New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-19

concealed watchers. Then, eeized by sudden
faintness, the young man fell. limp and inverte-
| braie. against tree, uttering hollow groan. The
| lady regarded him With countenance whose
gravity was cOntradeted 10y the laughter Of her
eyes. He raised his appeahugly TO her face, and
groaned again.
We'll Y she asked.
lie pressed his hand upon his heart, and gasped,
The customary restorative
The girl looked about her, and then, believing
herself unperceved. stopped over her exhausted
companion and kissed him. He, with sigh of re-
lief, hriskly recovered the perpendicular, ana the
pair disappeared from the view Of the cnraged Lady
Matilda and her companion.
o. Shameful ,ggaspea the angry lady. Shameful !
| Langton made no answer, but tugged silently ut
his mustache
'Mr Langton.' painted Lady Matilda, pray you
to believe that | am no party to this disgraceful
conduct on the part of my daughter!
'Disgracefule repeated Langton, with an aston:
ished lifting of the eyebrows. why disgTacetulf
! Perfectly natural, should say
Lady Matilda glared at him as if doubtful of his
Given continued her companion, "A country
house, handsome young man; pretty glrl time:
place. and opportunity surely the result should not
surprise YOU
But without consulting me
| Lsngton broke in. with a calm impudence which
completely bewildered his companion,
Did you always ask your mammals permission
| before
He did not complete this sentence, but eked out
The lady with An angry hir Of her parosol turned
from him and walked towards the distant Hall. lie
My dear Lady Matilda, pray don't take the
matter so hardly There is-isnt n better fellow in
the whole world than Roderic Nane.'
| A pennileSs advcnturcr'
| Permit me. Not adventurer and not pen
ness. That he has "A decent position is past dis
pute he is gentleman and has very good pros
4 very good catch for a BRIDESMAIDS daughter no
! doubt answered the offended mother. But had
| looked higher than government clerk for Elsie
| Langton would have spoken again; but she
flashed round him suddenly with undis
| guised rage in face aud voice.
| DO you plead his cause, Mr.. LAnetonT -
i do. II may be permitted TO say So shall re-
| gard il rs a good match on both sides.
| She turned from HIM with gesture ana eAcIanla,,
ton in which anger disdain aud surprise were III!
expressed, and lett him where he stood.
Stephen Langton gained the solitude Of his own
| room, and shut himself IN, 10 fight out the great
struggle Of his life and have his bitter hour unseen
| The pride that had kept back any avowal of what
| he now knew 70 be hopeless passion was 100
shallow a preteDce to be kept up to himself Inc
agones Of such mind are easier imagined than ue-
scribed at lcas by such a pen mine. There Is no
scrap of the prOveTblal wisdom when IL trueI imam
that one Which teaches us that the stIllest waters
are oft times the deepest, and those passions that
! Stephen Langton so pcrscyerlngiy cioakcd III Gym
clsn were wider and more real IMAM any even OF HIS
| closest Inmates would have deemed them. ,
| A knock came TO his door. and. III answer 20 hs
query, the voice Of his valet announced the advent
of his dinncr-hour lie hadc the fellow BECOME say
| agey, and minute after cursed himself lor Ills
Yon as he said, apostrophizing his reflection in
| the mirror l. this your philosophy IL tins the
result of the selfdrlllng OF lifetime. 10 make your
self the babbe of your own serN ants NALL anu inc
| tool of such "a match making old haITidan as that
| What do you want with the girl. you Wrnkied
| crows-foOtcd. Oyergrown schoOlbOy Nhatb tno
girl to you, YOU 10 herr W hat quahty Oh oouf OF
| brains or heart have YOU 10 win such prze 10y
What right have you to cast your ugly shadow on
| two lives = 800
| this uncOmphmentary haranguc.
| Who's there he asked
| 1t ia l., answered a female voice. Is anything
| the matter. Stcphenf
NO he answered, afraid to trust his voice to say
John said he thought you were ILL., returned the
i am not ill., returned Stephen. i shall be down
| TO dinner presently A.
matter continued the voice, with feminine persis-
Iangton opened the door and confronted his
1 what do You want 2 he asked ungraciously;
What is the matter with you reiterated this
| feminine Irish echo
| ton was small and fair. stephen was forty ana
| looked more Bertha was almost tWenty-one, ana
| looked less. They differed IN dozen other things
| and yet were alike in mysterious way.
| Where the likeness lay the most astute observer
could never have determined but 1t existed never
There's nothing the matter with me- answered
Langton. Cant you take an answer
| Don't talk to me IN that way, stcpheh, an
swered the lady. in calm reproof You II only Oc
sorry for II aftcrward.'
| Isngton gave an uneasy growl Bertha smiled
| ITS only business affairs my dear. I've been
bothered lately. Ran away. like a good girl III be
| at dinner directly r,.,
his toilet-table But before he reached II par OF
| soft arms were around his neck, and his sisters
He sat down. almost unnamed by this touch Of
| womanly pity The girl would have spoken put
there was such look in the eyes he turned on ner
that she forbore. Presently he SAID, quite III MS
| ordinary voice.
You are the only creature who has my secret.
Keep il, Bertha
| She answered by kiss and left him.
| Feeling strangely composed and quiet AFTER ms
| intense mental excitement stephen dresser ana
descended TO dinner. HIS appearance was the slghaI
| for a general movement 10 table. Roderc ' ane ne
noticed, was III at ease, and divided his furtlFc re-,
| CARDS between Lady Matilda who sat, prim ana
TIgid exactly opposite him. and her daughter Elsie,
his companion Of the afternoon, who had been estaD'
llshed far down the table, with an lnsupera9ie
| barrier of two county members, their wives, and
| clerical dignitary between them Elsle was very
| pale and sat out the dinner eating nothing and
sending away her plate untouched after each course
There seemed be a OF cOnstrant on all pres
/ emit; and conversation langnished, In spite OF We
| gallant efforts of Bertha ably seconded by her
We were speaking this afternoon, Lady Matilda,
! of the magic emerald said LangtOn.
| Lady Matilda remembered the conversation.
That is the stone IN the centrepece OF my sister
| necklace
| IL was not a stone OF extraordinary size, and
would have shown but poorly III that respect beside
some of its famous sisters But its color and brill
| rance were marvellous: and lis water pure
that of the famous treasure for love of which poor
| Isaac Levi went mad. It's mention gave a Hip 10
| the conversation; aud though Lady Matilda still
maintained stony silence. and Rodcrc and Elsie
remained tsciturn or monosyllabic. the rest Of the
guests found plenty tO talk Of regarding the his
| tories and legends Of lannon's Jewels.
Dinner over, 1t was proposed by Bertha, and
| carried with accamatiOn. that tea should De par
taken Of in the garden where the ladies accordingly
repaired. During tln afterdinner symposium.
Langton noticed that Vane drank much more than
his usual quantity Of wine, swallowinR glass after