Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-07-27

| were wider and more real than any even
of his closest inmates would have decided
them.
A knock came at his door, and, in an
swer to his query, the voice of his valet
announced the advent of his dinner-hour.
He babe the fellow begone, savagely, and
in another minute cursed himself for his
weakness.
"You ass p he said, apostrophizing
his figure in the mirror. Us this your
philosophy? Is this the result of the
self-drilling of lifetime, to make your
self the babble of your own servants
hall, and the tool of such match MAX
ing old harridan as that? What do you
want with the girl, you wrinkled, crows
footed, overgrown schoolboy? What's
the girl to you or you to her? What
quality of body or brains or heart have
you to win such a prize by? What
right have you to cast your shadow on
two lives ?"
A second knock came to the door as
he finished this uncomplimentary har-
angue.
"Who's there ?" he asked.
cit is l." answered female voice.
"Is anything the matter, Stephen %
"No," he answered, afraid to trust his
voice to say more.
"John said he thought you were Ill, -
returned the voice.
81 am not i'll, returned Stephen. ct
shall be down to dinner presently"
"Stephen, [ am sure there is some
thing the matter" continued the voice,
with feminine persistency.
Langton opened the door and confront
ed his visitor.
"What do you want ?" he asked I'M
graciously.
"What is the matter with you ?" reiter-
ated this feminine Irish echo.
Stephen Langton was tall and dark,
Bertha Langton was small and fair.
Stephen was 40 andlooked more; Bertha
was almost 81, and looked less. They
differed in a dozen other things, and yet
were alike in some mysterious way.
Where the likeness lay the most astute
observer could never have determined;
but it existed, nevertheless
"There's nothing the matter with me. :"
answered Langton. Can't you take an
answer?"
"Don't talk to me in that way, Ste
phen,' answered the lady, in calm re-
proof. "Youl only be sorry for it after
ward"
Langton gave an uneasy growl; Bertha
smiled.
"It's only business affairs, my dear.
I've been bothered lately. Run away,
Like good girl. I'll be at dinner di-
rectly."
He turned away as he spoke and
walked towards his toilet-table. But
before he reached it a pair of soft arms
were around his neck, and his sisters
cheek against his own.
He sat down, almost unnamed by this
touch of womanly pity. The girl would
have spoken; but there was such look
in the eyes he turned on her that she
forbore. Presently he said, quite in his
ordinary voice:
"You are the only creature who has
my secret. Keep it, Bertha"
She answered by kiss, and left him.
Feeling strangely composed and quiet
phen dressed and descended to dinner.
His appearance was the signal for gen
eral movement to table. Robert Vane,
his furtive regards between Lady NATL
I'd, WIZ Sdl, dllIl oAdCUly
opposite him, and her daughter Elsie,
his companion of the afternoon, who had
been established far down the table, with
an insuperable barrier of two county
members, their wives, and clerical dig
nitary between them. Elsie was very
pale, and sat out the dinner, eating
nothing, and sending away her plate
untouched after each course. There
seemed to be a sense of constraint on all
present; and conversation languished, in
spite of the gallant efforts of Bertha,
ably seconded by her brother.
eve were speaking this afternoon,
Lady Matilda, of the magic emerald, %
said Langton.
Lady Matilda remembered the con-
versation.
"That is the stone in the center-piece
of my sisters necklace"
It was not a stone of extraordinary
size, and would have shown but poorly
in that respect beside some of it's famous
sisters. But it's color and brilliance was
marvellous; and its water as pure as the
famous treasure for love of which poor
Isaac Levi went mad. Its mention gave
flip to the conversation; and though
Lady Matilda still maintained stony
silence, and Roderick and Elsie re-
manned taciturn or monosyllabic, the
rest of the guests found plenty to talk
of regarding the histories and legends OF
famous jewels.
Dinner over, it was proposed by Ber-
tina, and carried with reclamation, that
tea should be partaken Of in the garden,
where the ladies accordingly repaired.
During the after-dinner symposium
Langton noticed that Vane drank much
more than his usual quantity of wine,
swallowing glass after glass in rapid sue
cession, and with countenance of un-
altered gloom. On rising to join the
ladies who could be seen wandering
around the terraces Of the garden, the
young man took Langton's arm, and
drew him away down sequestered al
ley, which led into the park. The wide
expanse of green stretched in one I'M
broken wave-like roll until it met the