ ^''^ P""^^ for quis of St. Albans had orderld f ct'/'^^" ■ '^^^ ^^'■ Lady Dynely wished to hâve hef own n^^'f" • ^'"'^^ «<=^"e. her son. The sittings for tln^L^Z.r'''^"'.''^'"^^^ for ; vjsits to the Bromptfn Stud o ^nï î>r?^^^'"^^^^' "'^"y almost 'invariably my ladv"c în^ •^''' Forrester was - aboutamongVtheVin';fng^at^^^S^;h ^"îV^^^dered . ?^ïayback,andlistenedwithhaf:.i ^' the elder lady sat 'ey talking whilst hè painteS H^'tlfe^ *?, '^'' ^^"^^J^s- feemed to hâve been ,ie«v m.,rh % ^^u""^"' ^"^ as he v: iects enough. , AnecdoKhT, in^- '''î^r*'^^^'^""^ sub- campaigniSg,.the pig st ckW i •'^'^"J''^'' ^''« %hting. the w^r.thrillingand vfvfdSnS °\T ""^ ^^^ American^civiî - -nh its brie! ^ot'^SZTtSZ^'l'^! ^'î^'"' «^Can^di ' fyn^ ^nîl^^l-îït;;^ c^panion,' Lady W What a traveS'hetL ^f JÎ!" ^">^ "«» ^ *nd seeo eveiything." ^^ '^°~'>een everywhei^ m 4 Ai#^'à - 1' ^i- I";- . ^=vV5^^'->C5^';r-"T^7:^>^";^^^ sation. And vet tho..ah thY ^"^\ J'^e charm of his conver- open .vindow watcE the B^n^Pton^ttage, sitting by the tened, were the ulëllô. / u"^ ^^>' ^^"«'y «at and lis- had kno«Tî : but thèse wer^r? V ^ ^"?.-^ ,''''"' «^""^ otiîer She and Mr L^ksTev m^^ ?T *îV''^= * <=hampagne. .. ««-■»-.endedi;t:nraIs"£idX^ ^ -l;:r:;reThï:r^7tr ^^^"^^^^ ^-^''^-tsiSr^^^^^^^ NthereSl^htint^J::^^^^^^ to note glances at the dc^r tLTdden t ifr* '^ ^"•'^'^' '"'P^^'^"^ 'when a ne«r name was annnn ^T ^'^^^ ^^"'« «^«^ her noyedinn^atienceonî^^^^^^^^^^ spread oyer hcr far*. U f, °' 5»"^ "ght and warinth that wished Th^T^nh^Ll u'^''' ^^^""' the name she Locksle/s^o^gTl^^C^^Th^^o^^^^^^ "«' M- ofmen-presenflvhefonnHh- ^îul"^^'^' '^^^^ presuniing holding the littUîKedZnST^^^ Forrestefs sideT In the park, too leaminVnL. .k ^,°^'^^'" «"""'est sniiles. cigar, AÏr. iloSley^^^^^^^^ - from a certain «omnl^L favored with a gracions bow fran^ed i" Ti^-i^r: ^S^f; ^^^^^^ ' upon him for an instanriilff » f ! ""^ rosebuds, shone dierly figure, that bS. ^ fïeT;* ^'^^' '^"^ ^^'- recognition, Miss Forrester w^^^S^iT' î^^^ ^"^''^ «'*"'e «^ thousand. 'orrester would liave known aniong ten Aud stiU Lord ûynely did not come.^ or to Tenf . knitW h^ hlnnl k °''^'" *S^'"' *<> '^«^«eli; stapd. Sq fond 3^ f. .flfrl^ ^i?T^ "J ^»'t iîndeiL_ ^'. 1^' ^dé?'-i # .-s-i^i ■'^,■-0.;: fi , «.•' ■ 120 ^r)*'^ iroo^ i/p r^£ glass of tims. can t h^lp sm, hng on men and turqing their heads anv^ Sun AnU if thq sun scorches and shrivels theSMii r don't see that the s»n is to be biamed diher ^Ê^Mk^^' / ica , that. don't if ? " «aJH t^ «'"Ç" citner. Qipiprpoet- "Uncomïïionly well," says Terrv '««în «^«11 «i . t r •• WelM' woîr?"';^;," h"n.s Teny „„der his breath. like." ^' 8° "'^ »"'' '«'h him if you answers, bufc*smothrre^^lI«Î^^HK'!Le™î^ t weeltf, SOI If I could only hâve got off duty for a week-i„.,f » ^e had sa.d pathetically once to FianceT" 1%^",!'? Hng in the world— -''^ UMJÉe^^earest^sweetes^ « Xf^f/J'*' »**?" , .M'a" ..•^- » K.^ ' '.* * I ^ V . \"' '.^m » -rf' ' "?nvf°r"*'v'"**'^Pt' France, gravely. And l've ,been awfullv fnnH Js u ^ roundabonts. and she S '°" ^^ ^^»- «ver since I wrore 8houId*r,andrSjÏLlo elX^^^^^ up op the feission and the file hundred U * «"^'^ "^'^^ "^ <=^'"- »narry and keep a wife on his ni! Lh « J^ ^"""^ <=°"'d çouldn't. he. France? Tust l%f^ ^*^u ^f ''^'^*^^ » X^âr, hors^^shay-eA? Couldn' they Sn^ > ïï'^f ""^ * °°'^- expensive, as tady Dynelv said th/^?K ^ ^^ ^^^^ «in't ï^ranceJ J see lotsofLT ^^*^ «'her day, and she-ah dashing. girKTnd;;e«y| i\^rnnr""-J°*>' girls.,and/ . niy Word, not oneialfLCod or swe^rr"^ ' «^^^''^^ • little Crystal I" *^ ' **'*^®'» ^r pretty, as my in awe of her. But F^nœ sv!,^"^''^"^'^^^"' *»« «^ands j than everin thèse làterryîand^Sîi^!? ^*^ *^^' "«'^ insipid.) Thafe haff a Zd L J'n ^^'^P*» *<^ * ' mysçlf.» *" * ™'"d to iall m love witb ybu .bc;2fV:l„l°S^^^^^^^ Piteously; .^tit \ «pon it. I shoufi knockl^^der J ° ^ *'°^" ^^ ^" »°*ted do what they please m'ih ™/?n/?,^~^^^ *^° aï'^ays ,«»»onId never.m^nP«e ' /to Eric" ^ ^^*'* ' ^o« ; besides, you beuJng ««« The absent are alwa.ys in the wrpng,' » Miss Eorrester -r f i 11»: MU. ' B ii'HI •«;«*,« -.-ar-; mmm%wx 'v 't . . ,' ■ / ' ' ^^ 122 LOVEmTOOy UP THE GLASS OF TIME. quotas. "I^don't see why ray lady shbuid be angry wifh Eric — l'm not. Let the poor boy enjoy himself. But, for you, Terry, you shall go down to Lincolnshire to-morrow, if . /you wish it.^*It is too bad. and too selfish of us, to keep you lied to our a|)ron-strings when thé prettiest and sweetest girl in England is pining for you among ihô Lincolnshire fens and raarshes. I shall speak to Lady Dynely, at once. Yours is the most aggravated case of ^ crueity to animais ' on record." ' " No, no ! It may annoy Lady Dynely— I would nôt fbc , the world. My affairs can wait," Terry remonstrates in alarm. " Sp can ours. I ana very fond of my lady, jbut I don't worship the ground she walks on, as some people do. I shall ask her." Miss Forrester képt her word. She sought out liady Dynely, and broached the subject at once. "Lady Dynely, can't you let Terry off duty for a couple of weèks ? The poor fellow is falling a prey • to green and yellow melancholy,' and the ' worm i' th^ bud is p^eying on his damask cheek.' In plain English, he*s in love; and nôw that your generosity has given him something to live on, he naturally wanls to go and tell her— wants to lay his hand and fortune at her feet, and do the ^ corne, share my cottage, gentle maid ' sort of Ihing, you know." France spoke lightly. Lady Dynely laid down her pen— she was writing that indignant prbtest to Master Eric— and looked up with a face that turned to the color of ashes. H Wants to marry I— Terry I " was ail she could say. " Naturally. We hâve niade him our ♦ fetch and carry ' spaniel, I know ; but he is a man for ail that. We bave treated him as though he were a page or footnian ; but he is a lieutenapt of dragoons, and nearly twenty-four years old. Not a Methuselah) certainly, but old enough to take unto himself a wife if he wishes to perpetrate that sort of imbe* cility." " Terry I a wife 4" Then Lady Dynely sits still, and over the grav ^allor.of h er face a look of angpr flashp». _ ^•^^l i s i P h n< to P« «TTw a gray pallor c iMÏÏrdP-îtTs preposterous I Terry with a wife I arc U.', -. . JîJ\.'