The National tribune., 1882-06-10

had been educated with Ethel Surtees, sc
that they had further warrant for intimacy
than their cousinship afforded, and so great
was the influence which the elder girl ezer-
cised over the younger that Mr.. ard Mrs
| Fillingham had more than once offered Ethel
a permanent home within the comfortable
red-bricl walls at Kensington.
Ethel Surtees, however, was a girl not
cast in entirely conventional lines, and may
! have had her own notions as TO the grace OF
! leaving her father, to whom she was sincerely
attached. for the sake of luxurious surround
! ings. Her mother, Mr.. Fillinghams sister,
! had, a quarter of century before, made g
romantic match by running away with the
curate Of neighboriDg parish, piece OF
disinterestedness for which certain members
of her family had never forgiven her.
| Mr.. Fillingham would, however, have
nothing to do with the teud, and by the
time Ethel was ten years old, offered TO
educate her with his own little daughter.
Thus it was that the Fillingham house
| hold became part and parcel of Ethel's
! girlhood Her father in the meantime OBJ
! tained a small living in the country, SO that
| by the time Ethel had come to years of
| discretion she was able to go back home
and assist in educating the numerous small
! fry that clamored about the vicarage. From
! this unthanllful task she found relief in an
occasional visit to KensingtOn.
The summer before she had spent six
weeks of the season with Susie Fillingham,
and al certain artistic house in Blooms
bury had been presented to Mr. Lovett, the
"new pOet,n as the enthusiastic hostess
whispered to Ethel. The new poet" of
whom Ethel had never heard, was agreeably
attentive, and on another occasion succeeded
so well in amusing her cousin Susie that he
was asked TO come and pay them a visit at
| Mona Lodge.
Mr.. Lovett was not long in availing him
self of this permission, and before many
weeks had passed had become tolerably
intimate with every member Of the family.
He talked art and smoked cigars with Mr..
Fillingham, approached his wife on the
rare occasions on which she appeared with
an air of sympathy and deep interest,
and while making himself agreeable to
Susie, found time to bestow no inconsiderable
amount of attention on Miss Surtees
There was something in this young lady
that fattered him, and grace in her that
appealed to sentiment that perhaps he
had too much neglected.
Lovett was man who had enjoyed for
the last few years sufficient income to
permit of meandering prOpensities, and
Just enough lyrical talent to figure in
monthly magazines, and assume the con-
venient Responsibilities of bard. He
was of a nervous temper, subject to whims
and caprices, which he bumored to their
highest bent. Perhaps, like men of greater
power than himself, he thought it a sign of
originality to be unlike other people.
At the end Of the week Ethel Surtees ar
rived, and although they had already been
forewarned that she was far from well, her
relations were surprised at her appearance.
She had grown thinner since the previous
summer, looked tired, ana was much more
fatigued than the short railway journey
warranted.
Mrs. Fillingham, who had especially in
vited her niece on this occasion, was Ian
guidly Mortified from her sofa, and made
immediate and profuse offers of her scent
bottle, the family physician, and her last
pet remedy for spasms.
She was a lady who INDUCED in pro-
found pity for herself and in consequence
like pale reflection EXTENDED mild kind
of pity to the rest of suffering womankind
at large
1t is impossible to say what mysterious
concoctions Mrs. Fillingham would have
induced her niece to swallow, had not her
own symptoms at this juncture taken new
turn.
81 It's the spring, of course my dear" she
said, (which makes you so ill-it always
acts on delicate people in that manner.
myself as girl always suffered in the first
warm weather"
She had fancy for living in rooms with
regulated temperature, ard by the aid of
the thermometer, which always hung by
her bedside, discovered that her rooms We're
three and a half degrees too warm. The
consequence of this was that the poor lady
Immediately imagined she had feverish
attack, and began to be i'll in consequence of
the fne weather.
In the meantime Ethel was free to please
herself in her movements, and day or two
after finding her cousin closctcd with her
dress maker, started alone for walk. She
enjoyed open-air exercise, and it was with a
peculiar feeling of elation that she turned
her steps this morning in the direction of
Kensington Gardens.
Hardly more than hundred yards from
the house she encountered Mr.. Lovett. He
crossed the street On seeing her, and, throw
ing his cigar away, came forward and took
her hand with a kind Of tender appropria-
ting caress. 1t was the work of an instant,
but he had found silence, used with dis
elimination, more subtle and less compro-
missing than words. With women his hand
shake was very tender, appealing, even
supplicating when required. The curious
mobility Of the whole man was such that
he actually was for the moment what he
seemed, so that there was a genuine air of
sincerity about him which made him seem
what he was not