The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-23
age. advancing toward the trio on the

Cornell. India turned away and hastily
tore open her letter. Clair Cornell no.
ticed the action, and O deeper flushing
Of the dusky red In the girls oval
cheeks did not escape his quick eye, nor
was he slow to suspect that the missive
was one of the heart, when he caught q
glimpse Of sudden pallor, and a wild,
hunted look In the wondrous eyes that
reminded him OF a frightened gazelle's.
~ declare! India Crawford, I'm half
inclined TO be envious ?" exclaimed her
cousin. Myrtle Rathbone. dancing up
to where the young girl stood, folding
UP a closely written sheet OF letter
paper, and looking absent mindedly
out to sea. THAT'S your seventh letter
this week? What do those fellows find
to write about? am curiosity persona
fed"
''Seventhl' mimieked her escort,
dapper youth of seventeen or eighteen
years OF age. ascending the long hight
breath. burdeped az he was by shells,
pebbles. and wonderful wreaths and
baskets Of sea and cliff moss, resemb-
ling. az Frank Ellsworth gravely in
formed India In at, undertone, a "ui-
minutiye pack MULE" which indeed, he
was for the occasion.
Seventh why, to my certain knowl-
edge 1t makes q round dozen. Isn't
that go, Miss India p
Undoubtedly. If you say 80, Mr..
Jackson" replied the young lady ad-
dressed, in q calm, easy manner that
well betitted her oriental style Of
beauty. Where is Florence, Myrtle 2"
Here, Queen India, at thy service
Am | favoved above all thy maids OF
honorf'' laughed the new conner, our
friend Florence, Of the beach, Joining
the party, and casting many an inquisi-
tive glance In Clair's direction, II
might have added, eeurtiers, ALSO" she
whispered. HE is as handsome as a
prince, India: when did the new star
Join your train p
'Don't, Flerencel you may be over
heard" But there was no riger or dis
pleasure In midas face az she made the
evidently wished-for presentation.
Clair Cornell watched her with admir-
Ing eyes. "As generous as beautiful"
was his silent comment. "and she can
we'll afford to be-
He was amused to see the pretty Inn
perious, yet unconscious way In which
she led her companions by her will.
The girls seemed to adore her, and az
for the gentlemen-well! At that point
In his thoughts Clair whistled quietly to
himself and wondered and wondered.
DAYS heightened into weeks. aud the
aspect Of affairs between India and her
two admirers grew serious. The young
girl evidently tried TO conceal her pref
efenee, Ii she had any. FOR either: and
yet there was no doubt of her perfect
content nent In Clair's society. Her
very Innocence In the matter of show
that always greeted Clair Cornell's ap-
proach ten times more bewitching TO
him. And still even he was puzzled.
Beyond this little sign of pleasure India
never suffered herself to go. She
seemed like a wrath to Clair, In that,
after having laid siege. and, as he
thought, aimed well his guns and fired
an effective broadside, he ventured In
the flush OF enthusiasm to take posses
sion of nearer ground, the lovely India,
without even an appearance Of defiance.
smiled a rarer, aweeter smile from a
still greater distance, and our hero, oil
ing his lips. and more madly In love
than ever, was compelled to begin the
work all over again. only to meet the
came defeat at every trial.
Frank Bisworth's tactics were OF a
different order. He laid no plans. but
dashed reeklessly on in his wooing.
elated TO the seventh heaven IL the
young queen OF beauty deigned to be-
stow a smile. or suffer him TO lead her
over the rocks In their seaside rambles,
living on the memory Of such favorH,
aud never giving seconds thought.
poor fellow to the possibility Of break.
ers ahead.
Clair Cornell was fully aware of what
he was doing. Avowed old bachelor az
he had been, he found himself for the
first time swayed by woman's will.
and gracefully did he bow at the shrine
Of love: gracefully and daringly, re.
solved TO win or perish in the attempt,
One afternoon In July, coming In from
Clair missed India from the
group of girls gathered in a knot on the
shady piazza, chattering like magpies
over some marvel of feminine handi-
work, and, unheeding the gratuitous
that India had strayed
off to the beach, as usual. without
word TO anybody, and that Frank Bis
worth had gone In search of her." the
young man set his lips together, and
with . determined air strobe off in the
direction of the seashore. He chose,
almost mechanically. q path he had
often travelled with India as compan-
ion. and which led to her favorite re-
treat high among the rocks, where ma
1hAS asAA ShANSu u SomAhVukVaS HAAA-
chair for the reception Of visitors. who
were also afforded from this position
The finest sea view on the beach, One
glance at the quiet figure In the chair,
aud then, satisfied that India was alone,
Clair stood for moment in contempla-
ton Of the scene before him. ROBBED
In some soft, silvery stuff that tioated
around her like a cloud, the young girl
sat. so motionless, that, but for the soft
flush in her clear dark cheek, and
the rising and falling OF the lace upon
her bosom, one might have imagined
that he was gazing upon a beautiful
statue. Her straw hat, bound round
with scarlet berries, lay upon the ground
1t her feet, and In the fair jeweled hand
that hung idly by her side. she held an
open letter. 1t required only second
look to convince Clair. that the bold,
black characters were traced by the |
same hand that penned the letter he |
saw her receive from her aunt the day |
IF their first meeting. The conviction |
sent sudden pain to the strong mans |