Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-26

al shsil not be at all lonely, dear; think OF tie
years have beer cOutent to be alone. Soma
people like solitude, dear, ami l an one Of
those
Yet there had been a time when Helen Ash
ton had been 10 TeCluSe when she had eni1ys
The Fellowship aud pleasures OfSOciefy as much
as any one. The world was smilIng on her
then, and she had found one who was dearer to
her than ali the rest Of the world. Yet 10 those
days she had been vain and foolish; she too hao
used her beauty as a snare, but she had FOX got
ten the second article IN the tiiTt's creed, and,
while winning another heart, had lost her own.
Stltl sne went on niTtingY until the man whose
lOFo she had won had left her, believing her a.
htdrtless a. she had tried to make herself in his
eJes. Then she awOke TO the consclOus ueSs OF
how completely and abSOTbi1sly she had loved
him; and II wac for his sake that she was Helen
AshtOn SILL During the long years that he
had been away 10 word from bin had ever
reached her, though she had occasionally heard
from the newspapers and from the huntleys
what HE lite was.
when the time came for Audrey 10 20 to Lor-
inner Hall, she went, promising 70 come often
and see her aunt. and tell her what .hey WeT,
ali doing at the Hal. She was really sorry To
leave her, aud would willingly have remained
10 cheer her solitude but Aunt Helen would
not hear Of it. Sc she went. and Miss Ashton
was once more lefl To brood over her own sal
Wien Audrey arrived AZ the Hal, she found
that Mrs. hunt!ey and some Of her guests hsI
gone ont driving to see an O.druirel ABBEY rhat
Nas one Of The 81. ITS o. tie lei ShbOrLJ1d, an
she gas shown Tito a great drawing-IO1m.
where, before blazing fire, a gentleman Wa
standing, reading. she went ia yery quietly,
and It was not till she was quite close to him
that he tu-nCd to look at her; and Audre,
opening her blue eyes, uttered an eXclamtriCl
q surprise, snd felt very foolish for the irs-
time m her life.
lie bowed. and she faucied from his manner
that he would have lett her then ami there, II lie
could have done so without appearing rude
81 shInk we travelled together OnC5,r he said.
az though 10 mi ght have been ten wears ago.
''l e., last week. i the other gentleman who
was with you staying here toJ?"
''Mrs. HuEtley never told me-" Audrey said;
but perhaps you never mentioned our having
travelled IN the same tramp
@ am afraid i mCst plead guilty to that
OmissIOn,' he answered. She was strangely at
tracted by him, though he looked grave and
stern, and old enough TO be her father almost;
yet Audrey wished he would show greater in
tereSt In her; as for his admiration that she
felt, would come in time as a matter Of course.
'Have you ever been in this part of the
country befCTe?' che asked, saying whatever
came UppermOst in her mind to detain him, for
be had made another movement as though he
would fam have left the room. "LOrrimer Park
ls considered a very fine old place."
Eyes l have been here before, but SO long
ago that / have almost forgotten the country:
and most probably have quite died out OF the
memories OF those whom / once knew he adj
ded, with what struck her ss something halfsad
and half sBeeTIng in his tone.
"PerhapS you have been abroad"
'h es, in India Tor many years"
elm India? We had a great friend there"
Audrey said, "at least papa had, his name was
Claude NTghton, think. Perhaps you knew
him.
He smiled, ooh, yes, know him rather init
mately-'
''Oh, DO tell me about HIM" Audrey said, in
her impulsiye way. "He has not written TO
papa TOR a long time, and lately we have only
heard Of his dOings from the papers. He is 60
distinguished and so brave, aud papa says"
STOP he said suddenly, putting up his
hand; Il don't deserve such warm praise, Miss
Ashton"
''You, Y0u don't mean to say that you are
our Col. Wrighton?' she asked, the look Of il
terest IN her face growing very deep, and max
ing her look more animated and beautiful. az
mean she Col. Wrightou psPa Oncs knew so
WELL
81 believe l am, !" said he, scarce able to re-
strain laugh at her eage-ness.
