The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-12

| "HerhapS not. lie Qleu ten years ago,
about the time you were speaking Of,
when we were in Lower Fourth"
"He must have been good deal older
than you"
Fourteen OF fifteen years. He was my
half-brother, and l scarcely ever saw
him. He was my guardian, however, the
little time he lived, and he was good
one too" t-
"Did he know Lady DaintryT
"Helen Fortescue she was then. He
could not very well help knowing her,
for they lived in the same house"
"How was that?" 80 a.j
| "Pnilip was secretary TO old Gaysbor-
ough, of Gaysborough. who was dis
tant relative of ours, and who had mar
ried an aunt Of your friends. She, lsup-
pose, was an orphan-at any rate she
lived with her aunt, and married from
there" l -aa4r2 9a.a. q
| "Well." ..,
"Welf, that's all. Poor Philip died
there-died suddenly of heart disease,
and what few papers and so on he left
went to my aunt's, where on her death l
found them. There were notes and MEM
oranda, and Miss Fortescue was some
times mentioned"
81 shall introduce you as a cousin" 20
GAS you please; but 1 think it would
be as we'll not"
Their talk rambled off after that to
other subjects, and never came back to
the relationship between the beautiful
countess and the young soldier until the
two friends were driving to the dinner
party which they had discussed over
their cigars.
"WelI, Charlie" Hutchinson then
said, "will you go in for q cousinship or
notT' -, .+-.. ,-........-. -.....
"At any rate not at present; so
please keep quiet on the subject"
Gas you like. Here we are." nd
They were all but late. So near it, in
deed, that Conway had but one momeh-
tary glimpse of Lady Daintry as she re-
ceived them before dinner was an
nounced. He found himself, however,
no great distance from her at table, and
Murchison smiled to himself as be saw
his friends eyes turn instantly toward
her. s.r u4 ,ar1a. I"e'a- aa. q.
"Ah," he thought slyly, "he'Il be glad
enough by and by to claim kindred"
! But as dinner progressed, Conway still
looked at the countess. He said nothing
to the Lady beside him-he put away the
dishes that were offered him-he did
nothing but stare fixedly at his hostess.
Again and again his introducer glanced
across the table at him; with surprise
i and displeasure he noticed his extraordi-
nary behavior, and tried to attract his
attention. No efforts were Of the least
! use. Conway, when spoken to, either
answered shortly or not at al1-when
merely looked at, remained evidently un.
conscious of the look. One after another
, the people who sat near seemed to be-
, come aware of something singular in hii
demeanor; the countess alone paid nc
heed to it. Perhaps she was too much
. accustomed to admiration to be discom
!, posed by the regard Of stranger-anc
yet the one fixed on her might have beer
a embarrassing from the very fact that il
i was not admiring. What did it express
Fear, surprise, incredulity. horror. AL
y these, perhaps-nOthing less strange ant
misplaced.
"What the deuce does the fellow
2 meanw Murchison thought to himsel
uneasily. "Has he gone mad all at once
! or what is it? Everybody is beginnin,
! to notice him. Won't give him blow
: ing up when I get hold Of himp
But as the long ceremony of dime
, progressed, Ralph grew more and NOR
uncomfortable. He saw that the infu
ence of his friends silence and behavio
|" was making itself felt-it seemed at las
!, to reach the countess. She still talket
with her usual grace to those beside her
I but she grew slightly paler, and one
looked for a moment steadily at Conway
Murchison, watching anxiously, wa
> struck by the fact that, while her eye
: evidently rested for that moment on th'
young soldiers face, his did not chang
: or fafter as If he had met her gance, bu
rather seemed to look over or beyon,
! her. She continued her conversation AM
: he his gaze.
b At last, when dinner seemed to hav
q lasted twice the ordinary time, Lad
Daintry rose. The moment the ladie
. had passed out, and the door was slut
. Conway turned to the gentleman mex
q him, and in voice full Of horror, asked
: "Did you see itT'
"See whatT the other returned, an
a Ralph leaned acrossed the table to lister
- "The figure that stood behind tn
~ countess tall man, who mimicke
% everything she did," f@
~ The stranger drew little furtht
q away; he evidently thought his neighbe
3 was mad; and Ralph, coming aroun
a took the empty place"
81 "Did YOU see itw aw se
oo T,saw you behaving as if you wei
" out Of your senses. What on earth di
:, it all neanT'
!" "I don't know except this. It SCENE
. to come with her into the room. 1t stoo
j there the whole time, now on one sid
- :, now on the other. Whatever she did,
Ill Il