^--"'yag„,wn-upbabyhi„sel. I .m «^t hear " She is one of the M ss Sinse-^ tk ^^ ^^ ^ " Higginses.» says France, wiS fSr J}î'^ ^^ "'"^ Miss youngest but one, poor hTia t^^* '''^^^^'■- " She is the , jove with each other everSe ÏV^ .^""^ '^^ ^^''^ ^een in • bowl and wore pinafores And f X.-^fP^P^"*^^ ^^e sanie .^ Lady Dynely," concIuSs Fr^Je^ï " '^ 1 «*"« ^oo bad, ' ^s^ï^ii;:îf iiS^^^"'^ "^^ ^-' . n^^^5hnn^thir;uliect"'^^^^^^ "I wiU France. ia,^*îo/4,V^?.^?^^^ the poor fellow," pieads " s the faL of 'f^. mot^'e;s%e\"''^' '*^c^°^^« J'' " a beheve if you order him to^U „„ J— ^ ^o well that I turn Trappist. he will obey vo«^ 5" ^"^' *°«° ^''^y and inerciful-^on'tbehardon^em '. "^^ ^°" "« «^rong, b^ Then she eoes an^ t^JI *^* f^«sh and gSilt;; mt?a7heTed%o?o t'^ «-«only steahng down in Lincoinshire \nnîl ^° '^''^" *^"«ht apple- fore the vicar to answe for hi °c W %^ '^f falfed u^be- pale very pale, her lips are'set hTr ^^ ^V ^^>'*'»'P « »«« hands that are folded in L , ' . ^11 ^°*''' a"^»0"s, the approach. "" ^^"^ ^^p tremble nervously at his " What is this, Terrv ?» ci,» 1 " You really ^ " ?"'"• '°*"« "P bmly eni„g" 5^' .. ** I J a allu tî^fc ^tj.-^^rr» — = — 'H are « T — „ 'V wisn iti"' - • ,*^ ^I^RÇ^-^f^^ 124 IVE TOOK UP THE GL4SS QF TIMB .1 -'' 1 . «* \-. =■ 3ro.unger than your years — in spite of ail you hâve lived in the world, you are as ignorant of it as a girl in her teens. I don't object to that ; I like you the better for it indeed. But you are not up to the rôle of Benedick, the married man. And besides, the incoine that is sufficient for you, with your simple habits, will not suflice for'a wife and family. I can't conçoive of you in love, Terry, you who treat ail the you ladies of your acquaintance with an indifiference as unéatt ing as I am sure it is sincère." 4 ». ,* ^ ^ "I love Crystal," is Terry*» answer, and his blue éj^es light. " I hâve loved her pretty mucb, I think, since I saw her first." « And she— " ' "Oh, I don't knoW' — she likes me,. that I am sure of. She is only seventeen, I^y Dynely, and know$ nothing ol the world beyond the vicarage, the villase, and her native marshes. And yet I think when I ask her to be niy wife she will not refu^." " You mean to ask her then ? " " With your permission, Lady Dynely." She lays her hand on his head ; her hps tremble. " You are a good boy, Terry ; it would be difficult to be hard to you if one wished. ftit I don't wish. I only ask this — postpone your visit for a little, don't ask her to be your wife until — until Eric cornes." He lifts her hand and kisses it " It shail be as you please," he answers. " Until Eric cornes," she repeats, and that grayish pallor is on her face, that troubled Jook in her eyes. "Ihave something to tell hi»n — something to tell you. When that is told you shall do a» you please — you will be absolutely your own master thencefurth." ^ "You are not angry, Lady Dynely?" Terry asks, jn à troubled tOQç. " Angry I with you? Ah, no, Terry; you hâve never given me cause for anger in your life." She sighs heavily ; 6he thinksof one, as dear to her as the veiy heart bea^e in her boaoïw; adu) has ff*ea^ h«^ €auge|»4mgcroftq»^ f .'. ^s \ii -y.,- ff'f. *f^ '„*■■> c^r^l, I, -«y zor^ rooir w» ^^^ ^Imss oit rmE. I2S *^ "It is a compad between im v«., •« hâve toldyou what I hav^o V Ji k r " ""'" '^^^ ""t»! I mystified look on his fecf'h/ ^^^°' '"''^ * ^'•««Wed. tell ; what can it be ? " Mr n f • '' *'"*' " Something tô pie life. and they^^X S^ "^^'- ^is sim. For Lady Dyneinie dmrïV f"^'^.' '''™ ^''«^ they do. passionate cry ^ *' ^^"^^ '"^ ^^ *»a°ds with a isW-i:£ ''^"^ ^ ''''''' '""^ -b^^ "-d no. the dar hei{£:fe-^JS^ NotJu.yet-. Fo.esî^ïsX-n'r^L?^"^'^ P^^'-- '" « Miss do with it? If Udv Dvli ' ^!^^^' ^^^ ^"n has Eric to revolve at Er^i's pf^^^ L'*'!^' '""f '^ï?^^ ^°^'^ '^o^'d his sovereign will.^Tneed not ask°M^^ •'* '^^ mean to obey ? » *' ^r. Dennison, if y©u I thought gra'i°Xan«?L?'''r' '■'="' '''W.anoaare. darkagy^oftetchmel^Ï"!^^^^^ -* <•>« etate Lad/ Dyndr in a wa/tC S - . '"'« »"<• »«■>- tude can ever repay he"" ' ^"^ "''•' " "o giati- ship to the Dyn"5^'fami^ L!^ " °"t ^'^' ''^^'- '••■ on rth- ■ Kg' l Z ^'^^^ ^ '"" ^ fi» yo « ^ '' ',0 " X' ■va il- w^":i'.l^;^-.ii- ,4^- i^-s" -r k-'3' IfTî fiçr. ~.f~ ' . t.