"Uh, how glad paps viii be TO see you again.
And Aunt Helen-dld you ever know her, Col
Eyes, Ihave met Miss Ashton: but that, Ike
the rest Of my life in England, was long ago"
"And you will come and see her now you have
come back, won't yOu:" Audrey asked. "YOu
who knew her as II girl must remember how
beautiful she was. She Is not 50 pretty now, of
course, but her face, to my mind, is sti!I full
a grace and soft beauty one does not often N Get
wlJh. though she is 50 pale
'I'n Lot much Of Judge he said, c0lilg.
"I am sorry u De obliged to leave you bat 1
promised to meet Mr.. Huntiey at three, and nv
watch tells me that shall keep hin waiting III
less 90 AZ once"
Audrey 50. sitter be eft her, locking into tto
IRE and feeling little pI1ued ar the evident
wont Of effect that her charms al pTOduC cd
feeling new TO the spoiled AM petted belle and
daughter. Chow strange il IS she thought.
that this shOuld be the man have heard papa
speak OF 50 often, and in language so full ui
praise that / verify believe l. had begun 70
fancy be must be something Of demIEOd IL.
stead CT the humtTum sort OF mortal he dp.
pears TO he, with scarcely q civil word to throw
to 8 lady, And vet there's something IN h.s
quiet, determined-lo9klHg face, too, that does
not belle that Victoria Cross story, and makes
one believe that it would look very different IL
1t Wtre lighted up By excitement or passion
And 80 the young laly thought on, until, IL SIZE
had looked into her mind, she would have found
that there was 10 great difference between the
ideal that her mind had formed from simply
hearing the tales Of his powers, and that she
had formed now that their hero had been az
tUally brought before her.
IL was in the midst OF such dangerous thought
as those that she was disturbed by her hostess
return.
Very full OF apologies BIrs. Huntley was for
having been away when her young guest had
arriVed-apOlOgles which she did not cease ID
make until she had taken Audrey to the room
allotted to her. Audrey was more than usually
careful in the choice OF her dress that evening.
At last she hxed upon soft white drspery,
v hich became her admirably, and as her glass
informed Der Of the fact, she wondered 70 her
self whether Col. NrightOn would notice her at
all. 81 am sure 1 Sam pretty" she thought;
"they all tell me 30, and even Aunt Nelly agrees
with them; yet I don't think lie thinks so. Why
should i care? / am sure / don't know, bu. l
do; never seemed to wish for any ones atten
ton before. / suppose it's lust the peTVersitY
of human nature not to care for what we easily
get, and to weary ourselves attempting to touch
the grapes which are beyond our reach. Now,
l eaTesay, that boy with the gOldy-brOwn hair,
who stared at me so uncOnsciOnably on the train,
will fall in love with me straight OF, and /
shan't care bit about him-that's sure 10 be
the way
And il was the way. The boy with the goldy
brown hair did fall IN love with her. in fact, he
had plunged heaGlOug into that stats or mind
when he rrst met her in the train.
She was equally right about the other; again
''It was the way" She might have been hun
dred years Of age and as ugly as an EsqUimauz
for any attraction that her youth and beauty
exercised over the Colonel, or tor any attention
he paid her. She smiled anu talked her bsst,
she sang her most ravishing songs, and he
hardly seemed TO listen 70 her. She rode across
the country in style that made Edward CLAY
ton rave as he kept his big hunter close to her
side. She could Fkate to perfection, and looked
perhaps her best on tie ice. But she did il al
for man who seemed utterly Indifferent TO her
and her dOings.
She told herself so hundred times a day, and
yet, conscious Of her beauty ana its power, and
accustomed as she was 20 success, she only half
believed herself, and thought she must conquer
81 last.
As for Colonel Wrighton .he counted the hours
until he should leave The pleasant house and the
hind friends with whom he was STAYING.
II was not always possible to avoid going near
Ashton Mills, vet he did bis best To avoid that