The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1881-01-28

sudden, and drew her cnair : little away
from him. "
II hope" she said. = you have not "a
poor an opinion Of me y y think
like to be flattered p 4
Romayne answered with an earnest
ness that instantly satisfied her.
"I should think it an not Of insolenct
to flatter you," he said. III you knew
the true reason why I hesitated to 20
cent Lady Loring's invitAtion--if
could own to you the pew hope for my
self that has brought mo hsre -yor
would feel, as feel, that have beer
only speaking the truth. Idarsn't u,
vet that I owe you debt Of gratitude
for such q little thing asalook. / mus
wait till time puts certain strange fan
cies of mine to the proof"
"Fancies about me, MI. Romayne r
Before he could an9wer the dinner.
bell rang. Lord and Lady Loring en-.
tered the library together.
The dinner having pursued its ap'
pointed course always aepting ~
case OF the omelette), ~ ~
who had waiAed at the u Sxaci
ly invited to rest, after Flabors, ia the
housekeeper's room. Haying addition.
ally conciliated him by means Of glass
Of rare liqueur, Miss hoffman, still feel
ing her grievance as acutely as ever,
ventured to inquire, in the first place,
il the gentleiolks upsikj RS had enjoyed
their dinner. So far, she report was,
on the whole, favorable. But the con-
versation was described as occasionally
tagging. The burden Of the talk had
been mainly borne by my lord and my
lady, Mr.. Romayne and Miss Eyrecourt
contributing but little to the social en-
| joyment OF the evening. Receiving this
information without much appearance
of interest, the housekeeper put another
question, to which, Judging by her man.
ner, she attached certain importance.
She wished to know il the oyster-ome-
lette, accompanying the cheese, had
been received as q welcome dish, and
treated with just recognition of its
merits. The answer to this was decid.
edly in the neg g.tiEA~- MIR. Romayne
and Miss. Eyrecourt had declined to
taste it. My lord had tried it, and had
left it on his plate Ny lady alone had
really eaten her share OF the misplaced
dish. Having stated this apparently
trivial circumstance, the head servant
was surprised by the effect which it pro-
duced on the housekeeper. She leaned
back in her chair and closed her eyes,
with an appearance Of unutterable en-.
joyment. That night there was one
supremely happy woman in London
and her name was Miss hoffman.
Ascending from the housekeeper's
room to the drawing room, it is to be
further reported that music was tried,
as means of getting through the time
in the absence of general conversation.
Lady Loring sat down at the piano
and played as admirably as usual. At
the other end OF the room Romayne and
Stella sat together, listening to the
music. Lord Loring, walking back
ward and farwari ritia. . resslessness
which was far from being Characteristic
of him in his after-dinner hours, was
stopped when he reached the neighbor-
hood OF the piano by private signal
from his wife.
"Wi at are you walking about for?"
Lady Loring asked in a whisper, with i
out interrupting her musical perform {
ance. {
"I m not quite easy, my dear" {,
"Turn over the music. 1ndiges- ,
:ion?" !
."Good heavens, Adelaide, what .
question"
"Well, what is it, then?"
Lord Loring looked toward Stella
nd her companion. &
"They don't seem to get on tog ether 4
S well as l had hoped" he said.
81 should think not when you are !,
7alking about and disturb ing them n
lit down there behind me-" h
What am l to dog :,
cam not playing Listen to me-" =
"My dear, I don't understand mod
rn German music.
"Then read the evening paper" u
The evening paper had its attractions.
,ord Loring took his wife's advice. II
Left entirely by themselves, at the a
ther end of the room, Romayne and a.
tella justified Lady Loring's belief in
he result of reducing her husband to a 81
ate of repose. Stella ventured to o'
,eak first. in a discreet undertone.
"Do you pass most Of your evenings al
one, Mr.. Romayne"
"Not quite alone. have the COM ma
my of my books" Ii
care your books the companion that Es
,u like bsst" tn
al have been true to those compan-
ms, Miss Eyrecourt, for many years. sa
the doctors are to be believed. nv he
,oks have not treated me very well in
turn. They have broken down my be
,alth. and have made n /, ] am afraid,
very unsocial man. He seemed lif
,out to say more, and SstteIIs checked tb,
g impulse. "why Am ] talking of .ex
yself p he resumed, With smile. al m,
,ver do it at other times. Is this No
other result of your influence over -,
eY n
He put the question with an assumed
yety. Stella made no effort, on her
lie, to answer him in the same tone. /.
81 almost wish 1 really had some in.
Ience over you," she said, gavely and la
tlly.
"Why g un
al should try to induce you to shut dis
your books, and choose some living mo
who might restore you to ear
ur happier self" wel
- 1t is already done, said Romavne; the
have q new companion In Mr.. PEN ing
,e." gro
. Penroseg she repeated. "He is VIII
friend, is he not. of the priest here. the
ON they call Father BenWell| VIII