- 126 l-OFE TOQfT UP THE GLASS OF TIME. f ' squalor that he vaguely remenibers, also that those With whom his early years were spent were kind to him, in a niV sort of way. Mvtt of this blurred picture, the rainy da upon which she entered their hovel, like à veryangel|o^ light, with her fair face and rich gannents, stands out clefar. She came, and ail his life changed. No mother could do more for a son than she had done for him. " Could they not ? " Miss Forrester says, rather doubtfuUy, thinkiftg how differently the lives of Eric and Terry are or- dered. But she will not throw cold water on his enthusi- asm. It is ,beautiful in its belief and simplicity, «his worship of Lady Dynely in a world where gratitude is the exception, not the rule. "But why did she^do it? And what claim hâve you ■ really upon her ? " she asks. Hère Terry is "fkr wide" again. His father was some sort of relation of the late Lord Dynely, that much her ladyship told the Vicar of Starling, and that meagre scrap is ail Mr. Dennison knows of hiniself or his history. • " Curious," France says, thoughtfuUy, looking at hira. " Lady Dynely is the last to adopt a ragged child through a whim and do for him as she has done for Terry. There is something on the cards we don't see, and something I fancy not quite fair." So ail thought of going down into Lincolnshire and mak- ing the eighth Miss Higgins blessed for life, was given up by Mr. Dennison for the présent, and he resumed his ♦♦ fetch and carry" duties as France called them, and dutifully escQrted his two lady friends everywhere. Even down to the Bromp- ton studio, which bored him most of ail, for he didn't care fpr pictures, and Mr. Locksley — a good fellow enough— was monopolized by the ladies and had no time to attend to him. The bright brief season — for Parliamént closed early that yearv- was at its end, ail the world of western Ix>ndon were tuming their thougHts countryward, the last sitting for Lady Dynel/s fwitrait was to be given. While she sat, Miss For- rester prowled about as usual among the pictures, and lo ! brought one to light that was a révélation. — §^e had seea^m. att ag^ jmé a£^tt&^ ^&nCiffiadtw^ Mt- '#.- •■,^^* l?i ] t Jik^"*' LJf>F£ TOOK UP THE GLASS OP TIJUÉ. 127 winter scène for the Marquis, a view from theheights of Que-' bec, with thenver a glistening ribbon of frozen silver-white and the ice cone of Montmorency Falls piercing the vivid blue sky-the ghmpses of green Virginian forests. ' p?c turesque negro quarters, rich sketche» of northern autûranal forests ail gorgeous splashes of ruby-red niaple and orange hemlock, and an on a glimp.se of Indian life, dusky whitc- veiled Arabs, and dreary sketches of sandy phini The companion picture for Madame Felicia was not^ yet begun And thus it was that suddenly France came npon her treasure-trove. , ^ It was hidden from vieve in a dusky corner covered by half a dozen larger canvasses— a iittle thing, raerely a sketch r"î^''™-S'';V"''^^'^ ^^"^' r'^ ^««^derful gr^atbn of light and shade. This is what sbe sa«r • ^ ^ h.w oW-fashioned garden ; a tjingled mass of roses and ^nnn °?H ^"^^ ^«"^y?"^»'!^, > ^ "ight sky. Ht by a faint. new moon ; the d.m outlme of a stately mansiori rising m the background over the black tree^; 'a girl in a whit^e dress! fjj \ "J''^^^^ ^° ^^^ "'Sht sky. In the dira distance, à darker shadfl^ among the shadows, his face entirely obscured i^l^fl figure of aman stands unseen, watching. The face of. the girl is France's own. The blood rushed tô hev fo ehead as she looked, with a shock, she could hardly hâve old-whether of anger or joy. She tmderstood the pic! ^re m a moment and m that moment understood herself. The figure m the background was >i^-and he was biddini^ her a last farewell. That look of passionate Ipve, of pal sionate despair-how dared he! With the crimson^of conscious guilt still red m her cheeks, her eyes flashed. Did he suspect what until this moment sheliad never suspected her. Did he suspect-did he dare suspect that she had stooped to care for him unsought? ' Yes, stooped ! Was he not c^nameless, struggline artisL stonnld'^' Tt'' ""^'^^ ^^''^^ ^°^ she-andfgeXnce stopped and knew m her mmost soûl that though he were a. ,^gaii,he«aï theâftfcfflaa of aU nwn born tebc ber ma^ ':^- 1< ^?' ■f-r -/: *****■» 128 LOr£ TOOX- UP TffB GLASS OF TIME. ^ "■ Sodow we in!, Md yet m Un ipirt , So do» I feel yom breath upSTmV dœk- . Sodose, ,hai „hai I hear yooT ,oic I im lift^gi» tr^"-,' iii^r^r^ "iF.'T'''^''"'-^»^*™ ^■' Mis, Fo^est^ I I dia „o. mean thaf yo» *ould «e V allTe 'rr "'S>7r^r'r'''K? r ?' "-'""S «en i,, patrons isthSf"'^ "^ *=' "^""d» «f Mr. LocWe/â \I. U b„. an insean,^ woA"S'&1?triïirZ,C „-Ngo ng ,m atb««tae/- Fra nce said,^^^^^^ f .1. .A.. ;UWV«'>*"»*'' «■• "' '^ '■'SV-^ .* '., **^ ^-ii'Fj f ' s. ! ■« ^'"^.7'>'-i *g/>5 ^^»f' ^\^pys\rOOJ!r (/P THE GLASS OF TIME. \.g iiarve such vivid «maginations " artists face. g'eai» of sunshine after a swrm lîghted her «No one ever says impossible to Lady Dynelv" she oaM otherssee?^e%nt!.vis"'tel^''i%:rrf^^^^^^ poss.b.hty ever ^ear such a loS as îhat You sÏÏl ^ "? my picture not ohce, but twce--once for T ^?n ^^'"i once foradear old ladv rRom^SL » ^- ^^î"^^^ ^"'l rubies-Grandmrmma Carîr^ ^^° '"^ P"^« '' "^^^ ~ ^j^ He looked up. a faint flush under the golden tan of his . "Youmeahthat?"heasked. ■ ûs dotr^o^D^net" '''' ^''"" "^'^ ^"' ^"^ "^^ ^°«o- "I shall take it as a favor," chîmed in Lady Dvnelv ^Jo,i are both .eiygood." he says, quLly.^ "i ^ \:^- .