The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-24

tell, because this also was due to the
position in which Sir Reginald had
placed me. What did l not owe to
him
For two months every summer st.
Moor's was left empty while the master
and mistress were in town, for they
were by no means people who looked
upon rusting and falling out of the great
worlds stream as one of the duties of
those who have to do their best with the
course of comparatively small one.
Though 1 missed them 1 approved of
their absence, for could not get rid
of my ambition for my friend; it would
be something if, as member of Foam
shire, he could have the chance of doing
for England some little of what he was
doing for one of her remoter corners.
One warm afternoon, while they were
away in town, was engaged alone in
my office with some drainage plans,
half at work upon them, and half think
ing about what could do, in the face
of an approaching election, to get Sir
Reginald Gervase to stand for Foam
shire. 1t was too hot to work very
desperately after an early dinner; and
am afraid must confess that the rich
blue of the sky without, the soft wind
that scarcely took the trouble to carry
the weight of its own scent through the
window, the cav of the rocks on their
way home, and the regular heave and
and rush OF the sea against the wall of
rocks close by united to set me dreaming
of anything but of drains. was myself
in love, remember, and Venus came
from the sea much on such an after
noon.
] had a clerk in the outer office, who
was also in love, and whom strangely
suspect of having been sleeping, too.
Our office was certainly not conducted
on the ordinary principles of hurry
and open eyes "a client from the
outside world did not call once
quarter, and was not particular well
come when he came. AT any rate, Tom
Brooks looked as If he was still dream
ing when he stumbled into my own
room and startled me with
"a strange lady, Sir; and to see
youw
1t is hard to wake up all at once. For
a moment almost took forgranted that
it could be no one but my Lottie, who
had managed to fly through the window
all the way from Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
at the other end of the Kingdom what
other lady, a stranger to Tom Brooks,
could want to see me? But a moment
more told me the absurdity of such a
fancy; so stretched myself, rubbed my
eyes, and said sharply, Then wake up
and show her in"
She came in with silky rustic; and /
had certainly never seen her before.
She Lottie, indeed never can guess
a woman's age, so must content my
self with saying that my visitor could
not possibly have been more than thirty
six or less than twenty years old. She
was of moderate height and graceful
figure, and was dressed much more
fashionably than we were used to round
Spendrith. He face was pretty one,on
the whole, clear complexioned, fair, and
brightly but her mouth was,
at the same time, too small and too full,
her nose too long, and her dark eyes
very great deal too large, as we'll as be-
ing too closly set together. Still, the
general effect was decidedly good, and
had to be called pretty, whatever else it
might be called, and however much it
differed from my own two standards of
beauty-Lottie Vane and Lady Gervase.
My visitor looked grave and sad by
nature, as If she had story, and that
an interesting one. showed her seat,
and she sat down.
"You are Mr.. Lambourn, and you are
a lawyer 7" she asked in voice that
made her prettiness suddenly change
into something more. 1t was clear,
liquid voice, with some sort of special
accent in it, and kind of singing
quality about her first words.
"My name is Lambourn, and am a
solicitor. You call on business, 1 sup
pose? Whom have the honor
She opened a mother-of-pearl case and
handed me card-"Adrienne Lavalle.'
81 come to ask your advise, . said she.
The name looked French; and yet,
though she did not speak quite like an
Englishwoman, her accent was by no
means distinctly that Of a foreigner
Who could she be, that she came for