The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-07-22


level, unite to raise Vanvoorst in the opln-
ion of his companion, who is beginning to
quake at the near approach of his troubles.
Still, his philosophy comes to the rescue, and
looking only at the present, he thinks 1t is
certainly better TO be thus bowling along a
good road through the summer night than to
be in New York-better even than hearing
Thomas's men scraping away at "Amaryllis"
in an atmosphere blue with smoke.
Through little village-tavern, black
smith shop, store, and dozen houses-along
a road lined with trees, through which one
gets glimpses of the river down below past
a long line of stone wall; then, with a sud-
den whirl that makes the groom on the back
seat seize the rail, through a wide gate with
lodge, neither ornamental nor commodious
guarding it,; then up long avenue, which
is very dark with thick trees, till the trees
grow larger and fewer, and the turf more
closely shorn, and the house comes in sight
just dark bulk looming up against back
ground of trees and sky. They trot brisklJ
around a great gravelled sweep to the front,
and pull up with much scattering of small
stones and great reluctance on the part of
the horse.
The house presents row OF brilliantly
lighted windows, opening on wide piazza,
and sending their light streaming over lawn
and flower beds, till it is lost in the night.
Sounds of Strauss are heard, dancing forms
go sliding past the evidently the
Vanvoorsts entertain. The scion of that
noble race, called on to explain by his COM
panion, responds, 'Hang it /! forgot. They've
got lot of people to dinner-some people
who live around here and lot more ur
from the Point"
Visions of military heroes fit through
Blake's head as he follows his host up the
steps across the vacant piazza, and through
rather dark entrance into big square hall
in the middle of the house, which runs up to
the roof apparently, and has gallery around
it a. the floor above. 1t IS dimly lighted,
and has a slippery, hard wood floor, upon
which, further to catch the unwary, are dis
posed occasional rugs, of size and fabric well
adapted for tripping up and overturning.
This is about all Blake makes out, before
small brunette, decidedly pretty, comes out
of the lighted drawing room and seizes on
Vanvoorst with an air of proprietorship.
Tom has been made aware that the reason
Vanvoorst junior Is unmolested by the de-
structive widow is because he is already mar
ried; so he is quite prepared to be presented
to Mrs. Vanvoorst. He is not, however, pre-
pared to see two acquaintance coming upon
him simultaneously. One of these, small
and eminently lady-like young woman, comes
across the hall on mans arm, with little
hand outstretched, andan astonished, "Why,
Mr.. Bakep The other bursts upon him all
at once, through near door, bewidering
vision, which he knows only too well-a Wis
ion of dark eyes and dead gold hair over
low brow, and white, full arms and shoulders,
the whole swimming in sea of pale green.
Blake, who is anything but ne.vous-whose
heart hardly gains throb in that awful mo-
ment when, gripping his handle, he waits
between the ''Readyw and the "Gop'-feels
1s1 foa ,,nl, l.;
moment, but only for moment. "Mrs.
Mackenzie, let me present Mr.. Blake ~
"Mr. Blake and | have met before, I think,
says the beauty, and puts out ready hand,
cordially enough. Sand Mr.. Blake is
charmed to have the pleasure again." says
the young man, quite selfpossessed now.
Mrs. Mackenzie and he take stock of one an
other; the Vanvoorsts stare; there is an
awkward pause, which is broken by the little
person before referred to, who never did an
awkward thing in her life, and who now
leaves her escorts arm and comes up with
the pleasantest possible smile.
'sHere is another surprise for you, Mr..
Blake. What cloud did you come from ?''
Then, trife lower but veay frankly, "Pm
awfully glad to see you" And she gives Mr.
Blake's brown paw a little pinch, which no
man in his senses would dare to think a
squeeze. She is honest in what she saws !;
81, 1lr-
sne realy y giau 10 gee Tue young man, one
Is nonu vi tne sociesy VI men, anu men IKE 10
sa.h ~ ner; Aa.5 o.uare ~ Iot nlrt' she is
simply ooiui'i anu unaneoIeuiy easy Win eV-
cry Que, puG naIuly any man can Ieip fancy
my, as he .alhs " nel, InaC sue reaily rather
pio.ois t.ii. W Huo iuaJoii.y Vi peopie. SOME
r men hauo pUssioy Ieen oouce,tea ,enougn 10
but is that her fault? She honestly does not
like to be annoyed by sentimental bows, and
, iiienu Diahe ah Iminense Iavorite OF
hoai,.rd 80 l ua1 ole.ny hepe III tne
b;s cenoS;,i %". anS hos ans h Ine,e Is
o ,s 1;., ahu nGI a" ay' oeeI peilecI,
~ Lam anu olnpie VIII nel' Anu 10 tel
~ ~ III, Ioni nheo no, JueC d iitti1 oeller
t tnan any one els1 he hnoMs, SuI keeps
tstt ieln o s nnlh Ie nol MISS ptuarG Is, as
tn o ' on;, tJv ia loa ni. one Is
$500 uy 10 ,o,,"i, ,os,,antoI wen
Nnomm anu p muSn .espee'eu AZ Tue vclniIy OF
M Mah alu pioau satee.s, anu sne Wouiu uh-
I pio, VIC WY sTou speeuiaIion loi MT.
Dlahe' WHOSE nuanclai aoilitles are principally
r ~ .i I Ioo o ~. sno Mnose iaw
sranno oS II p eoo,, j., thaSe LII nu
hos Liza of on ;dao 4bot ha ,,o,,iJ 70 ni az.
in ,arron ono mUa aS h De q. uh
no in na orrv;nn ,oyorfr A so 40 mo mod ho
thnis Of ts snbect Of vi % ,"ta - h ue
shrno IF tbe sSon1de,s s snd e. sI py VIII
axnansve ,; ' "nN says ~ 'oo
ha - ,1oosod - soo +ho ,;,,o .,
.nJ COWS go Tban tha ala nent, ,o1 gu Iow,
banniness he hos come to deStroT amnoo mmose
tba ecene and we1con,os him nit pprd;, "a
tbat n, oh Is him feel i;te ,,;"rI,oot
after little sweet connerse abont the es aIu
ar and the dnst and otbar ;nteroSt ino 49,
the arrivals are allowed to make themse sITpes'
little comfortable and arc served With div q
in hU Tnu uf atT VIII t,nner
nle have dined an homr or GO refnre peH
has beooed off from ionina in tba foSt;ritias
of the syenina Int Xannnorst 81 ,no =; f'
dress which he has assumed Ipp With -. n, no
arnn,h,;nn - t1o oonsS' W. W; nu LUZ
That Iady leaves her gneSts for q mom @,,t'
having been told BIaSe's Grand and comes
into the diniug.room alter the vonno 'J men
have somewhat anneased their hnu Gov s Den
sWell Mr.. Rake Won are ev;deStIv bot,or
nrenarad r. teil ne wbo Mrs Monl-o nH,'i -
than xou eynecteJ ,, cows tho ;n,natient NJ 10
Vauvoorst. as soon as he absence Of The ser'
want nermits INV "'''A'' u 'No 'ei-
MYes.n answers Rlake verv deiber,to,, .
sJ fancy NAV az we'll he dr;voon hanle a. ~ >
station, and take the Late train down WI ,, " 'n0