Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-09-30

ly towards you"
Has he ?''
| Who is he ?"
81 can't tell havn't seen him."
| Suppose you look"
81 prefer not; came to see the play.
Is not Helen Faucet superb?
$50, so. / wish you would tell me
who that gentleman on the left is l am
sure THAT he knows you, and he is strik-
ingly handsome"
.sAt present the stage interests me.
Besides. if men are rude enough to stare
at strangers, there is no occasion for US
to initiate them.'
Your ladyship has no curiosity"
mot any;I exhausted it some time
ago."
Her ladyship was not telling the truth
She was intensely curious, but it pleased
her at the time to pique the Hon. Selma
Dorset. The strange sympathy. which
makes us intensely conscious of famil-
lar glance, even in crowded building,
had solicited her regard Just as Selma
had advised her of it. If she had not been
asked to look towards her left she would
PROBABLY have done so. AS it was, she
resolutely avoided any movement in that
direction.
The play finished in a tumalt of ap.
plause, Lady Kate Talbot forgot every
thing in her excitement, and as she stood
flushed and trembling, she inadvertently
turned towards her left. Instantly she
recognized a presence with which she
ought to have been familiar enough.
The gentleman bowed with an extreme
respect. Lady Kate acknowledged the
,n tnn full nf h.
ment to be gracious, and the elaborate
politeness of the recognition was not sof-
tened by any glance implying more ten
der intemacy than that of mere acquain-
tance.
NV lady was silent all the way home,
and for some reason Selma was not dis
posed to interrupt her revery. Katy's
face had bright flush on it, and her eyes
held in them light-a light that resem-
bled what Selma would have called hope
and love. if my lady had not been already
married, and her destiny apparently
settled
Selma, when you have got rid of all
that lace and satin, come to my room, |
have got something to say to you"
Selma nodded pleasantly. She was
sure it concerned the gentleman on the
left. She had no love affair of her own on
hand or heart at present, and, being
neither literary nor charitable, her time
went heavily onward. A little bit of
romance. nothing wrong, of course, but
Just a little bit of romance, especially if
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 la
dy'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 exquisite
hair you have, Kate! Truly golden.'
"Yes. it is beautiful. | know that, oil
course"
'Of what are you thinking, so intent.
ly?'
"Of the gentleman on our left, to
night
"Ah. who is he? He seemed to know
you"
"He ought to know me much better
than he does. He is my husband, Lore
Richard Talbot"
',Kate,'
at is true
IL thought he was in Africa, or in Asia
or Europe, or somewhere at the end of the
world"
"He is now in England. it seems.
suppose he has just arrived. | have moi
seen him before
"Where is he staying, then?"
81 presume in the left wing of this
mansion. | notice there are more lights
than usual in it tonight. His apartments
are there.
Now Kate, do tell me all, dear. You
know I love a romantic love affair and
am sure this is one"
You were never more mistaken, Sell
ma. There is no love at all in the affair
That is the secret of the whole position
| thought as you were staying here this
week, and might probably meet or see my
lord it was better to make all clear tc
you. People are apt TO associate wrong
with things they do not understand.
ITO be sure, dear. suppose Lord
Richard and you had little disagree
ment. Now, if could only do anything
toward a reconciliation should be so hap
py, you know"
mo, Selma, there has been no quarrel
and you can do nothing at all between us
| don't want you to try. Just be kind
enough to ignore the whole circumstances
Lord Richard and understood each other
nearly four years ago"
but it is not four years since youl
marriage?"
Just four years yesterday"
"And nv lord has heen awav-D
"Three years, eight months and eigh
teen days so far as know"
''Well, this is most extraordinary
thing, and very. very sad, must say"
''lt might have been much sadder.
am going to tell you the exact truth. anC
| rely upon your honor and discretion t.
keep the secret inviolate"
MY dear Kate. would not name it fol
the world"
T Listen, then. One night, when l wa.
scarcely II years old. my fateer sent fol
me to come to his study. | had known
tor months that he was dying He was
the only creature l had to love, and
loved him very tenderly. must mention
this also, for it partly explains myicon
duct. that the idea of disobeying him ir
anything had never presented itself to me
as possibility. This night found with
him his lifelong friend. the late LORD
Talbot, and the present lord. my husband