Litchfield enquirer., 1880-07-15


 extremely marked. Amid no little heart burniug. the conviction gained ground that this young lady must soon be asked to adorn tho brilliant society of Vienna. She herself was probably not much astonished at her ini- pending good fortune, bu., she was exceeding ly gratiIied at il. lu the first flush of tri- un,ph intoxicating, it was hardly to be wondered at if she thought but lightly of her aunts objections, and troubled herself still less about the feelings of Arthur Lestrange.
 The young man in question was usually con- sldtred very fortunate person. It is true he had but a few hundreds a yea. of his own i; but, on the other hand, he was the acknowl- edged heir of his uncle, who had twice as many thousands. This uncle. Sir Edward Lestrange, was the county ,magnate. He and Lady Lestrange adored their nephew, and had always encouraged him n idleness. so as to have him as much with them as possible Fortunately for himself, Arthur Lestrange had very good brains; and though he had chosen n0 profession, he cultivated literature for his own amusement. This kept him employed, and saved him from utterly wasting his youth while he waited for the rent-roll that was one day to be his. Lately, indeed, he had shown signs of wooing the Muses with more serious ness of purpose than anybody had deemed likely and, in d recent dramatic production, he had a quite unusual measure of success Immediately on this, he had come down to Farnleigh, and. for the second time within a year, had laid his name and his prospects at Dora Mortop's feet. Not only did he meet with fresh repuise, but the general voice, in coupling Miss Morton's name with that of tue ''charming Count" convinced him of the use- lessness of further pursuit.
 Three OF four days passed Arthur Lest rance had had tlmp if mi fn from of any rate to succeed in concealing, the first bit terness of his disappointment Mrs. Damer was still in expectation of her answer from the Consul. Dora was still huggng the thought of her imminent delight in announcing her en- gagement to a!l her friends
 ',"You talk of days, but it appears to me that l ain waiting ages to own You-my treas ure," murmured Staraly to her one evening when, at dance at the Straceys, the lovers sat apart in the friendly privacy of the con- scrvatory."
 Dear Max" said the girl, ardently. ''l also feel that should belong to you more on, tirely if could proclaim to all the world that l am yours. But my prom 8, to my aunt binds me to secresy for few days more."
 "Why?" whispered starolyi, discontented- and perhaps because of this always spoke in a
 
 Dora blushed. hestated, picked flower in her bonnet to pieces, and finally said frankly Il de not see why should not tell you, for you are too kind and too just to mistakemy aunt's motives"
 The Hungarian raised his eyebrows at this exOrdium, and looked little uneasy.
 "Well," said Dora, plunging desperately in, to her subject, 'the truth s, my aunt is little mistrustful of MT. Straceys enthusiasm; and though she likes you very much"-(Oh! Dora, was this quite the case?)-''she cannot be sat. isfied as to your prospects, and so on. unti she has had a little more information about them."
 >"But am willing to give all the informa tion which she desires, said Staroyi, with an air of great dignity. My private papers, my plans of my property-all are at her ser. vice"
 ''Of course, of course, know" stammered Dora, already repentant and overawed.
 ''She has but to speak-to ask," continued the gentleman, in still more injured tone. s'This English prudence is, l confess; little strange to lle; in Hungary we manage things differently; aspersiOns are not cast upon the honor of a nobleman. But here, where am a stranger--" ..-
 Dearest please say no more!" broke in Dora now thoroughly distressed II was wrong to tell you l have hurt your feel ings." .....
 "You can meyer hurt my feelings" was the tender reply. "What pains me is that your aunt sl oud not have spoken to me. Has she, the:, been cross-q questioning Stracey?"
 'No-o-not Stracey," said Dora, ID ago. n.y.
 "Whom, then ?" questioned her lover, in so chorp and o hot Ina lpCE aH t1pa af him quite startled. His face did not assure her; he was ivid, and his eyes sparkled with just indignation.
 What have dene?" cried the girl. clasp ing her hands in positive panic.
 Speak, can't you?" said Starolyi, rough ly.
 Then, as she rose suddenly to her feet, a little affronted now as well as frightened, he hastily took her hand, and, in softened tone, said, Pardon me, my darling! have alarm ed you, without meaning it. But all these de- lays and scruples are intolerable to a nature like mine. And when one loves-as love one fears shadow" He had also risen and now, putting his arm round Dora's slender waist, he drew her gently to him, while he said in his most loving whisper: ''To lose you would be intolerable. Tell me, then, just to appease my vain fears-to whom did Mad anne Damer Wrlte!>
 ''To the English Consul at Pesth," said Dora, nestling to his side, and glancing up at him now with laughing eyes. She had ex- pected to see him look revived, to smile, and, perhaps, to forget all annoyance on the tempt ing vicinity of her pretty head. But to her surprise, and to her fresh alarm, muttered execration escaped him, and his arm frightened round her like vice. She positively gasped with tho nain of tho nd iad ''Max!" in faint voice of suffering and fear He released her then, at once. said coldly i: Another time shall know what treatment to expect from an English lady," botved and marched out of the conservatory. The next moment he was waltzing with Clarie Ferrers "a piquant little brunette, and Dora's partic- ticular rival.
 Amazed, and rather angry with herself now, Dora also left the conservatory, and sat down in the nearest vacant chair. She was too in- capable of doubt as regarded her lover to attach much importance to the agitation which he had just displayed. She supposed that also was ''foreign"-like Esterhazy's diamonds. Her predominant preoccupation consequently was to appear indifferent to his desertion. She famed herself and secretly hoped that somebody very nlce would immediately invite her to dance
 A momentary diversion in the current of her thoughts was suddenly caused by the en- trance of Arthur. Lestrange They had not met since the day when she had rejected his hand and if she had remembered him in the interval it had been to imagine hlm in con- dition of sentimental despair. She experi- enced, consequently, slight shock of dis appointment on seeing him walk in perfectly cool and collected with no signs of disappoint- ment. Although not exactly handsome, he was intelligent-looking, self-possessed, and agreeable, and had the mellowest, most syIn- pathetic voice in the world. ..-...
 On perceiving Dora, he moved toward her, leisurely threading his way among the dancers and dextrously dodgiDg the whirling trains of the ladies. He stopped to shake hands with several people OH the way, and, on reaching his cruel fair one at last, addressed her gently but quite calmly 1A <a f'1sgf'
 Considerably nettled, Dora could think of nothing more brilliant or more gracious to say than: ''Still here! MT. Lestrange thought you had d-returned to London"
 'l go tomorrow, Miss Morton. I have nothing to keen me here now that my annt has