Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-08-30
IN THE MIRROR-Ro0M.
BY HELEN LOCKWOOD

a.
a The shost rat sBeaumeanil was a re-
markably handsome and attractive mar.
graceful and frankfaced, of lavished
aud genial hospitality-thc last person
IN the world, you would have said. to
be connected with anything shady
mysterious. ~
Beaumesnil was as nearly perfect
place as money and taste, could make
1t. both without aud within. ~
Hsanywhere among those beautiful
irescoed rooms there existed the tradi
tional closet with its grizzly skeleton. it
was certainly well-conceaied from view.
There were "stories about Capel
Mohun, but you could not be with the
man himself ten minutes and sremem-
ber them.
Whether 1T was ghis strong personal
magnetism, his charming manners, his
wonderful conversational powers, or
All three. there was the fact-you liked
himsaiter acquaintance, however Won
might have been preiudiced before.
sse party gathered at Beaumesnil.
that autumn of which write, was not q
targe, but very gay and select one;
and the affable host spared no pains to
make everything as pleasant MS possible
to every one.
" There were q number of beautiful
women among the guests-one e1cep-
nonally so-Vivien Gueltan. She was
South American heiress; and it was
g whispered that Mohun meant, if he
could win her, to have her ior his Sec
ond wife, sF
He had been married once-Beaum-
esnll and the "stories came from his
wlfe-a very lovely woman who died sud
aenly within Blk months of her wedding
day.
Mohun, it was said, had been devoted
TO her, and was terribly cut up at her
The, only foundation for the stories
day in the fact that the doctors said that
sue ,dled OF polson-some strange, dead
~ Indian drug, seldom seen in this
country, and Mohun had spent some
yearg in India.
But the general impression was,
either that the doctors were mistaken,
or that she had taken it herself, by &C.
cident or otherwise.
Mohun must have known of the gos.
Mp, but ne never seemed sensitive on the
subject, and though he seldom spoke of
his wife he had no appearance of avoid
ing to do so. ,s-.-z,~ r.I
1 don't think, either, that hardly any
OF the women of his acquaintance would
have hesitated amoment about marrying
him on account CT anything that was
said about him.
Indeed, the most of them would have
been glad of chance to be the wife of
the han dsome and agreeable master of
Beaumesnil,
Whether Miss Gueltan was one of
these, ren aims to be seen. She was not
dixie other women in most respects. but
she certainly did not seem Indifferent to
Oapely Mohun's attentions; and if for any
reason he intermitted them, or fingered
beside another long, she had way of
drawing him back to her without any
seeming effort. gss se
Miss Gueltan s beauty was of rather
peculiar type. She was very dark. bnt,
had q rich color in cheek and lip, and
'blne-gray eyes, that were fairly dazzling
in their brilliaDcy.
Did it ever strike you," said
Blanche Camadine to her most devoted
sS-0hat Devereux-" how like Miss
Gueltan is to that portrait of MIR. Mohun's
wife. in the picture gallery?"
Certainly not!" returned Deyereux.
Mrs, Mohun was pure blonde; Miss
Gueltan is a brunette.
Still, there is a resemblance-about
the eyes-and the carriage of the head
and should think they might have
been about the same height aud figure"
81 don't knoW but you're right, ;"
Devereux said, slowly, looking across to
where Yivien Gueltan stood talking
with her host:
She .tladsa bunch of crimson lilies in
her white hand, and one trailing in the
s1sllken blackness of her long hair. As
they watched her, she looked up sat
Mohnn.
'' There |" exclaimed Miss Camadine;
'.Tbat is what I mean-that kind of
blozing light in the eyes. Come with
me- now, and look at the picture"
see what you mean. 1 wonder if
Molnn has noticed it ?"
Perhaps That may be one of her
attractions for him. He was so fond of
his wife II
DeVereux laughed.
81 don't believe that rubbish, do
Syoa;,l s,s,t.i8,v, vnv not +, viv;.n an.,.
tan must believe it, for she very earnest
ly requested me not to speak before
him OF her resemblance to his wife,"
"Oh then you have mentioned it to
her? Does she think it herself ?"
~ don't know. She smiled very
oddly when spoke of it," st}t
Z" l wonder if she is in love with
him?" g
s'She seems very much absorbed in
his society and yet l have. seen q look
IN her eyes sometimes as if she almost
: hated him." M
81, too. That is why asked"
That afternoon, Just as Blanche Cam
adine and young Devereux had nicely
settled themselves in shady nook Of
the garden, with parasol, fan and book,
who should come strolling by on the
other side of the high shrubbery but
Viyien Gueltan and Capel Mohun.
Blanche and Devereux sat very quiet,
hoping they would escape notice.
Miss Gueltan, they could see through
the leaves, was looking uncommonly
lovely in black lace dress embroidered
with golden butterflies. Mohun was
talking very earnestly in low voice,
and his companion listened with bent,
hail, ,ayerted head.
just as they were passing near the
pair behind the shrubbery, they heard
Miss Gueltan's clear, sweet voice soy,
rather tfemulously: ~
YOU shall have your answer to
night, Mr.. Mohun." 500 ~
But why not now, Vivien," Mohun
persisted, in impassioned tones; if you
owe me-"
And with that they. were beyond
hearings yE A- ~
$50 that's q match" said Blanche,
emphatically.
''Bet you box of gloves against
Devereux, carelessly.
That. evening, little while after din
ner, Miss Gueltan slipped an arm around