The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-11-02

II you can play your cards well, Sibyl
Guerrin Your are thirty-four, and
fast losing your wonderful complexion
but all your beauty is not gone yet !"
She looked complacently at the black
eyes, which flashed back triumphant
CLEAN, and let her heavy hair fall all
about her shoulders, passing her hands
admiringly through it, and pressing it
carelessly against the rich bloom Of
cheeks which did not depend for their
crimson tints on any artificial aid. Sibyl
Guerrin's gypsy blood asserted itself in
strong coloring, and with her great gilt
tering eyes, gave her a strange, uncanny
style of Notwithstanding to men and
detestable to women.
Blanche Longworth particularly dis
liked her. The two women met on q
common battlefield, giving no quarter
and looking for none. Sibyl Guerrin
had become infatuated with Doctor
King during the first week of their so
journ in the old country house, and,
reckless of the supposed engagement be-
tween him and Beatrice, used every lure
to draw him to her side. That she had
a certain influence upon him was unde-
niabe, and Beatrice looked on with
slow anger in her heart, the little hirta-
tions with the Objectionable Mr.. Warren
being possibly the result of pique.
The tea-bell was rung precisely at six
o'clock, and the boarders coming from
the woods, the lake and croquet-ground,
manifested a reasonable appetite for the
good things provided. Beatrice was in
her accustomed place, looking colder
than ever, in plain Whit dress, fast
ened at the throat with a heavy gold
pin. Miss Guerrin was late, bringing
with her the odor of tube-roses, nesting
among the rich old lace which orna-
mented her dress--a delicate robe of
sheeny, orange-colored material, espe-
cially becoming to her Spanish face and
hair.
Perhaps she made little more hustle
than was necessary OH taking her seat.
Excuse me, Auntie Moore, for my
tardiness l am sure l don't know how
happened to sleep away all this de-
licious afternoon. Thank you, Doctor
King" she added, with a particularly
thrilling glance at the gentleman named /;
"don't move, please; am so sorry to
disturb you"
Why She should make statement so
wide of the truth in regard to her after
noon occupation, or rouse the doctor
from brown-study by thanking him
80 cordially for assistance he had not
made the slightest attempt to offer, was
best known to herself.
The dozen city boarders who were
associated in one family for the summer,
found plenty to talk about, and had
merry times at the table, presided over
by motherly, genial old lady, who had
her eyes and haNds constantly employed,
though she enjoyed as heartily as any
one the fun going on about her.
A light-haired young man at the foot
of the table, one of Miss Guerrin's ad-
mirers, said, timidly, in a momentary
pause: els the Sibyl in a prophetic
mood"
The lady referred to smiled gracious
ly and inclined her head,
"Never more SO, Mr.. Telfair; and
happy that such is the case, if there is
anything interesting in your cup to-
night"
He passed it to her, and they all
listened to the playful, graceful prophe-
cies which she uttered for his benefit,
saying at the close: II believe have
the second-sight just now. Pray allow
me to test its accuracy and establish a
| stronger claim to my name"
She pressed her hands upon her eyes,
and large ruby ring which she wore
looked more like great drop of blood
| than ever to the nervous little sister of
| Mr.. Telfair, who shuddered and whis-
pered to her right hand neighbor that
she was dreadfully afraid of that woman,
and wondered how Jack could like her
so much. One teacup after another was
handed to her, laughingly, and much
amusement created by her comments
upon each.
Harry Longworth requested the doc
tor to try and learn his fate at the hands
of the fair sorceress.
Nothing very startling to be told of
me, Harry. Destiny in Fairgrounds I!
What are we coming to in this nine
teenth century,"
He leaned back in his chair with a
good-natured smile as he granted the
request A tall, well-formed man with
fine face, little too grave, perhaps, at
times, with the imprint of manifold
cares which had come upon him early in
| life, and from which he could seldom es-
cape, he was man to command univer-
sal respect and regard.
Sibyl Guerrin took the cup from Har-
ry Longworth's hand.
"a fair future, if not a startling one,
hope. Oh"
The exclamation was sharp and sud.
den. She set the cup down hurriedly
and shivered, dropping her face in her
hands. When she lifted it, the uncanny
look was stronger than ever, and the
rich color of her cheeks had somehow
faded little. Every eye was upon her,
and Jack Telfair's sister gave little
hysterical laugh.
'"Pray excuse me, Il" She
hesitated, and faltered "Doctor King,
do not urge me to-"
Again she paused, and half rose from
her seat, sinking back as if overcome
with the effort. -.
"Can it be possible, Miss Guerrin,
that you have seen such horrible visions
in that crockery cavern as to make you
faint If so, we must surely know
what they are"
She shook her head violently.
"Please don't ask me ]" she murmured
in distressed tone, and with face to
correspond.
If she had deliberately attempted to
excite the curiosity OF the company she
had fully succeeded, and with one ac-
cord they urged her to crafty it.
With very reluctant air.. she again
took up the teacup, and said, in slow,
solemn tone: