The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-11

en my very existence in the three weeks
.hat have passed since we parted"
They were almost the very words he had
addressed TO Sir Henry, and the latter
,lanced at him mischievously.
Hes bad lot, Eva," he said, laughing +;
"but his turn will come some day, and then
mark my words-he'n take the complaint
severely"
They were in the great oak-ceiled dining
room by this time, where Lady Temple and
her other guests vera already seated at
luncheon, and Godfrey, after shaking hands
with the rest, dropped into seat next to his
hostess, sighing:
"Oh, the ecstasy of sitting once more at
d. cent table among civilized beings! Lady
T mple, you cannot imagine all have SUI.
fered during my weeks OF burial"
at seems TO have agreed with you,' she
said, smiling you look a different crea-
ture-doeSn't he, Eva?'
Miss Dayrel shrugged her shoulders in
pretty French manner
"Please don't ask me, Lady Temple" she
answered in pretended whisper, ''or shall
have TO confess that have forgotten what
he did look like Three weeks 1t is too
long to remember any man"
by Jove, what cruel remark J" ex-
claimed Captain Lee, who sat next to her.
Il shall take care never on any pretence to
leave your sweet society for more than a
week. Digby, you must go tomorrow with
out me- after all.
| please don't" retoried Eva quickly. 81
had better forget you than weary OF YOU
and Tn afraid 1t must be one or the other. "
Worse and worse, Tom! I'm sorry for
you," said Gcodrey, rising and walking
round the table to get some more cold beef,
for Lady Temple wisely dispensed with
servants al luncheon. MAY | ever be de-
Tended from fall & into the hands OF so
cruel fair oae, Temple How are the
birds this yearY"
Eva Dayrell crimsoned and pushed aside
her plate.
at is too hot to eat" she said pettishly
How Late August l should like to go
to sleep from the middle of July till the
hunting begins 1 get sick of the perpetual
talk of Where are you going Till the hrst OF
September? and, after that, birds, birds,
all day and every day. Men are always
thinking of their own amusement.
at is the best thing they can do, since
ladies prize their society SO littls,' remarked
Captain Lee quietly,
Eva bit her lip.
''It depends entirely upon the man," she
said coldly. "Those who bore us when
present We forget quickly when ABSENT
Considering your late remark about me,
/ feel hurt" said Godfrey, smiling HIS
sweet smile as he glanced at her. Il must
have bored you terribly to be SO soon for
gotten
Miss Dayrell did not reply. All, if he
only knew how she had hungered for his
voice. how weary and dull everything had
seemed since he lett town, how true it really
was that she had come thither in search OF
him He had never really hIrted with her,
for he was not a hirt by nature; but his
careless. pleasant manner had attracted her,
and she had exerted all her great powers OF
pleasing, with some success, to keep him
constantly at her side. She was a hand
some, clever girl, much sought after in Lon
don, and Geoflrey, preterring her to most
he met, was willing captive, buying her
new songs to suit her voice, sending her
| bouquets, tickets for operas, concerts and
flower shows, till people coupled them, and
spoke of their union as II settled thing.
But Eva herself knew better. Her woman's
instinct told her that Godfrey WAS not the
least in love with her. His voice took no
tenderer tone when they were alone together,
his eyes wore a calm, friendly look when
they met hers and she never for a moment
misunderstood him. But still she hoped he
might yet learn to love her, and never re-
laxed her Efforts to please him She had
thought that the three weeks absence might
have done something for her, and now, see
ing his eyes as calm and his manner as cool
and friendly as ever, her heart sank. Did
he care for somebody else? She would
surely have heard some whisper oil it by this
time, for her fathers estate joined that of
old Mr. Chetwynd, and his life at home and
in town was open to her. She would get
Lady Temple to ask him to stay there, and
then, if il were all in vain, she would-ah,
what? Sac glanced at the pale, clever face,
with its bright smile and thoughtful eyes ;
she drank in the tones of his mellow, we'll
modulated voice, and knew that she could
not forget him-could not love him less ;
and her heart throbbed with pain and NOR
tiication to think that this was the only
man she had ever tried to attract in vain.
| Suddenly She aroused herself from her rev.
erie as Lady Temple said:
Henry, do you remember that beautiful
young widow, Mrs. Elton, that we used to
| see in church, and that l tried in vain to
make friends with? Mr. Chetwynd has
| found her out and scrap d acquaintance
with her, and arimires her as much as l do
"Thats calm assertion, Lady Temple,
exclai ed Geofirey. II don't believe said
| admired her at ALL though l ain ready tC
admit it now, if you ask my opinion.
think it is one of the loyeliest faces / have
ever seen.
II remember her." replied Sir Henry
''J said she was my idea of Helen of Troy
with the weary look in her great gray eyes
| She looks like q woman with q story
probably not very creditable one, al
she is SO averse to making friends, re
marked Miss Dayrell.
"Oh, don't know that, Eva!' said Lady
Temple quickly. ANY great sorrow woulo
make most women shrink from soclety-ant
she is widow, poor thing"
Geof1rey Chetwynd turned to her with
smile.
Lady Temple" he said, in a low voice
though every word reached Eva Dayrell'
ears, "you cannot think how it warns
mans heart to meet with a woman who al
ways has kind word to say Of her fellow
creatures. always feel when l have beel
in your society that you have done M
good"
Lady Temples face colored with pleas
ure.
'It is easy to think well Of the worl
when it is SO kind as it is to me, she an
swered smiling; and then she rose to leav
the table.