The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-02

are yOur own MdStcE. Occ, uamu8 u
becR6ning to me. Good night. You
will find it cool and pleasant on the
river tomorrow And with this part
ing shot she is gone; leaving vane,
Hooking decidedly foolish, and what is
worse. unpleasantly conscious that he is
looking so.
"By George!" he soliloquizes, as he
lights q cigar during his walk to his
club. "HOw savage she can look when
she pleases! Yet I don't know but that
1 admire her all the mOre-a fiare-up
shows off those magnificent eyes and
the very fact of jealousy betrays an in
terest in my movements. Still. the
widow is decidedly pretty-and l have
been down on my luck lately and sadly
need a windfall. And l really believe
she is fond of me, dear little soul.
And Sir Reginald Vane's reflection,
not leading MIN to any satisfactory con-
clusion, the next afternoon finds him nj
Waterloo, taking return ticket to
Twickenham.
Five minutes walk from the latter
station brings him to charming little
villa. with green lawn sloping down to
the river, while from beneath weep
ing-ash dainty little figure, emerging
from the depths of chaise lorg que.
comes with hand extended to meet
him.
In her cool, white summer draperies
and with the Pickering sunbeams light
ing up her great childish blue eyes
and waves of pale gold hair, Mrs. Fair
fax is as pleasant an object on blaz-
ing July day as any mans eye could
wish to rest upon. So Reggie Vane
thinks, as with a sigh and murmur of
satisfaction, he sinks into a seat by her
side, takes off his hat, and helps HIM
self unlimited from the fragrant pile of
Strawberries in the basket near at hand.
"Frightfully hot in London, is not it?"
asks his hostess, alphabetically. Even
here, Queenie and l have been able to
do nothing but lounge about in the
shade and eat Strawberries. Where is
the child, by-the-by?'
A tiny counterpart of herself, giving
promise of even greater beauty, here
comes up, and presents little hand to
Vane; but when he attempts to kiss her
she shakes her yellow curls over her
face'and struggles away.
"Why, Queenie, what have done?'
he asks, half-offended, yet too languid
to 60 in pursuit of the baby coquette.
The mothers silvery laugh rings out
merrily. "You forgot to take away the
rose she gave you when you were last
here. Never mind, Queenie, you must
forgive him now"
"And won't You bring me another in
token of pardon?" as the rosebud
mouth meets his half-reluctantly.
Queenie hesitates, but is finally con-
quered by that winning voice and
smile, and goes off in quest of the de-
sired gift.
Sand now, Monsieur" says the little
woman, leaning back on her cushions.
and surveying her visitor through the
large innocent blue eyes, show has the
world been treating you since we last
met? Come, give an account of your
self. Where were you last night?"
'Dined at the St. Elmos'. Stupid
affair, and intolerably hot and no one
worth speaking to-"
'sMisS Elliot was not there?'' This
in careless little tone of inquiry.
''No. took in one of the girls of
the house, who had not two words to
say for herself"
Sand so left the field open for your
eloquence! Come, Reggie, don't be
cross; take some more Strawberries.
want you to amuse me now you are
here. Where did you go afterwards
ITO a couple of stupid Enthusiastically
barbarous institution in this weather.
Lady Heatherington's rooms were toll
erably cool, however.
"And you enjoyed yourself there? 1t
is hardly like you to honor an evening
rout, when there is no dancing-unless
some special attraction tempted YOU"
aAnd how could that be, when You
were at Twickenham?"
"Wen meant, my friend, but hardly
so gracefully expressed as l should
have expected from you. Queenie, dar-
ling. run in and ask why they don't
bring tea.
"Here it comes -confound i'll
another visitor. Why can not that butler
of yours learn discretion?"
because l prefer to exercise my
own" replies Mrs. Fairfax. And the
little figure is drawn up, and the baby
face takes an expression for a moment
which warns Vane he has gone too far.
"Who would have thought" he muir
murs into his beard, s.that the little
pussy cat could show such claws?"
Meanwhile Mrs. Fairfax has risen and
moved forward to receive her new guest.
The servant mumbles name which she
does not catch, and she lifts her pretty,
appealing eyes in some perplexity to the
strangers face.
Something she reads in that grave,
bronzed countenance that brings back
old Misunderstanding a time long
passed away, before poor Jack Fairfax
won her with his hasty, impetuous tale
of love-before she had, as it Were,
leapt suddenly from childhood into the
glare and excitement of spoiled
beauty's life. Nor is the dream dis
PEELED when the visitor speaks, uncon-
sciously softening his deep tones with
the gentleness he would have used in
addressing child.
"You have forgotten me, Mrs. Fair
fax? 1 do not wonder-it is years since
we met-and'-
"No, no." she suddenly cried, with a
joyous clap of her hands. ''You are
Captain Grahame-my playfellow of
long ago. remember you quite well
now; but so much has happened since
those days
Il know" he answers gently, Won
dering whether the shadow in her blue
eyes is caused by Jacks memory, Or
as he looks at the handsome : Dung fell
low so evidently at home in this garden
by Jacks chosen successor. And then
the two men glare at one another. after
the fashion common to Englishmen
when they meet for the first time, and