The Red Cloud chief., 1876-06-01
lium. with every limb and feature cast

in a faultless mold. Her complexion
was SO dark as to be Andalusian. but
her face was as smooth and polished As
an alabaster: and her hair. black As
midnight, coarse and glossy, lay in rich
waves against her temples. Her eye
brows were beautifully penciled. and her
large, cleaning. light-gray eyes were
yelled by sweeping jetty lashes. Her
Roman nose, overlooked rather full, but
beautifully curved scarlet lips which
parted to reveal two rows Of pearly
teeth. She was dressed this evening in
a rich garnet silk, with can yalenci-
ennes about the bosom and sleeves.
which latter were made large and open
so as to display the polished, rounded
arms. and her ornaments were warm.
glowing rubies. She moved with a
languid grace that became her well, and
sank into the chair with a scarce per
ceptible motion.
Lucy, sitting opposite. with her fair
complexion and light brown hair, ap-
peared like one Of the blurred, insig-
~nifcant figures in the background of
some radiant picture; and Graham's
eyes were riveted on Mrs. Levin.
"Sylvie has vowed exclusive devotion
to me during my visit" said Claudia,
with a little tuneful laugh.
"And you will find her as good as her
word" said Graham. These servants
have as fine a sense Of loyalty as any OF
the adherents Of the Stuarts or Bour-
bOns."
i am very fond of gossiping with the
negroes" said Claudia.
Il hope you are not rs easily affected
by their ghost stories rs Lucy is" said
Graham, smiling; and just then dinner
was announced.
After the meal the party played whist
| with a dummy until bed time.
AS Claudia drew her statuesque hands
softly Overthe cards, displayinghe her fault
less arms up to the rounded elbow. Ora
ham with a fascinated eye watched
every movement: and when she wished
him "goOd night" he took the silver
candlestick from his wife's hand and
escorted the guest up stairs in a dreamy,
bewildered manner, like n under a
spell.
what do you think of Claudia,
dear?" asked Lucy, with a just p~ercepti-
BILE tremor in her voice, when she found
herself alone with her husband.
"She is a-well what men of the
world would call a fine woman l sup
pose," said Graham with a constrained
little laugh; and rather awkwardly he
changed the subject.
The next afternoon Graham invited
Mrs. Levin to take a horseback ride with
him, and Lucy stood at the library WIN
dow and saw them mount.
Claudia was radiantly beautiful, in an
exquisitely-fitting habit of d~ark-cOlOred
cloth, with a crest of black ostrich
plumes in her cOquettish little velvet
hat. There was a warm flush on her
dark cheek, and the CLEAN in her gray
eyes was brighter than usual as she bent
them on her cavalier.
Lucy could not suppress a deep pang
as she beheld her husband drop on one
knee and hold out his hand. which
Claudia put her dainty foot into; and
the next instant she had lighted grace
fully into the saddle.
Graham placed the whip into her
hand, then threw himself into his own
stirrups, and they rode away down the
avenue and out of sight. Claudia sat
on her horse charmingly. Graham,
also, was a splendid rider; and as Lucy
watched them disappearing through the
trees the hot tears rose to her lashes.
She was very awkward on horseback.
The young wife turned from the win
dow and surveyed her own compare
lively Insignificant figure in the mirror.
Truly, she was very inferior, physically,
to her cousin; but o, could it be posi-
bic that the bride of one month was
already eclipsed in her husbands eyes
by the glowing, matured charms of an
other?
Presently she started violently at per-
ceiving the reflection of a tall. dark
form standing behind her and looking
over her shoulder.
"GOOd heavens. MARTHA" she ex-
claimed, show you frightened me-"
young missus," said the old negress,
in a mysterious tone. "OOnah mustn't git
bex wild old CONAN, but faint a good
ting for dat lady to be yah. Don't wife
UNI for stay longer dan you kin help.
Miss Lucy. Ole Matah very near ee
grade, an ee kinsee mob dan you young
folk. o, Miss Lucy. SEN UNI homer
What are you talking about. Mar
THAI" queried Lucy. with a forced
laugh, but turning pale, nevertheless.
70. my dear chile, you knows what I
mean,' said the aged slave, and she hob
bled away, granting at every step.
After she was gone Lucy went up
stairs to her dressing-rcom and gave
way to a flood of tears. But it will
never do to let my misery be apparent"
she SAID to herself; and accordingly she
bathed her face, composed it to a smile,
and dressed herself for dinner.
She had not been in the parlor many
minutes before Claudia came in, glow
ing with exercise and looking bewilder-
ingly beautiful, with her long skirt
gathered up gracefully and thrown over
one arm. Graham did not make his an