Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-06
THE GENTLEMAN ON THE LEFT.
a Very Lordl y English story all of the
Present Day.


"Thc gentleman on the left, Kate-do
you know him? He has looked frequent
ly toward you."
elias he?"
"Who is it o.
81 cannot tell. have not seen him."
''SSiuppose You look 2"
"a prefer not. | came to see the play.
Is not Helen Faucit s,iperh?'
$50, So l wish you would tell me who
the gentleman on the left is. nm sure
he knows you, and he is strikingly hand
some"
"At present the stage interests me.
Besides il men are rude enough to stare
at strangers, there is no occasion for us
10 initiate them"
"Your ladyship has 10 curiosity"
"Not any; | exhausted it some time
ago"
Her ladyship was not telling the truth 4;
she was intensely curious, but it pleased
her at the time to pique the Honorable
Selma Dorset. The strange sympathy
that makes us instantly conscious of a
familiar glance, even in crowded build
ing, had solicited her regard Just as Sell
"a advised her of it. If she had not
been asked to look toward her left, she
would probably have done 80 us it was.
she resolutely avoided any movement in
that direction.
The play finished in tumult of APP
pause. Lady Kate Talbot forgot every
thing in her excitement, and us she stood
up, flushed and trembling, she inadvert-
emily turned toward the left. Instantly
she recognized presence with which she
ought to have been familiar enough.
The gentleman bowed with an extreme
respect. Lady Kate acknowledged the
courtesy IL Il manner too full of astonisL-
ment to be altogether gracious. and the
elaborate politencss of the recognition
was not softened by any glance implying
II more tender intimacy than that OF mere
acquaintance.
My lady was silent all the way home,
and for some reason Selma was not dis
posed to interrupt her reverie. 1t did
not seem to be an unpleasant one. Hates
face had bright flush on it, and her
eyes held i'll them n light-a light that re-
semhlcd what Selma would have called
hope and love, if my lady had not been
already married. and her destiny appa-
rently settled.
''Selina, when you have got rid of all
that lace and satin. come to my room
have something to say to you"
Selma nodded pleasantly. She was
sure it concerned the gentleman Oh the
left. She had no love affairs of her own
on hand or heart at present, and being
neither literary nor charitable, her time
went rather heavily onward. A little bit
OF romance-nothing wrong, of course,
but Just a little bit of romance, especial
lyii connected with the cold and proper
Lady Talbot-would be of all things the
most interesting.
She was speedily unrobed, and with her
long black hair hanging loosely over her
pretty dressing-gown, she sought my
lady's room. Lady Talbot sat in dream
like stiffness, looking into the bright blaze
on the hearth. She scarcely stirred as
Selma took large chair beside her, and
scarcely smiled when she lifted one of
her loosened curls, and said, "What ex-
gu,isite ), hair y0p have Kate ! True
Eyes, it is beautiful. I know that. of
course"
"Of what are you thinking so intent
Typ
"Of the gentleman on your left to-
night"
sab, who is he? He seemed to know
you"
''He ought to know me much better
than he does He is my husband, Lord
Richard Talbot"
"Kate !"
at is true"
81 thought he was in Africa, or Asia,
or Europe, or somewhere at the end of
the world"
''He is now in England, it seems. |
suppose he just arrived have not seen
him before"
''Where is he staying, then ?"
81 presume the left wing of this man
sion. notice there are more lights than
usual in il tonight. His apartments are
there
"Now, Kate, do tell me all, dear. You
know ! love romantic love affair, and ]
am sure this is one"
''You were never more mistaken, Sc
lima. There is no love Mt all in the affair.
That is the secret of the whole position.
L thought ms you We're staying here this
week, and might probably see ormeet my
lord, il WAS better tomake all clear to you.
People are SO apt to associate wrong with
things they do not understand"
''To be sure, dear. / suppose Lord
Richard and you have had little dis
agreement. Now, if | could only do any
thing toward II reconciliation, should
be SO happy, you know
mo, Selma, there has been no quarrel,
and you can do nothing ut all between