Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19

skeptfcal No one, however in7presse though
they all SEEM is in 80 great state Of real fius-
ter as the master of''the house" himself. impas-
sive as he looks. standing there on the platform,
his usually long, pale face lust q little longer
and paier than ever his large, dark eyes burn
ing just little more brightly In their deep
setting of heavy LASH
AT last the bell has rung, and the train pants
with slow dignity into the station. Still Lucus
fitzgerald does not move but leans on. as
though watching to be recognized against the
omce-door. second more and the bright color
| mounts to his brow, and then suddenly fades
| away into sort Of blue pallor He walks for
ward TO carriage, but with no haste yet.
from that carriage window is gazing on him
iair young girlish face, face such as even an
| indnerent passer-by in crowded thoroughfare
| would turn to look at; such a face as painter
might have chosen for Calypso when looking
| seward from the shores of Ithaca. 1t had the
stamp of a blighted love upon it.
busy porter opened the carriage-door, and
tumbling out. "How do you doing Lucius
with easy familiarity. He gave his hand to the
| girl. She did not attempt to speak as she
| stepped down on the platform. though her hand
| seemed to linger in his just moment longer
than was necessary. Perhaps it was the whs-
pered my darling!" which he uttered in very
| low tone as she stood beside him. which so sur
prised her that she forgot to be conventional.
What right had he to call her darling" with
| Amelia sitting at home waiting for them, and
in spite of the far-of panied look in the sweet
Brides eyes, which should have thrust the
word back unspOken into his heart; 1t did not
| bring glad look into her face as "darling' ut
tered by Lucius Fitzgerald six months ago would
have done. All the sunshine and Joy had died
out of Birdie Verulam's life since then. She
| turned away from him and spoke to her maid
about the luggage, as though seeking refuge in
a triyiality. Why had she come to AbbOtscrathie?
Even Amelia, had she been at the station that
day, could not have failed to note that Birdie
Verulam had been to Lucus in the past what
every law Of honor forbade that she could ever
be still in the future. Like Lucus, Birdie was
accomplishing her destiny; like Lucius, she had
a firm belief in her own strength. How utterly
| weak they both were perhaps they discovered
with startling reality as they stood side by side
on the Abbotscraithie platform.
Lady Constantine was BRIDES step-mother
and the girl was dependent on her for food,
shelter. and clothing-utterly dependent; aud
her fathers chattering good-natured. shallow
pated widow was calculating, though kindly
and had. moreover, but a limited income.
10 marry Lucius, Birdie knew was utterly
lmp0ssible-knew it from the moment the first
| l0Ve-hutter agitated her heart; SO she resigned
| nlm-gave him with her own free will to Amelia.
She had morbid longing to witness the sue
cess OF her work, and had accompanied her
mother to Abbotscraithie, deluding herself into
the idea that she would henceforth endure the
void in her life with less bitter pangs if she were
but allowed to see Lucius rich, happy, and con-
| tented.
so when Lady Constantine told her that she
| mad received an invitation from Mrs. Fitzgerald.
and IN her blindness and her love of living at
| other peoples expense suggested that thew
should accept it, Birdie had offered no opposi-
| ton.
She got into the carriage and seated herself
by Lady Constantias side the maid opposite
| Lucius proceeded them in his cart He had
chosen wisely in leaving Birdie to her reflec-
lions for while: Furthermore, he went up the
back way into the stable yard to avoid being
present when Birdie and Mrs. Fitzgerald should
| meet.
| He could easily make an excuse for not being
| at his post to fulfil the ceremony of introduce
ton. Perhaps, evenin the abstract he was right
although his action. or. rather. inaction. in the
| matter was due on this occasion solely to his in
| chnatlon. Where people are bound nolens
rOteas to make themselves acquainted, the for
| mallty OF an introduction is very likely better
| omitted. At all events in this instance the
affair passed of comfortably enough, and the
| impression on all sides was favorable. But this
| fact by no means tended to mend matters as far
as danger was concerned, and Miss Verulam was
TOO wise and too honest to deceive herself into
contrary belief.
When woman allows herself to love mar
rled man, she may tell her conscience that every
| fault from the wife pallates her guilt; but she
must be morally blind. indeed. if she inagines
that all the qualities of all the angels centered
| in the wronged one would ever have weighed
with her in the indulgence Of her unlawful pas
| sion.
There was something artless-an evident de-
sire TO ike and be liked-about the woman i'm
possession which went straight to the BRIDES
neart and dlsarmed her-disarmed her of ANVIL
| no more.
This is the first time have ever met anv
| really great friends of my husband" said Amelia,
| pouring out the tea, land you don't know
how have been looking forward to your COM
ing"
Lady Constantia declared herself delighted to
be there, but the journey
'Oh that railway carriage! thought should
nave died Of heat apoplexy; and that horrid
oid-young man-ridiculOus creature. he must
nave Deen nifty at least-wOuid insist upon
having the windows up all the time, and Birdie
would not snub him. Why would YOU not
Birdie! Oh he was goOd-looking- but
not my style; IN fact, quite one of the have
beens.'"
She was something of rattle. was her lady-
SHIP and not over particular about being lis
tened to, This the Birdie had long since ascer-
tanned. At that moment she was dreamingly
contemplating Amelia.
How man might love that sweet little
woman II she had only got the first chance of
mimi" was the mental ejaculation.
Dinner that night was not altogether sue
cessful attempt at being festive. Percy had
arrived Just before, and decidedly second rate
as were his jokes and general behavior more
than one of those present felt grateful to him
TOT Keeping up the conversation, his brother
ln-law, perhaps, the most of ALL
Next day two or three men, invited by Lucius
for shooting. put in an appearance and the mas
ter OF AbbOtscraithe, in doing the honors to his
male friends, avoided on all possible occasions
being brought into anything like close compan-
ionship with the ladies' Only he would look at
Birdie sometimes with such a longing. wistful
look in his large, flaming eyes that it made the
girl more than once creep away up to her room
ana send the excuse of a headache instead of
reappearing at dinner. Meanwhile Amelia saw
nothing except that Percy's attentions were re-
celved by Miss Verulam with cold disdain. and
that Lucius looked sadly weary and faded. which
she entirely ascribed to his having over-walked
himself shooting On the mOOrs Thus a week
passed, and Birdie suggested to Lady Constan-
Tia that it was time they took their leave and
went to the house of some other friends; but
Lady Constantia was comfortable and contented
IN luxurious Abbotscraithie, and she would not
oe hustled. Birdie must endure her torture
little longer
.e sne had gone out alone one lovely September
afternoon, taking volume of Sheliey to dream
over. not to read. In BRIDES frame of mind ali
the lines were one blurred mass, all the words
were indistinct. She sat down in a little arhor
that had been built at the edge Of a wood