The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-02-06
2S0TA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY"6. 1888
ADRIANA A,
BY ykAN BoxsGUl.

F = = ADklAN A.
BY yEAx soxsGul.
CHAPTER x1.
| Adriana awske the next mornin
with ! vague feeling Of wc.riness, I
luxurious feeling nevertheless Of disiu
cIination for exertion,-a sort of hal
torpor, as though she were conscious 40,
unconscious At the same moment. He
thoughts we're in a state Of in.ctissit,
also. She neither looked back nor look
ed forward; she was dwelling iu an at
mosPhere Of perfect repoae.s Nuns
Alison had been IN with Pearl ant
Charley to see her, and Pearl had beg
gtd to stay, but Adriana wished to b,
alone.
II shall get Up for dinner" she said
80 I'must rest little louger." :
And they went away, and Adrian,
endeavored to collect her thoughts, and
to fix them on some plan Of action. She
was surprised atl her own calmness; she
felt no agitation; she was perfectly
composed: She layrrevolving the past
and the present until it was time to rise
aod dress for dinner. With steady
hand she opened the drawer, and lifted
out the soft g.u..y black dress; with
steady fingers she clasped the jet cres.
cents in her can, and wound the chain
round her neck. !. With steady gaze she
contemplated the. figure in The glass.
The effect was evidently satisfactory.
The hce might have been improved by
. tinge Of color in the cheeks, it was 50
white; but the dark brown eyes perhaps
seemed the more lustrious through the
contrast. The lips were firmly closed,
and there was rather too set look
about the features altogether; but that
might be owing 10 tho fatigue through
which she had just passed.
She descended. to the draviug-room.
Only Mr.. Cunningham was there ;
presently Mr.. Braddick came 10.
Adriaua's eye jcalously scanned her
unconeoie" "s!yv iotorious rival. She look
ed unusually wen this evcning; i
curiously. carved coral bandeau relieved
the extreme lightness of her hair. Her
coral bracelets showed to greater advan-
tage the fairness Of her arms, and her
rich silk dress, hanging in massy folds,
swept the ground as she moved
majestically across the room. Adri.na
felt herself shrink into insigni6cance
before that stately figure. No wonder
he preferred-w that the word? no
admired her; for Adriana could own
the claim to admiration, though it smote
her. For a moment she shrank, crushed,
selfatashed BY: the contrast, then up
flashed the prid@ the strength Of will,
the self:reli.ucehof her nature, and she
nerved herself for the part she intended
to play out.
Revenge! She called it by no milder
name herself, sho did not exculpate it,
she sought not to pall,ate it; she looked
at it firmly, and despite its ugly nature,
hugged it and gloated over it, a, over
some worthier impulse. Hcr eyes we're
lighted up by an unwonted fire, and
Mrs. Cunningham wondered that she
had never before considered Miss Lin
den a decidedly interesting-looking per-
sen. "Such an expressive face, so INTEL
lectual; she is not half so handsome as
Margaret, but l should get to think her
70 in very short time"
The gentlemen joined them. Mr..
Etheredge watched curiously for Miss
Linden's initiative.
my husband, Miss Linden" i
: The rigid features did not move .
muscle; the glitteriug eyes looked up
coldly, almost haughtily, and Adriana
bowed. Mr.. Braddick might have been
4 stranger from the antipodes.
"Miss Linden" (tte voice carried
her back to other d.ys) chow can l
thank you for your care Of my child" "
Mr.. Etheredge, still watching, saw
the fingers close more tightly round the
bracelet on her arm, but no other sign
Of emotion; the voice was quiet and
measured that answered -
"Auy one must love Charley, and
one would do much for those We love.
I was glad to be Of service to Mr.
Braddick."
"Aud Charley is very fond Of Mis-,
Linden" iaterposed Mrs. Cunningham
"Quite case of love at first sight,
said Mrs. Braddick. II never saw
Charley take : fancy to any ono se
quickly before" i.
Mrs. Bradd,ck had become more
lively since her husbands return. Then
she had some love for him. Adrian,
had imagined her utterly impassive. Il
was we'll Miss Linden Was 80 pale, o,
Mr.. Etheredge, who was still intently
observant, would have seen the blood
leave the lips aud cheeks and rush back
to the heart in bitter tide Of jealously
"Utter ignoring Of the past" unused
Mr.. Etheredge, land on tho whole,
perhaps, The best thing 70 be done. A