The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-06

hO ehouGnt. IOuI COuoll 10 suIOiy
much changed, Miss Ricart,' he re-
marked, as they stood resting.
DO you think SO TOP said Alice, feign-
ing surprise. well, to tell the truth,
she continued confdentially, 4 think so
too. Cissy used to be such a romantic,
disinterested kind of girl; l think she
has been quite spoiled with admiration,
and got rather afraid of her. India is
not nice place for women, filling them
with such love of admiration. used to
be thought very cool and calculating;
but really I see so much about me l
have been thoroughly disgusted. | con-
fess Cissy surprises me most of all;
although Captain Lambert is infatuated
with her, 1 am afraid she would soon
throw him over, in spite Of her en-
couragement of him, for any one
wealthier. Now and again she seems
more like herself; but what l call her
good fits come schooner now.'
Graham and Cisy spoke no more to
each other that evening, and in the en-
suing days of the meet, though each
longed sadly for the old intimacy and
gladness in each others presence, no op-
portunity of reconciliation offered itself,
and Mrs. Ricart and Alice saw their
stratagem succeed even beyond their
anticipation. A cold, calm bow was all
that passed between the two; and whilst
Graham imagined she had sighted him
intentionally, Cissy feared that Alice (by
whose side he constantly was, by the
contrivance of mother and daughter) had
won his heart. She had not even the
power of indulging her grief in the
never-ceasing string of gaieties of an
Indian race meet. In the morning they
drove to the races, where she would sit
listlessly in an open barouche below the
stand, with Captain Lambert at her
elbow; whilst Alice, in riding skirt and
coquetish little hat, was up and about
among the gay throng on the stand, the
liveliest of the elegant light-hearted
ladies there, constituting Graham Bur
ton her favored slave. He must 60 and
bring her coffee and cakes, it was 50 cold
or perhaps run down and see why the
horses were SO long in coming out, OF
tell her the name of each horse and rider
as they passed to the starLing-place
Then, as the gallant beasts came stream
ing, striding along, she would cling to his
arm in childish excitement, to unfaster
her small hands with a little apologetiC
smile and blush as the race was over, tt
look up with tender, glistening eyes a;
the result was known and the music
between the races swelled out again. Oh
they would comment-he with listless
ness, she with animated face-on the peo
pie about them that they knew, she sur
prising him sometimes into a laugh a
her wit, as they gazed on the picturesqu,
crowds below, on the dusky, eager face
clustering all round the race-course, will
gorgeously clad wealthier natives inter
spersed among them; and not seldom
Alice's tongue would find something tt
comment upon that drew his attention II
that calm, white face below, face whicl
from its very look might have told hin
Alice's words were false, as its owner sa
talking quietly, indiferently to the Cap
tain. Cissy was too true-hearted to fir
with one man because another ha'
wounded her; she was longing for res
and peace; but her mother forced he
into all the gaieties of the time. If ther
were no races, hunt or paper-chas
would perhaps be organized, leaving til
ladies no more than time to dress fo
breakfast and the callers who streame
in after, or for calls that had to b
made.
, The callers were received in the sem
ana; and here Cissy sat wearily receivin
them, day after day, Burton among tn
r rest. Cricket, tifins and Badminto
tournaments alternated in the afternoon
after which all resorted to the cours'
4 where the band played and gossip an
0 firtations throve. 1t was dark ere tn
: ladies returned, and even then Ciss
could not rest, for Alice shared her room
0 and they had still to dress for the Dime
t party, often for the ball, which dragge
0 the day into the small hours of the NOR
ing. Cissy's pale face became weary an
0 sad-Iooking, and deep-blue lines settle'
t as the days crept on, beneath the patiel
}, joyless eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED
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