Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-22
Continued from Thursdays Commercial.


eft Is quite true, said Mrs. lnglesby, in |
reply To this little token of attention. "Now,
for u particular reason, | am very anxious
that she should accept il, and-and-but my |
dear, | may speak 10 you in confidence. may |
/ not? WellI-when Alice had assured her
that she might-"the truth Is, that gentle |
man whom | desire very much that she |
sbould meet is to be at this dinner and, ii |
she does not go, she will lose the best Oppor |
tlnity of attracting the attention. Olher
rirs will be there, you know; and, though |
Rose is the belle of NorthOrpe still, my dear, |
there's nothing like being first in the field, |
especially when young man is Il stranger in |
strange place"
II suppose the gentleman is Mr. Dever- |
eux p said Alice, who had not listened for |
nothing TO all Northorpes stream of conver- |
satiOn.
Yes, it is Mr.. Devereux," said Mrs. In
rlesby, bushing little "But," she went
ON hurriedly, IL must not let you think that
II is only because he has inherited a fortune
that | want Rose 10 attract him. He is a
Young man of whom everybody speaks well,
said the mother, looking patheiically into the
beautiful eyes bent on her ''ile is steady
and well-principled, and he would make a
good husband for Rose; while OH, my dear,
INV heart aches to think she may be led away
10 marry man who is none of these things
''Let us hope not, said Alice, touched by
the tone of tnese last few words Then her
voice grew quiet and Indifferent again, as she
added a suppose you mean that she may
he led away TO marry Mr.. Kennon?'
"Yes, | mean that said Mrs. Inglesby,
too full of her subject to wonder at this
knowledge of it in stranger ''Rose seems
infatuated aboNt him, while he-my dear,
am confident tliNt he is nothing but IA fortune
hunter, who, because she is an heiress-my
fortune was all settled on her you know
thinks he will be doing well TO marry her. -
''Some men who are fortune hunters make
toerably good husbands said Alice, in a
cold, distracted way
'llut this man is u wretch ~ said Mrs. In
gcsby, Indignantly. You have no idea
what lie is Why, he acted so badly that his
grandfather disinherited him, and left his es-
late TO Mr.. Devereux. And That man for my
Rose IL had almost rather see her in her
grave
''Ihink twice about that" said Alice,
quietly. "Every thing In the world leaves
room for hop, excepting DEATH you know.
| see your difficulty, and appreciate your
confidence. Tell me how ! can help you,
and | will do IL.
In her own way Mrs Inglesby told her,
and, after a good deal Of questioning, Alice
arrived at a knowledge of the service she was
requested to render. In brief, il was this
that the invitation of Mrs. Reynolds should
be accepted by herself, but that Mrs. lngles-
by should decline gotng-an attack OF rheu-
matisn from which the colonel was suffering
giving her q convenient excuse for remaining
at home. In this case Rose was placed in an
awkward dilemma. Either she must be
guilty of the rudeness of al!oying her sister
n-aw to make a first appearance in North
Orpe society quite alone, or she must change
her mind and accept the invitation. Alice
having given her consent, Mrs. lnglesby went
To place the matter before the young insur-
gent, and soon returned with a submission in
due form The invitation was therefore ac-
ccpted and the principal points being SET
tlcd all other issues were allowed TO rest un-
I'll Thursday the day of the dinner-shoud
arrive.
CHAPTER III.
When Thursday at last arrived il brought
quite an assemblage of guests into Mrs Rey
nOld's drawing room. Northorpe was no
only ilourlshing place, but it was also al
extremely fashionable place. and as has hat
been said before, of all the fashion in North
orpe Mrs. Reynolds was the acknowledged
leader. II cannot be saying too much L
hazard the assertion that ON the Thursday il
question, this lady was II very happy woman
She was not only giving dinner, such as n,
one in NOrthOrpe besides herself could give
hut she had secured for this dinner the per
SONS of all others concerning whom North
Urpe was most full of curious speculation
Then, the beautiful Mrs lnglesby would ais,
make her first appearance in public ON thi
occasion; and ii Mrs. Reynolds had been
cuchre-payeT, she would certainly have sal,
that if Mr.. Devereux was her right bowe
Mrs. lnglesby was her left
The gentleman was the first on the field o
action, and was made warmly welcome b.
Mrs. Reynolds. When he was presented t
the assembled guests they all expressed thei
pleasure in extremely ilattering terms bu
they all acknowledged to themselves that MI
DeyercuX was by no means so dstingushe
in appearance as they had been induced I
eNpect-why, it is hard to say-that he wOul
be. 1t is true that he was tall, and that h
had a well-built figure-two trump cards il
the popular estimation of good loOks-but hi
manners were reserved in the extreme, an
his face was of that excessive fairness whic
hlotting out all tints, leaves only the beaut
of feature and expression. In this case Tn
features were very Indifferent, and the el
preston like the manner, very reserved
physlogomst looking at the face might hay
seen that il would light up well, that the gra
eyes would grow luminous under eXcitemen
and the quiet mouth break into peasal
smiles. But people in general thought u
cOuntCnance dull as well as plain and il /
owner had not been a person of importanc
would not have hesitated to express this Opt
ION lie gave them good opportunity
SVIuunlLe Ills appearances lOr lnslcau OI u
voting himself TO the entertainment of son
OF the ladies who were momently grown
more numerous, he kept his place by MI
reynolds chair, leaning against one corn
OF the mantel, eying the gay company wi
The gaze of contemplatiye recluse, and loo
ing, as more than one young lady declare
''tne very picture of diliident man )
Suddenly, however, there arose a diyersi'
suddenly, for moment, even MIR. Devt
cuX was forgotten. AT the door there was
STIR in the room there fell pause, and VIII
everybody was gazing eagerly around, re
lnglesby and her stately sister-in-law swG
up the long drawing room.
Mrs Reynolds met them halfway WI
great eapreSsemeHt, and while her greetin
were made, whisper of irrepressibe adm
alton was passing from group TO group. .
She not superb :" GLOW dazzling she loo
to-night!" "7Hdt is my idea of beauti
woman :" "What graceful manners" ct
etc, men and women rivallng each oil
in open, honest praise. For once nobq
even noticed Rose. Pretty as she was Loo
lng eharmingly as she was dressed, the bt
OF Northorpe obtained scarcely glance
the scene Of her own tTiumphs and in
midst of her own yassals No eve left M