-'1 ~:^. l • - . ^4« ' - A • • ' 1 ■0' , É ■-• 1 V , . • s« ^ \j-s 1 ) . -t-fâ i^^4ff^'-' ''' CHAPTER VI. Il THE LORD OF TUS LAUD. »» f -■*>; lALKING up and down the pier of Saint-Jean- sur-Mer, on the Brittany coast, uader the broiling sea-side sun, waiting for the English packet an- chored out in the roads, is a young English gentle- man. The July sky i^ blazing blindingly hère by the sea ; the heat quivers like a white mist over the water; not a breath of air stirs the chestnuts or labiirnums, and the streets of Sairit-Jean lie ail baked and white in the pitiless, brassy glare of that fiçrce midsummer sun. But in ail this tropical dazzle and heat the young English- man saunters up and down, and looks cool and la'nguid stilL His summer suit of palest gray is the perfection of taste; his boots, his gloves, perfection also; and the hand- kerchief which he flirts once or twice across his face is of finest cambric, etnbroidered with a coroneé and nionogran^, and perfuraed with attar of violets. He is tall and very blonde, as shapely as a woman, broad-shouldered, slender- waisted, long-limbed, and very handsome. His coniplexion is délicate as a girl's ; for such blue eyes and blonde curls many a fair one niight si^h with envy ; very handsome, very effeminate. He has a little golden mustache, waxed into minute points ; a straw hat is thrown carelessly on his fair hair. He is the most beautiful, the most noble, the most perfect of ail mep, in one woman's eyes at least. He is Eih, Lord Viscount Dynely. He walks up and down, and waits for the boat which is to convey him across the chan- nel, to his home and the lady he is to marry. But he is in no hqt haste about it ; he has put oflf the evil day as long as pojàible. F^ce Forrester is a pretty girl, an élégant girl, a dever 1 s h b c ■^.,^ . J- ■/ •sgff^'AxA.i. A. ^.u^t -) - >; t.\ \ie '-'* ■ ». > 'J « ;ii:: ^t ".^--v'f;A^,-5i>rtj,^«^' " ^-«e ZOiPZ? Ofi THE LAND» a suspicion of blûe in f hf f ' , - *^''''" <^'ever wonien • charm of the d^mfes Vo. anT'^M^' ^°"'^ outweigh tïé settled thing among S polers th^K °" !f '*'^- ^ti» it is a Peçts it, no doubt f and kTs lesî «r ï h ^""^ P^^"" ^'•■^"<=« e^' yield gracefuUy, and Tac fice h ™-I? ^°v °" ''"'^ ^^°'^' *<> And, besides, as a w fe h! rS' a^ T^^ * ^"«^ about it te4V&Lta's^heTe;^s& " «a ,uar. he draws froni his niket ^nH^ ^^^f i«^" jewelled rep^ater half-past. Sharp, and n™w it i^ ' ^^e prom.sed to be hère at good health, good t^te and fin **• ^°™^ ^'■°" yo"tb Dynely's last Airtee, me^îa Satî t'^'T» ^^^ » ^ord nnniites she had witT-d hl f/'"^-Jefn bail, where in ten affections. He had iol fX^'^^™ his ficLfe oiterings. with the intemL of rrn^^*"' "^^ ^" ^P^^'^h lo ! a fortnight had passed «nH . °*^ ''''^'' ^* «»«, and vivacious F^nch tonï^e h,3 hdd Z"^ '^'""^ ^^^^ *"d ^ since. The two weeS pSo„ Ll J'"" «n rose chains ever he was going, and madaSTe S promfsXÎ^'^r "> ^^^ bid him adieu on the pier Wh JT lu '^ '"P ^^'^ and creed to become France Forr- ? J? T\ *^^ gentleman de- The fifteen .nfnSpass Xv'^'ii^^'^ ^"^ ™^'«-- -th his tall, fair he:^&dev?tif ^JS ïf^îî^^r^' ^* bluc eyes speaking whole encycSL J? ' 5». éloquent tion. He is one of those men^h!? /*^ ^y^àyxxi^, AevK>. 8> «na cnrow themselves mto the moment'» -«>.' >> i.j4«'jlrt>*v . .M;" ^ï" t?,' < i' :•' < a" •• ii-r»»- "•'■(!--„ 13» " TItE ZORÏ> OP THB LAND. »» Wle With ail thé dcpth that is în tKeno. One of those me*» bom to be worshipped hf women, and to make cheni suffer mercilessly ât his hands. Not rdbitstly bad in an/ wày, but siniply without an ounce of ballast, in hin^ bôdy or soûl. "; Eleven strikes froni àll the clocks of Sain î-Je^n- sur-Mer— ihe fatal hpur bas corne. There are tears ip mtalânîe's black, doll-like eyes as she whispers adieu ; beau^Ç«^ pale, sadl and tender Lord Eriic looks. He wavA the perfunied coronetéd hàndkerchief from the upper deck>^^a§ long as f he is in sight, still ihournful and pale to look upon despite the height of the thernionieter. Then he laughs, puts the hànd- kerchief in his pocket, lights a rose-scented cigarette, sélects a shady spot on deck,«orders his valet to fetch him that làst novel of George Sârid,'and m five minutes bas as. completely forgolten the Woman he has lef^^i^^the girl he is going to. He reàches Lobdon. Itis ifresert, of course. Every- body has gone. Sorae three million are left, but they don'jt count Hé looks in weary disgust at the empty, sun-scorched West End streeés,^ at the bleached parks, the forsaken Ladierf Mile, and goes down iat once to Devonsbire. And in thy cool of aperfect suramer evening he reaches the Vil- lage station, and as he is not expected, is driven in a fly, like an ordinary mortal, to the Abbey gâtes. There is a garden party of sônïe kind, he sees, as he stroUâ languidly up to the hoùse. Thiâ gentleman, who has not attained his raajorily, has a certain weary and Worn-out air, as though life were a very old Story indeed, ànd rather a tiresome mistake — the "nqthîng new, ând ûothing truerand it don't signify " man- :ùer to perfection. It is a mpst exquisite evening. Overhead there is a sky ' like Italy, golden-gray in the shado#, primrose and pink in Âelight, a fufl moon rising over the tree-tops, a few bri^ht stars winking fàcetîously down at grini old earth, a fainç breeze just Stirrihg the roses, and clematis, and jessa- mine, and honeysuckle, ànd Wàfting abroadsiibtle incense, ànd thè nightingâles piping their musical, plaintive vespet song. It i s unutterabl y beautiful, but to alUts beauty Lord song. It i s unutterably tjeauti tui. Dut to aii its peauty x^orq "^My is aëàîïna lÉ&a. It bas Mèaà ^«** X V, »1 b I I r « ti •feiî' .■^« 'sf V itf' i^ipi,^i%i/«j ""*'*^-^;s»e.«. V. V ^' ^V -rr .■,-;•• î-, " Oit TÉtE land:* «33 ►5' ;,^ JW he kùon^ u 13 rather cooler now, that is ail. What he does see is a grÇmp of fair English girlsj in robes of white, and pink, and pale green, playing croquet undçr the beeches. and his tired eyes light^^little at the àight. Vgtierever and whenever Lord Dynelymarlightupon a preft)^:pC orgroup of theni, ail his eartKly trouble^ yanish at ohce. Ifwas a weakness, inany cynical friands àaid, inhêritêd honestly enough froin his late noble father. The group clicking the croquet balls did not seë him, but fif \c^ "^""r' * ^"^"f standing on the terrace,gazing thoughtfuUy at the twilight shadow», did, and theré was \ quick start, a quick uprising, and a rush to taeet him, a glad, joyful cry: , •' ' " Oh, Eric I «ly son ! my son !" He perniitted her embracé rather than returned it. It was too warm for powerful domestic émotions ofany sort» . Jiric thouffht, and then women always went in for kissing ' and raptiHes upon the smallest provocation. He let'himself be embraced, and then gently extsicated hiraself, andglanced " backward at the group. * ' ^i,"'^^??"^* party, motherl" he sail «Do I know - them? Ah, yes, I see the Deveres and the Dorman cirls? •IsPrance—? Howis France? She is not among them? " " i^rance is somewhere in the grouftds. Oh, my boy ! hoW good it seenis to hâve you at home again— how anxiously\ bave awaited your coming. We expected you in Londôn atS the begmninç of the season." '• We ? " his lordship sayS, interrogatively. "France and 1. Do you know, Eric, that France has been the sensation of the season, the most adraired girl in London. Lord. Evergoil proposed, and was rejected ; but. Enc, you ran a great risk." "pidl? Oflosing Miss Forrester? I could hâve sur- • vived rt," he answers, coolly. " Don't say that, Eric— you don't mean it, I know," Lady Dynely says, with a sinçularly nervous, fdghtened look. You cannot do better— it is impossible. She is of one of .he olde.stfamilies in the kingdom ; shtfis handsome , accom. TJiBlicd, and Tasanatirig, abd die caoM îhto two fortunes» ^ ' ^^Ld^Ê^^^L,*^ ^^;2^i^/ïv, ^>. V i c 134 "!»» Z0«Z> OF THB LAl/D» .. her own «nd Mrs. Çaryll's. Eric, I shaU break hiy héart jf you do not.marry her." ' < ^ . " Hearts don't break, dear Uiother— physicians hâve di* . covered that ; it is an explodcd delusion. And as to Misi J-orrester-s acconîpUsl>raqnts and fascinations, do you know I rather find that sort of young person hang heavy on hand •-l^prefer people of less superhuraan acquirements. For the fortune— we 1, I may not be a Marquis of Westminster, but the rent roU ra.a noble one, and its lord need never sell himselfi" Lady Dynely has turned quite white— a dead,, gray pallor —as she hstens. Is he going to throw over France and her fortune after ail? , Must she tell him the truth in order to make hini speak ? Before she can tum to him àgaiiî, he speaks, more cheerfully this time. V 7'™.! epough for ail that," he says ; " don't look so mie and ternfied, mother miné, One would think I were a pau- per, reduced to heiress-hunting or starvation. Where is France ? I will go in search of her, and pay my respects " L kl '^^"^ " ^^^ ^'""^ ""^^^ ^^isin hour ago with Mr. " Mr. Locksley ? A new name. Who is Ut. ipbcksley ? " Mr. Locksley is an artist ; he is paintingjPfence's pdr- trait He made a hit at ths.Acadeujju*ffryear, and I pre- vailed upon him to corne with us down beré." " Oh, y(îu did I' And he is received enfamme, I suppose, and France takes solitary stroUs with him, does she?" re' sponds Eric, lifting his eyebrows. " It seems to me, my good mother, you don't look after your only son's interests «> verv sharply after alk The lime >^alk, did you say? I will go and flush this covey at once." He turns away. His mother stands where he has left her and watclies the tall, siender figure, the slow, graceful walk. He grows handsomer every year," she thinks, in her love and admiration « Go where I will I see nothing like him. Oh, xay boyl if you only knew that you may be a very pauper indsed. That on the mercy k Tcriy Dennisoi your whole fortune may hang. If l could only summon ^""^ ^^ ^°^ ^ this déception, and s ecrery ^ ^nd s„^_ 't \ •aW'» z 4 tït .~'. •■:#f ':^jiiJk j^iij' ^ ■« lg#^. -:^§"'-r',vT4t' >f A 'V .~,''-M4^ '■-V.-**"'..'/,^' - TBE LORD OF TUE LAND» t- pcnsjatonce. Terry is so good, so generous, he loves me 80 ; he IS fonder of Eric than any brofhcr ; he wouW mXî d e than g.ve pe pain. That is n,y only hôpe. îf the £ sLif^gt^ro?: ?:sX?^" *^^ ^"^--•^' »- -^" grâce and élégant languqr wanting, only manly stremrth and n omei'î ^ '^' ^^ ^^^P^augh co.nes\o K tïe moment, clear apd merry as ahy school-boys. Terry vnllbav^ merrownness of her hair agréât bu^ch of ifliS of The îaSeï ^ m her ap, another cluster in the bosom of her dress. Her coquettish « Dolly Varden" hat lajr on the gSss SSïde her ïv andTa.r^.S'^'^' f"ll of dreJmy ligh^^-thTshinrng VJJ Sfa» .and the man who lay on the sward at her feet Ai^Jo*ejrw(^jTbe_brief ni^ fi Kvd, and bàbblë, ao^ ^^S} n8MS= t- .^. Al^ÔiÉ^i^^ -vw •r "■;^»w.»,* '\ #. tp=^ For one who wUl never be thr*. ^ But mine, bat rainer So I «wear to the rose. 'f I ...... lows, with their I?ng ha°? Lnd D.Vttï, ' those painting fel- blouses, always piaf A^'m^if f "?"* ^^^^' *"<^ ^elvet to think one of the pSudLt t^-' ^ -.--,• ' -~ |^>rfC¥f f^' *' THE LORD O^ HH^agf^^ffjyn ^^^ would remember ? t7o vearl is a ro^^ ^h""" ï?"'4^telj he «PirniVoi o» . /^o yfars is a considerab e time." the same." ^ ° '"^ P''""" "> "«tyou hère ail wJ3','îhel'„T''ir„lf ^. »■>?■»•?">«. -alked back .o- -me e»,ÎL5S"#„ût ShVndtsZL "' shimng -with pleasure ' ' "onest eyes hidalgo oJt thrrrhrd%otS^,!~ ^'*"«^', '°."^ °'^ Spanish fifth fib in some dik^tief"^ T"- T^^'' »»»« with delight " ^"^ '"'^'■' »^ beside herseU hand express tie émotions o? tVe Vv^^X'^^^r^^^^ are^tnpp^ng the «ght fantastic in.therell^hXwc^oiJ: They enter i ,^r ■' .V v/<.< ' m ^T>A kj, •, -*— tr-'y»"»?" ■• t. t - J* • I 138 "7»£ ZÔ^Z) O^ 7WK LAATD/* his présence makes itself felt directly. He is in excellent spirits — thruws off his languor, forgets to be blasé, and waltzes like a student at Mabille. France déclines ; it is too warm, she says ; she will re- lieye Lady Dynely, and play, Mr. Locksley rtakes his adieux speedily and départs. '* How hâve you corne to pick up Locksley, France .' " Eric asks, later on. "Pickhimup? I don't quite understand. He painted the picture of the year, sold it for a fabulous sum, was over- flowing with Orders, and, as a spécial favor to Lady Dynely, consented to throw; over'everything else, foUow us down hère and paint my portrait." She speaks with a certain air of constraint, which Lord Dynely does not fail to notice. "Ah, very kind of hitn, of course. Very fine fel^w, Locksley, and very clever artist, but a sort of reserve about him, a sort of niystery, something on his mind and ail that. One of the sort of men who hâve an obnoxious wife hidden away in some quarter of the globe, like Warrington and Rochester in the novels. I must see the portrait — is it a good one?" " Very good, I believe— I hâve given but two or three sittings as yet." " How long has he been hère?" "Afortnight." A pause. He looks at her as he leans over the back of her chair. She is slightly pale still, rather grave, but very handsome— 2/^ry handsome. She has improved, Eric thinks, complacently, and dark beauties are his style, naturâUy. A -very crédible wife, he thinks ; a fine, high-bred face to see at one's table ; and if there be a trifle more braîns thah one could wish, one can excuse that in a wife. . " I must get Locksley to make me a daplicate," he says, bending over her, and putting on his tender look. " France, ytfh hâve not said you are glad to see me yet." " Is it necessary to repeat that formula ? " she answ«rs, _rarclftfj!s]j, "That is takên forgranted, isit not?" t"*o i""^» t. "Twas detained at Saint Jean," he goes on. *< ï bave >'•/ 'J- ' ' -î :»!: - - ,; !"/'^\ ^Jf^Â.-Aïf^:^'''^ ' r ^'1 *1l. > 1 f r -W^" '^ " THE LORD OF THE LAND» 139 "Yes, I can imagine," France answers, and suddenly ail face. " I can imagine the burning itiipetuosity, the fever ôf longmgwuh whichyou rushed acToss thè PyLees across France and home Eric, that sort of thing SLTdo ve' weli m Spam, but don't tiy it with me " ^ " Merciless as everi Your London season bas agreed with you, France. I never s^w you look so welI. AnTthe feme Of your conquests bave reached even the other side of the Pyrénées. Ho«r others siew their thousands and Miss For! rester her tens of tbDusands. How men went down befoie f. t'^l^'^^ f.'^"';^' "'^^ ^o^n before the re#er." . My dear Enç," Miss Forrester replies, polilely shruir. gingwuh a yawn, "don't you find it feti^i^g ^ talk s1> Teâbes. Bufir" ' 'f'""^ °' yours^to^make long speeches. But I suppose two years' hard practice of the language of compliments must telL" ^'"'-"ce 01 the "Corne out on the terrace," is what he says, and in soitc of berfejnt résistance he leads her there. He is «oK more and more charmed eve^r moment-not deepfyriove^ iate?n"'°^''ï'"""^e"^ prett^ace. HeisasKS nated now as he was by madame last week as he may bTbv any one else you please next, and thoroùghly in eSiS at the moment. Why should he delay ? Whf no co^to the Z^n^En-gL^d ^^^"^' ^^-- -"^^ ^^ -^^^ ^T?;tr^^'^^^^ ^'•^«^^"^^ ^here they^tTd. ' ^""'^ .^'^'^ « V l Z'"*"'^ ^'8^'' " ^'^a^ a Perfect night ! » A" to the sky ; " veiy neat thmg in the way of moonshine And nioonhght hours were made for love and ail that L mS says so, doesn't he, France ? » * P^* ^M '!?j .,î- , i *' Ah, France, you mày laugh at me — ** ■JLb. ..?* 140 "ttÔff £OitZ* OJ^ t^É LAND*» •,- ^t-i»^ _ I am not laughing ; I néver felt less facetious in my life. My prin<:ipal feeling, at présent, is that it Js half-past eleven, that I am tired aftertwo hours* croquet, and that I should-^ and will say good-night, and go to bed." "Not just yet." He takes her hand and holds it fast. What a pretty hand you hâve," he says, tenderly; "a model for a sculptor. Will you let me put an engagement .ring among ail those rubies and diamonds, Frînëe? I J^'t^y^mt^^^-^'^ ^""^' ^°" ^^'".-^-' -^ y- ^^France laughs, and looks at him, aJd draws away her ' ' "' • ' **There came a laddie hère to woo. And, dear, but he was jimp and gat; He stole the lassie's heart away. And made it ail his ain. Oh. " h«7°V^?'"'? *°'^"° *™^' 1'°''^ ^^"ely. Really the haste and ardorofyourjove-making takes one's breath away J^Jt^ll ""^1"°^ tl^a» I know what to do with-another WDuld be the embarrassment of riches. Eric, let us end this force. You don't care a straw for me. You don't want to mairy me any more than I want to marry you. Whvshould we hore each otheç wjth love-mâking that means nothing. It wil disappomt twogood women a little— but that is inevi- .H„iî* ^ '° r"' "?°^'^''' "''^ * ««««J ^oy» and te» hfer she inust make up her mmd to another daughter-in-law " ^^His eyes light-mpposition always détermines himforright '• I will never tell her that. I love you, France-have loved you always— you alone shall be my wife." " Enc, do you expert me to believe* that ? " "I expect you t« beliéve the truth. And if after ail hese years-after what has passed betwéen us, you mean to thruw me over— " ^ " After what has passed betveen us I " she repeats, look- ing at him full, «I don't uhderstand that, Eric U^at has eyer passed between us?" ^Vuu know I hâve teved^lSïï— you aiTûol qui» cast " % Mm m ,1^, 15- " ^ '. 