New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-28

III.
Ten years since Helen Fortcscuc, poor and
! handsome, was changed into Helen, Countess
! Of Daintiy rich and powerful. Ten years since
| Philip Conway was lifted, dead out of the
| biidc's path. Nearly ten years since Gays
| borough uls- ed into the hands of strangers and
the story of that ili-omencd wedding day began
/ to fade among the other traditions OF the "old
family"
But in a dis ant county Lady Daintry shone
as 4 star and rcigucd as a queen. No one had
yet begun 10 say that the star was pdling, the
queen losing her inherent right or power OF
, ruling. Tie earl was her first subicct-no
more. Over him, and over the rest OF the world.
she maintained her ascendancy by two forces,
di,timc, but aiicd-her beauty and her wlt As
for her beauty. il had not wancd by so much rs
a shade 1t had shOue ont after her brilliant
marriage, in tie most wonderful peIfcction-a
beauty not only above question, but above cilt-
icism-impcrlal, absolute She might have
been a bcggar maid or a kings daughter
people soon ceased to trouble themselves with
her aniccedents; she made her beauty serve for
family, fortune, and trimming. Thus she gained
Der throne; having gained II, her viii kept II.
And now thai she Lad been 80 long a success
full woman. one class of persons alone spoke
evil of her. TO her maids she was no divinity
There were enough of them; for she seldom
kept one about her more than q few months
and thew ali went away in the same mind. She
has an awful temper, they sad. and seems rs
If she never could bc quiet for minute. All
the money IN England would not pay one 20
fac, her. a. she looks sometimes.
One other strange thing was known about her.
She had cOnsultcd-uO one knew on what sub
icct--a certain caryoyaut, or dealer IN super
natural mysteries. ard al. moreover, been OBJ
served 10 change color when the subject WAS
named. and To sludder lnvoldntariy when dis
belief IN il WAS asserted IN hcr presence. That
she herself did believe in things not dreamed of
IN philosophy, WIS tie consequent opinion OF
her fricnds-but 1t was n matter on which she
refused 10 speak.
II was the carl's pleasure a. well as hers that
their house in Bankshirc should be- a hosIitablc
one They spent most of the year there, and
they were never alone. No matter how unpro-
missing the season, they bad always party. and
almost always il WAS both large aud gay. There
were perpetual morning and evening amusc- |
mcnis continual cbb and flow Of diucr-gucsts !
and everything to make dinner invitation
worth ace pIng.
Puhaps Ibis WAS tic aspect Of ihc ease which !
presented itself most wildly to the mas uuc |
minds of thc ncighbOfhoOd. 4 fine house, a /
pleasant host, beautiful hostess. "A iauliic-s |
dinner ANA wines not to be oquallcd in the |
conty-cvcy man could appreciate these: |
every man accordingly priced thc coun,cs,s |
nNltatlOns.
one of these invitations was thc subject Of a |
lttlc discussion one evening Ii bad lccn sent |
to Ralph MuIClsOn, young squi.c Of the /
uciehloIhood. and he, going 10 his ettcr-casc
TO find something else, had just pulled If out and /
tossed il 10 lis friend and guess, Captain Con-
way.
ut includes you," he said all night was
over there playing cioquct Yesterday, and tool,
an opportunity OF telling the countess | cx-
pcctcd you. Before | came away she begged
me to bilng you with me tomorrow, which /
promised. So You are booked
Il uCnt believe There p q soul | know there
Conway answered, twisting the note round his
fingers.
More shame for you, then There's the iol-
licst people ia England always there, and it's
the jolhcs house 10 meet them at
Lady Dnntiy can't he very young" Conway
said, ircyeieDtly, after lite pause, and
through Il cloud OF smoke
Ralph went of into tit OF laughter. By
JOvc! it is easy enough 10 see that YOU don't
know heat The bare idca Of talking # ! woman
like that not beng very young
Wen, upon my word don see The Joke"
Why. man. she rs scarcely woman It all
she IS goddess DO You suppose that because
when we were small boys IN Lower Fourth at
.ton she was turning the heads of all London.
therefore she can't turn any now II yOu 60,
you are considerably mistaken. BY Joye,
here IS not another woman in England 10 com
pare to herr
=" I'll tell You my opinion tomorrow night
"Oh. know il beforehand. You can't help
'oulscf. But, do YOU know, | had kind of
iail idea that she and you must be related r.
Had you SO we are Instantly"
Explain il, old fellow | only wish could
make her out "A cousin OF minc.p
Conway Knocked the ashes off his cigar
stretched himself comfortably back in his
hair, blew Wifi or two laZily. aud then an
wercd. IL proyohinG.y deliberate manner he
wccn the putis, Her great grandmother and I
ny grindmothcr were s.steIs.'
" IL that humbug T.
No; truth
= Yoa seem to be pretty well up in the ,
relationship, after all p
"Ncs, | am. DOnt Won know that | was ;
T0ught up by maiden aunt" +
" And she made YOU learn your gcncalOgy Y
" Not exactly. / remember that particular +
Tor particular reason J
" What was that = {
" Can't you let u fellow smoke in peace ~
" Not if peace means silence; had enough of
bat bcfOge you came. Go on"
q" remember 1t because found various allu- |
ions TO II IN some papers which belonged TO q
'hiiip. my elder brother
Never knew you had 4 BROTHER !
Perhaps not. lie died ten years ago about ]
be time you were speaking of, when we were i
u Lower Fourth" s
He must have been n great deal older than 4
Ou.' c
Fourteen or fifteen years He was my half
rOthcr, and ! scarcely ever saw him. He was c
~ guardian, however, the little time lie lived, 5
nd a good one too
Did he know Lady Daintry?'
Helen FOrtCscuc she was then. He could /
OF very well help knowing her, for they lived S
1 thc same house" /
How was that 5
"Philip was secretary to old GaysbOrough, of :
marlborough, WHO was q distant relation of v
uTs, and who had married an aunt OF your u
riends. She. l suppose, was al Orphan-ht {