Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-19
EVENING STAR.
8l B ICE. ......
looNoLUDED PROM fRsTKRDAr's srAR.l
CHAPTER III.

evidently stranger, entering the large es-
| tablishment of Messrs. Irving & Co., the most
successful Of the many successful merchants in
Montford. -.r.
"He is, sir" was the reply of the clerk ad-
dressed. Step this way and viii show you
to the counting room"
Threading his way through boxes and bales
of goods, the gentleman followed his guide,
and was ushered into the room.
| Mr.. Irving was seated at his desk busily
engaged In writing. He looked up az the boy
| approached him, and, seeing the stranger, ex-
i claimed: 60.
| "Ah, Meredith, how are you? Take a seat,
and will be at your service in few mo
| ments.' ...
| He turned again to his desk, and rapidly
sealed the letter he had been writing CAV il
with several others to a boy in waiting, A1d
him searchingly, then, bursting into fit of
laughter, saying ..-.-....-- ... --
| whats the matter, now! Have you lost
| your last friend, or have you got heavy note
falling due, and nothing to meet it, hey?"
| Meredith shook his head. " Only my old
complaint" he said I" a touch of the blue
devils, and so dropped in here to see if you
always SO happy, Notwithstanding You are so
busy"
90 sNotuithstanding interrupted Irving.
"Bsca"se I'm SO busy, you might say, and
come nearer the truth Take my advice; go
to work yourself, and you'll be no more trou-
bled with the blues than / am"
! "The remedy is worse than the disease"
said Meredith. Why should care to make
| money? You know very we'll that my poor
Therese left me more than know what to do
| with l am much obliged for your prescrip-
tion, but must decline following it"
"Well, 1 won't get offended, like most
friends if you won't take my advice; but I'll
ception evening; 60 with me there, and I'll
promise you release from your blue tormen-
tors for one evening at least"
| {" party !" exclaimed Louis. Struggling his
shoulders. ''Worse and worse 30
1t isn't like an ordinary party" persisted
bis friend, " where you go to be stifed in
| crowd, and cram yourself with delicacies. 1t
is an unceremonious assemblage of agreeable
people, drawn together by desire to meet
each other in part, but L must confess the
most powerful magnet is old Bigelow's niece
the loveliest creature you ever beheld."
ga belle !" sneered Meredith; 81 detest
the whole tribe Of empty-headed coquettes."
"lts plain you haven't seen the belle Of
Montford," rejoined Irving. you've read
Blanca, haven't you?"
"Yes, and it was glorious work.
"Well, our belle wrote that"
"Indeed :" said Meredith with a stare, and
look of animation that made his fine but i'm
passioned features doubly beautiful then re-
lapsing into his old manner, be said, "A
blue From all ink-daubed danes, good Lord
deliver US -
"1 see you are determined not to be pleased
| with anything" said his companion. "But
I'll defy you to resist our belle and blue, if
you but see her. Will you go to the party,
or not! Say yes or no Louis, for / must dis
miss you rather unce-emoniously, as have a
business engagement at four, and it lacks only
nuarfer In tha hOur -
"Yes, then," yawled Lewis, as he slowly
| s2untersd off.
Mrs Biyelow' splendid parlors were a blaze
of light as the two gentlemen entered that
4 evening, and paid their respects to their hos
tess. At a little distance from her stood a
with knot of gentlemen; she was richly at
4 tired, and her robe of rase-colored silk con-
trasted we'll with her clear olive complexion
| She did not observe the nely comers till they
| b 'ad joined the group around her then, with
| e. ,sy elegance, she welcomed Mr.. Irving, and
| bo wed with much grace to Mr.. Meredith on
! his introduction to Miss Lancaster.
For once Louis Meredith was startled out of
his usual apathy. Beatrice tremb,ed on
| his ips; for it was she, more lovely, if pos
sible, than when he had seen her five years
| before Could it be that she was the author
| Of that wonderful book that had thrilled the
| hearts of a nation? He could hardly believe
| by his emotions, he stood speecdless for a few
| moments. Th en- recovering himself, he was
l again the polls he'd man of the world.
Beatrice neither by word nor look betrayed
| her recollection of him, and did not venture
| to allude to the past. She treated him with
politeness, and be. half ve1ed at the power
| she had over him, yet unable to resist her
| fascination, was as constant an attendant
upon her as her SHADOW during the whole
evening
| His friend rallied him on his surrender to
| the belle and the blue, and Louis said but
| little in reply; but from that time he was the
| constant visitor at Mrs. Eigelow's, where Bea-
| trice, since the death of her mother, had re-
| sided. With Mrs. Bigelow he soon became q
favorite, but Beatrice, though studiously p9-
lite, was equally cold; yet, Notwithstanding
all her GOODNESS, Louis was moro madly in
love with her than ever.
Week after week he fingered at Montford,
and at every opportunity was at her side.
She appeared utterly uncon sciOus of his de-
votion, and by her manner ehectually pre-
vented his uttering any expr,,ssion Of affec-
ton. He logged to, and yet he dared not
learn his fate, and in alienation of hope and
| fear passed his time.
At last, he could bear it no Ion ger; he re-
solved to know the worst, and went one after
noon to see her, with the determ. nation to
offer her his heart and hand. Fortun,, favored
euU was ulOuo IL tue HDrdrys tBu ne
was shown there at once. She was sitting
with head little turned aside as he en- tered,
but he saw the blood rush to her cheek. and
her eyes sparkle, and as she half started for
ward to meet him then resuminC her oIden
stately manner she received him with dignity,
and sank into her seat. He had seen and
hoped much from her emotion.
"Beatrice !" he cried, unable to restrain
himself, "thank God 1 see you once more
alene. How have longed for this opportu-
nifty. Nay, Beatrice" he said, as she was
about to speak, ''you must hear me. Hove
You with my whole heart and soul-with
love such as no other can offer you. Will you
be mine 90 ..
She looked at him coldly. .-.
"Mr. Meredith has doubtless been misin-
formed" she said; ''my uncle is wealthy,
but l am not his heiress."
Stung to the quick by this insinuation, Louis
started, his eyes flashed, but he controlled
himself
"Cruel as your words are, deserve them"
he said, " for my dastardly conduct long ago
Ruth hos II