The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-01-12
wsRLEAss Ia, THURSDAY, 5lsuARr llA. 1871.

she said, with perfect ease; "but in cas-
it should be. Iwill tell you I am Cecil Dare
and have come to pour out your tea fo
you"
John Manners was disarmed. If ther.
had been a suspicion of elaborxtenes
In her dress. or touch of ceremony il
her manner, he would have felt that b,
needed to stand on guard; but what could
have been more elegant in it's simplicit,
than the soft, gray robe, what more
natural than her graceful self possession
She came to the hearth when he had
made his grave, pleasant reply, and she
certainly looked more at home than be
did, as she pulled the bell as summons
to the servants to bring in the tea. n.
II am sorry cousin Anne was called
away" she said, when she took her seat
Elt the head of the table. sThat terrible
Mrs. Flanagan is the bugbear of her ex-
sstence. She has had every ailment that
I ever heard of during the last month,
md now she is beginning with rheu-
patism again. Do you take cream, MIR.
Manners? H..
There was not a touch of affectation
|pr embarrassment in her manner, as she
paused with the silver cream-jug poised
IN her hand, and her bronze eyes aised
20 ask the question. Miss Anne herself
fould not have spoken in more matter
Pf-fact style; but one thing is certain,
|lamely, that Miss Anne would not have
made the commonplace speech so effec-
Eive. As was to be expected, John Man.
hers made the natural mistake of irving
20 reconcile report with the evidence of
lis senses. This girl in her quiet dress
Pm unscrupulous admiration seeker! this
Eirl. who poured out his tea for him, with
ts Indifferent a face as if he had been
fifty instead of thirty! He looked at her
proud, reticent, red-lipped mouth, and
hen at the bronze eyes, and his strong
Edmiration for her beauty made him 10
|lnwise as to feel inclined to set report at
Reliance.
"You have been. with Anne several
weeks, I believe" he said, at hazard. feel
ng it necessary to say something.
"A month" raising her beautiful, in
lolent eyes carelessly. "Cousin Anne
vas kind enough to offer me an asylum
lntil my affairs were settled. I have not
he remotest idea what affairs are meant:
'ut on the death of my guardian, his law
'er gave me to understand that some
hing needed settling I suppose he
meant money"
He scarcely knew why it was, but be-
ore the meal was ended he had begun
0 feel that she set his admiration aside
s if it was something which was no
ovelty, and that there was something
lOre than indifference in her careless
race. If this air had been more deci-
ed, he would have almost fancied that
he wished him to understand it but as
WINS, he could only wonder If her cold
ess merely existed in his imagination, or
it was something real and he ended j
y observing her more closely, and by
'eling thought more interested. d
She drew Miss Anne's favorite chair to 1
le fire when they rose from the table, c
I'D took q seat in it, holding dainty in
id hand-screen between her wood-rose
nted cheek and the blaze, letting her a
II. dark eyes rest upon him with quiet t
terest as she listened to what he said, s
I'd occasionally answered in her clear, L
fined voice. t 10
When Miss Anne returned from her "
rand of mercy Cecil was sitting theret '
IL, the folds of her soft gray robe a
Teeping the gay-hued hearth-rug, and t
1pidon, the favored, cllrled up on her e
P. blinking his black dots of eyes o
under his shaggy, t.rrier
ebrOws She did not move when Miss lly
me entered, except to glance over her "
oulder with gay, easy welcome, which n
ade that lady catch her breath.
"AL, cousin Anne = she said, "back at
It ! was afraid your patient would n
ep YOU all night" - Il
"Were you p said Miss Anne, gravely, cl
she united her bonnet-sfr:nvs .Yo,i