'f ■* " -^/ « f mZn" ?'f" *° ''^'^ "\^ ^° '"^^^ ^ <^°'"P^ct as that?" do not Ele X'tff' ""' "" '^ "°^* "'^^^^^^^^ 'f y°- hnM^"^?^'?^''" '^^ ^^' ""^ef J»er breath. "You will hold Me to this tacit understanding_to which I haVe Lver been a party, mind-whether I will or no ?" ^ , He only repeats : ^i^°.!?nr'; ^y^"*'^' I ^ant you for my wîfe." Sfte stands lookmg at the softly luminous night at' the dark trees and white shadows, her face >àle! hef ps it her eyes darkly troubled. ^ ^ "tol«M ""^f""— " « ungenerous," she cries out, presentlv to Hd me to a compact to which l hâve never cSnsented unk'nd "°Yoa do^'';'!^ dishonorable, but, Eric, it i^mos; unkmd. Youdo«^/ love me— ah, hush— if you protested forever I would not believe you. I know vou I thJnl Slnt"treek';°" ^T"^^ You mTn Ta't Lis'mol S th^ sort of wff° f '"'^ ^°'^^' ""y ""^'y ^'^'^^^''^^e- I am taJtl t?. / r^^f"" y°"— yo" want an adoring créature to sit at your feet and worship you as a god. there I "she tprns .mpatiently away; "let me alone^ I can gfve ytu no answer to-mght. The dewis falling ; let us go in I h^te to gyieve Mrs. Caryll, I hâte to dtsap^'iné youfmot'her-îJr ^ " Fra3°'"''"'" V^ ^"y '^^'^ be, I doq't care a whit" France, you are heartless," he says, angrily. Fri TS^T^y t^^"-^ ï^^ '^"*'?- Gi ve me upf Let me go Eric— Il Will be better for us both " w»e go, " I will never let you go," he answers, sullenly « If vou throw «,e over, well and good_I must submit-in^y it J^ilS be hke France Forrester to play fast and loose with^any maS" »V.71 ^^^"P°" ^"» i" the moonlight their ^ï^ fire «You do well to say that," she retorts. «Yqu of S Z A^Tu""^ * ''^^i ï cannotanswer to-night If a I '1 kiSKrlïS^Tr' '" '•" **-^-'"'^ "'>'"r«' I ,. . !^>f^« <# , J 2-: > '- Fs ' CHAPTER VIL A week's rÉprieve. IISS FORRESTER goes to her room and sits at the j;'^d?«^. after the fashion of girls, and looks out. I She had ndver taken this aflFair of the proposed co,-^ /".lance s«riously for a moment befbre. She had 8a.d, and with truth, that she understood Erié better than he understood Inmself. Somewhere; ih his wanderin^ Kit caodmf hST "P°\f ^^ «yP^r. girfish face, that wouW captivate his susceptible, romantic heart— nô, not heart— sort of man to sneer at matnmony, because it was a bynical, t upon the shghtest provocation. To be " oflF with the old ër^ïricrfor ^'^"^^•"" ^ "°"-'^ notic:^;^°j^ -laughed J hjs love-making, parodied his pretty st^cS treated him much as she treated Terr/, with a sort of fun. " Jovinjr,elder-sistermanneri only she had a real respect for Dennison she never feit for Dynely. ^ won? to^lv''^" v^^^i^ '"^'^ ^ nian as you, Eric," she was Jhan i \T^' * 7?"^*'*r^,.^ 8''^*' ^«^^ fairer complexion than I hâve, ând I don't hke doUy men. You curl your hawr; you wa:s that little callow mustache o£ vours- vou t^otrancTT'ï ,"'' " ""'^'i y^^ ^«'^ moreSutV^j; v^ L "^ .?^°^ ^"""«^^ J'r^'" " **» » yo"n« duchess; and y^ihaven't an ounce of brains in yoji from ton to toe ^î? !L ^** ^^^^^^ " is this—that the mân I marry ~ shall be a manly man and a élever lian. -You, my po2r .V)^.^îî"\w«sv' uJa^ r ' -i-> — .11.11, 'ipi-wi— ^T wnjtmxm ^ WEEK'S REPRIEVE 143 ™ai. ''"°'' ""■''=^" ?™ >""«". «i"- an irrépressible '^\:^J^ izzTS^ ""« Never, France— really ? " n»"^yrif^™r;^''i"îr,'' """• ■«'"• ' -"""W"'' • invZii «he SH*?X"Men2^"V?? '" "^"^ weB ever to love vm. ï„j "'a-'naidenhood. I hke yo» too •■ Rel ly I " ^c ;en^a« 11»^^° '°'l*' ""■" ' ''^'' »s to be a king among men— " * "® Dyn^r ^'"^ '^ "^ '■*'•*■*"■' P"'» i» yonng Lord "Wiihoutfearandwithoutreproach. Yes. eiac.1. m». «ri;'ToU°:irt^i^?it«l%? strong man, a brave man, a her^» ^^ ^'' ''^*' ' ''«* » î ^ »" Captain Jin ks, of th^ HoïBfr Ma««^^^^™_ Sïsï^2iF^^K«t^ rï'a*^ -11," 1r;û U"^ ».'- r >« 144 -rf WEEK'S REPRIEVE. -i,,- ; " A man I can look up to, be proud of, who will do some« thing in the wprid; anything but a handsoine dandy who parts his hafl- in the middle, who wears purple and fine lineq, . and whose highest aim in life is to lie at young ladies' feet ; and drawl out jthjgi eternal passion that consumes him — a gentleman whose loves are as numerousas the stars, and not naïf so eternal." . In this spirited way Miss Forrester had been used X,o rebuff her would-be lover, and did sometimes succeed in piquing Eric into deserting her in disgust. A young lady^o strong-minded as this at sixteen, what was she likely to fll ,at twenty ? He j)itied her for her lack of taste— other girls went down before those blue eyes of his, for which Miss P'orrester expressed such profound contempt. It had never really meant much with either of thera until this night on the terrace. And this night on thé terrace Lord Dynely had been in earnest at last. . In some way her honor was bound — more or less, while she had laughed at the wished-for alliance, she had yet accepted il. Miss Forrester had a very high sensé of honor, and was an ex- ceedingly proud girl. To play fast or loose with any man, as Eric had said, was utterly impossible. In no way was she a coquette, Men had admired her, had fallen in loye with her, had wanted to anarry her ; but the mistake had been of their own making ; she had never led thenak^n. If, indeed, then, her honor and truth stood compromised hère, she must marry Eric. He did not love hei^/Aaf she knew as well now as she had known it always; if she marriedliim, she would be a most unhappy, unloved and neglected wife — that she aiso knew. And yet if he held her to it, if Lady Dynçly held her to it, if Mrs. Caryll held her to it, what was she to do ? To grieve those that loved W was a trial to her generous nature, and she was of the âge and the kind to whoni self^sacrifice, self-abnegation, look great and glo- nous things. Yes,* it would résolve itself into this— if Lord Dynely held her to their compact, she must marry LokT pynely. ^d-ihfltt out of the mi a t o f tha ninni^ligh»^ t^ » fa^ ,. p f ■*..: i, Tôcksley arose, Ihe grave, reproachful eyes, the bioad, ■# «bf!;;_5îi„-.