The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-05

word reached ThurstOn's ears.
He watched the scene for some time
amused, as trifes will amuse one under
certain circumstances. There is an ex-
preston of figure as we'll as of face, and
attitudes. often betray rs much as the
couatenance The attitudes in the
present instance betrayed a good deal
tsThe man is in earnest, the woman in
different" he said to himself. As the
thought passed through his mind, ne saw
the man suddenly take one Of the lady's
hands and raise it to his lips. The sig,
ni6cant little action made Thurston draw
back with sense of playing the spy
He rose and left the window.
A moment later the bell for which he
had been waiting rung, and ne went
down. stairs. As he entered the drawing
room, full of sunset light and gay with q
ripple of voices and laughter, his hostess
met him with the same cordiality which
made her welcome so charming.
"You have no idea what lion we are
prepared to make of you, Cousin Philip,
She said, smiling brightly. "It is not
often that we have genuine nineteenth,
century free-lance in our midst, and il
we bore you with questions about life in
Egypt and the court of the khediye, you
must excuse us. You shall take me in
to dinner, and then I will have an oppor'
tunity to ask my questions first"
Needless to say what Thurston replied,
and when a few minutes after he found
himself by Mrs. jennings side, over
looking dinner-table round which q
company of eight or ten were gathered,
he began to feel more and more that Fate
had been kind to him. Before leaving
the drawing-room he had been introduced
to the majority of the guests, but, glarc-
| ing now over the assembled faces, he no.
ticed two which he had not seen before,
and which instinct assured him belonged
to the figures which had played q bit of
comedy below his window.
I have written "two faces," yet in truth
he saw for some time only one-and that
was feminine. Not a strictly beautiful
face, but face that he felt at once might
hold fascination deeper than mere
beauty. A pale complexion, .clear.cut
features, odd limpid eyes under dark
lashes, dark, straight brows, and a Greek
forehead, from which rich masses OF
dusky hair waved-these things made up
whole which wakened not so much ad-
miration as interest. The mouth was
cold and almost disdainful when at rest,
but, when the mobile lips spoke or
smiled, their play of expression was sim
gularly winning. :.
The man by this woman's side-evi-
IDENTIFY the same who had kissed her
hand-was dark, slight, and handsome,
with something of French grace in his
manner and bearing. Thurston watched
the pair with good deal of interest, and
presently under cover of an animated
conversation near by, asked Mrs. Jen-
nings who they were.
'Those," said she, care the most noted
members of our party. Ifancy you may
have heard of the young lady: she is
Miss Loring, famous belleand beauty"
Thurston's brow lowered.
edo you mean," he said-and uncon-
sciously his voice grew stern-"that she
is Agatha Loring?"
Mrs. Jennings shot significant glance
at him.
eyes, that is Agatha Loring," she an
swered. "You have probably heard of
her from poor Berthe, who was one of her
victims. No one can deny that she is
heartless coquette, and yet one cannot
help liking her. Even you will find
yourself fascinated by her before you
know what you are about"
He smiled little grimly.
"You must allow me to doubt thai" "
he said. "Nevertheless, I will ask you
to present me to her after dinner, and, if
you will be so kind, I should prefer that
you did not mention my relationship to
Bertie."
j. .If you desire it, certainly not" said
Mrs. Jennings, who was very quick to
take hint or suggestion. "No one here
knows Of the relationship except Came
ron, and I will request him not to men
ton it. Do you observe that handsome
man sitting by Agatha? He belongs to
the genus Iady-killer, and is as noted in
his line as she is in hers. 1t was case
of Greek meeting Greek, but / think
Agatha has vanquished him already,
though they only met three or four days
ago. His name is Virien, and he is from
New Orleans"
After dinner, when the ladies retired
to the drawing-room, Mrs. Jennings sat
down by Miss Loring's side.
"You were so late in making your ap-
pearance before dinner, Agatha, that !
was not able to present my cousin, Col.
onel Thurston, to you," she said. 81
shall do SO, with your permission, pres
ently-but mind he is not to serve as
| food for powder"
"On what ground is he to be exempt?"
asked Miss Loring, with laugh. 81
rather like his appearance, if you mean
the sunburned man who was talking to
you at dinner"
Gle has a right to be- sunburned," j"
said Mrs. Jennings. "He is in the Egyp-
tian army" -
Indeed! Well, did not question his
right; you know; and I have often felt
that if were man should 60 to Egypt
or Spain, or somewhere else where fight
| ing was to be done and honor won, in
stead of sitting down in the old, old rou-
tine of social and agricultural life. l am
tired to death of the ordinary men one
| meets. If your cousin brings a fresh
element into my life, shall be pro.
foundly grateful to him."
sI doubt if he will be profoundly CRATE
full to you in the end; but I have warned
him, and I can do no more"
"You were very unkind, then. Do
you imagine that with man like that
a simple, straightforward soldier, have
no Doubt should be the same creature
that am with Antoine Virien, for in
stance?"
"You are like Cleopatra in your 'infn-
ite variety I know very we'll, my dear
but I have never heard that you were
less dangerous in one form than another
and "a simple, straightforward soldier is
just the person you will take pleasure in
beguiling."
aYou DO me injustice hush here
he comes. Introduce him, pray"
Mrs. Jennings beckoned with her fan,
| sloJs,r,o fo har c,,pon,onc