Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-17
LADY R0DNEYS PLAY.


wouldn't what?"
You know very WELL"
'1ndeed do not"
well, If must be more explicit. wish you
would not act with that-that Ponsonby. The
way he stares at you, and fixes you with his
eyes, is enough to make man forget his man
ners"
My dear Cyril, you can't be serious. I
fore"
"Unreasonabiei Ny dear GIRL Considering
we are to be married so soon, and all that,
really thought you would not object to little
advice from me-"
''Of course not II like It. I shall ALWAYS
follow it. You know that"
but surely, Dorothy, 1t can't be pleasure
fellow"
well, you see, am bound to act now This
the nineteenth-only three days; and how could
Lady Rodney provide substitute in that time?
And besides, should like to-"
"Oh, would you? That, Of course, settles the
"why, Cyril" exclaims Miss Bohun. 81 do
believe you are jealousI"
II am. 1t does not make man particularly
cheerful to know that the woman he loves is to
be the object Of another mans alteration for
even an hour"
'But, my dear Cyril. It is only a farce"
>, But, my dear Dorothy. l see no reason why
1t might not terminate In q tragedy"
Miss Bohun laughs.
Even that" she says, ''would be better than
nothing. This place has grown so dull since
the Stewards LEFT, and those men at Coote
Hail."
Look here Dorothy, throw 1t up" says Mr..
Disney, leaning over her chair, and bending his
head until his face Is very near to hers, 'fOr my
sake"
.'Well. If you can bring me some fever. I'll
take it; but don't see where you'll get it, as
there's nothing Of the sort In the parish, and I'm
convinced that nothing less could save me from
this thing"
''Then you are quite determined not to give it
up?" says Disney, cOldly. drawing hims elf to his
full height.
II never was determined in my life" says
Miss Bohun, with some just indignation. 81 am
remarkable for never saying nd to anybody
You yourself have frequently told me had
the sweetest nature in the world. and it Is quite
too late to alter Lady Rodney's arrangements
now"
mo doubt you are right, as you always are.
I'm sorry can't be present on the nineteenth,
but 1t Is impossible as shall have business that
will detain me about that time"
''Very pressing business?'
Yes, very pressing business"
"Ah!" says Miss Bohun.
When Disney has been absent two DAYS. his
d
To have left Dorothy in the manner he had
seems to him now to have been not only an I'M
manly. but most unworthy action.
There is only one way out Of it. He will
write to her, and humby apologize for his con-
duct
The night passes YEARLY enough, and the
morning brings him no relief. He Is still indie
scribably miserable, and sinks into the belief
that there is no balm in Gilead for his uneasy
spirit.
The next day he grows even more desperate,
and finally decides that tomorrow come what
may. he ll-metaphoricaly speaking-throw
himself at her feet, and implOre forgiveness
HOW SLOWLY the train seems to move and how
lntoerabe seems the delay at each station to
Disney, as the next morning he travels on his
way to BrOmpley. One half-hour more and he
Is fulfilling the guards demands for the shat
tered remains of his mutilated ticket. and awakes
to the fact that he has actually arrived at his
destination.
Hastily procuring his luggage, and engaging
the first car convenient, he immediately pro-
ceeds to the Hall. Arriving there, he dismisses
the man. and, giving his luggage to the inesti-
mable Williams, he enters the house.
How good it seems to him being back again,
and how small by this have DOrothy's sins
grown in his eyesl After all, how could she
help it! He Is sure she hated having to do it.
And how could she refuse Lady Rodney, after
promising TO play her part? And, besides. how
many women act in private theatricals. and why
shouldn't Dorothy. who is evidently fitted by
nature for that sort of sport? And when one
comes to think of it dispassionately, there are
Few things $3.50 innocent as little tabIeaux,
and little drawing-rOOm pieces. and that
In fact, when they are married. he doesn't see
why they shouldn't have private theatricals
once a month. That green room at Kingsmore
is just the place for stage-fOOtlights and
drop scenes, and so on.
He is getting positively enthusiastic over tn
theatricals, which subject has carried him as far
as the drawing room, whenit suddenly occurs to
him that Miss Bohun is not there as the man
has led him to suppose.
No doubt she is in the conservatory, which
she so much affects. He pauses. He thinks he
will give her pleasant surprise, and, cautiously
moving aside the curtain, that he may not too
rudely break in upon the reverie that ia doubt
less filled with him, he gazes upon the little GER
fumed paradise beyond
At first, the light dazZles his eyes. He draws
his breath quickly, and then-what is it he sees?
In the distance stands Dorothy-her features
eloquent, her eyes alight, her lips half parted
as smile fond and tender hoyers round
them.
At her feet kneels Ponsonby, his hands tightly
clasped, his whole attitude betraying devotion
the most intense.
heart by this cruel picture on which he has SO
unwittingly intruded, a passionate outbreak of
words comes from POnsonby's lips.
Darling" he says, 81 appeal to you for the
last Time, anu lmpl0re you TO listen to mel Do
not. | beseech you. let the alteration of an
Other'-(' That's me-" Disney says, between
his compressed lps)-"blind you to the INDY
ing love offer! On you are conferred all nv
hopes Of future happiness! Do not sentence
me to- lifelong despair, but say you will be
mine!"
Disney waits with Inaddening Impotence and
beating heart for her reply.
1t comes very nervOusy from 1orothy's pretty
lips.
Her head is bent modestly, and her hands lie
passively in Ponsonbys
How can | answer yOu?" she says In dis
tinct but wavering accents. Sand vet WHY
should L not unburden my mind? Truth is
always best. My heart has long been in your
keeping, and if you wish it, 1t is yours"
1t is too much Sick at heart, Disney turns
away, not caring to listen to words evidently
not meant for him to hear. The dreadful
awakening has come! ALI his dreams of bliss
have been shattered by this sudden and pain
fully unexpected blow; and Dorothy, his love-
whom he has believed as true as the angels. is
nothing more in his eyes now than a practiced
firt and heartless woman Of the world!
His first thought Is to return to the city; his
next to remain. Has he not heard somewhere
second thoughts are best?" Yes; he will re-
main, and see it out to the bitter end; and when
this l0afhS0ma pIay hos 70