^-,»> ';•>« ■.'ft.y .■■u • vj;vi- -.i<.'~--'V-^i4'^S.^*.^i«4''^fÀA!.s*s^sà|^ , \ WA -TiS&«î"^ A WEEK'S REPRIEVE ' '45 bacuS: "" ""'""'^' "»■=" "««i^ of Eric can.. wife °Wd<^l '^S^^m "^ ""= "■ oXnoxiou, .urnjdcold aTSe"ho"gh..'°Wa:'.S^„''f„vfl?'"" -^^ anything beyond a iValnnc «T . f- ^^yt'^'ng m it— day of his life, and that life no common^^^^^^^ ^7 ner tram of thoueht brok<» • ckÏ f .' ^"^ sighed ; Word and actj a ^xiTXTT.r^J'f''^^^ ^^ "» every honor to anv man in Fnllo S **L^ *S^"' ^^o would do at St. l^Z^TVl^tyàJ^^ir^^ and HonitoS lacL!aS3 how alUhe J.IT''..'''^"" ^'^^'^ envy him. In his love m^t^nt o • ™^ ^® ''"«^ ^o"W become hère or do .^ g.^^ ^^i^^^.^^^^^^^^ ' "«tr^i«rat^,ordo<4thliS^n, eS? r^hf*fu^ dupjiçate I spoke of Franri -r^ ^^ œust hâve that v^^ oi, i-rance. To possess the original ■s h' S. ' • - * ' „ -.^AiA.; ^^" .*.- ,'J* s lt€^ 146 r A WEE/P^ REPRIEVR. will not content me ; I must hatre the counterfeit présent* ment also." This in a tender whisper and 3 look, from under thé long, blonde eyelashes that had done killing exécution in its time. It missed fire, however, so far as France was concerned. " I doubt if Mr. Lxicksley will take time 'to paint dupli* . cates, Eric. Men who make their mark, as he bas done, db not generally df vote themselves to portrait painting. Hère he cornes nôwlf Her color rose as she said it — her pale cheeks took a tint tivalling her dress. Lord Dynely saW it ànd frowned. Mentally, that is ; so ugly a thiffg as a frown seldom marred the smooth fairness of that low brow. " Capital fellow, Locksley," he said, carelessly. " Saw a ^ great ileal of him at one time in Naples. Can tell a good story, and knock off a neat after-dinner speech better than N. any man I know. The set he lived among — painting fellows ail— used to drop hints, though, about that discarded wife. There is one somewhere, dépend upon it, and Locksley didn't Uct over and above well in the business, it was under- stood." France turned upon him, herself again, a look of cool conterapt in lier eyes. «^-' " Eric, don't be ill-natured. I hâte womanîsh meiT, and there's nothing on earth so w«|^ianish as to slander ab^nt* firiends. We do that ; but let us rctafiinhe copyright.". And then she turns away and goes over to Mr. Locksley, Iboking proud and lovely, and holds out her band in^rdial ■ welcome. V Oqc may hâve a look at the portrait, I suppose, ley ?" Eric suggests, unabashed. Mr. Locksley assents; and they adjourn to the painting< room — Terry, who drops in. following in their wake. It is in an unfini^ed state as yec,' lacking in ail détails, but it is ' a beautiful and striking picture. ' From a cloud of misty drapery the face looks vividly out, the lips gravely smiling, th e ser ene eyes eamest and^ — laminwâ to tliéw Vèry depths, lOl eHierealized expression" iotensifying its beauty. He has idealized it unconsciousî/ ^ ^iiÊSi.^^t. , ^ {■^t'-k'iy. i.->t«|Si|^ ^1 - 1' ■\ ' 'M 'r \ -vIls^îïV/.'.' ' vVV^''*'"'^'^?sÉ*î?"^i''Y'/^''''*'^''''^'^--'^^ ''**' *'^ *" <'■»■' '^"''^< '■ '* 5' ^ WEEIPÈ RËPRIEVE, 147 — a handsome gtrl has sat to hitn — ^he has painted a divin<^ ity. • ' " France stands and looks, and her face flushes. Ah I she has never worn that look. She knpws she is of the earth, earthy — ^very little of the angel about her, after alL And he has painted more an angel than a woman. " He'm," says Eric, i^ith his hand over hîs çyes, critically» ** *ery good — very pretty; indeed. Paint a halo round her. m and call it St. Teresa, or St. Cecelia at once — it looks like that sort of thing, you know. Jt's a pretty picture, but it isn't you, France ; that is not your natural expression." " No," France says, under her breath. " I am sorry to say it is not." "AndI prefer your natural expression," goes on Eriçi " It is very well done, as I said before, but it doesn't do you justice." •* , " ' "And I think it is grossly flattered," puts in Terry, gruffly. France bestows upon him à look of absolute gratitude. " Flattered ! I should think so, Tefry. Tha^ face Mr. - Locksley has painted out of his inner consciousness, and is what France Forrester should be — what, I regret to add, she is not." ' * Mr. Locksley takes no part in the discussion; he goes steadfastly on with his work. Terry yawns loudly, whistles in an aimless way, thrusts his hands in his pockets, and stares at the artisf s rapid movements, until France, whose tJerves he sets on edge, orders him perçmptorily to leave the „ room. "Eric lingers, lounging in a deep window, looking^ •' unutterably patrician and handsome in hb blackvdvet morning coat, contrasting so perfectly with his pearMii^ complexion and fair hair. He remains ail through the sit-^ ting, he foUows France out into the Italian rose, garden when it is over, he hangs about her like her sheid