, 1884-02-12
THE MAN ON THE LEFT.

not Helen Fanchet superbF'
80, 50. l wish you would tell me who
that gentleman on the left Ia. / am sure he
knows you, and he il strikingly handsome"
present the stage interests me. Besides,
II men ars rude enough to stare at ~strangers,
there IL no occasion for Us to initiate than"
"Your ladyship has no curiosityf'
mot any; / exhausted 1t soms time aRo.n
"Her ladyship was not telling the truth;
abe was intensely curious, but II pleased her at
the time to pique the honorable Selins
Dorset. That strange sympathy that makes
US Instantly conscious Of a familiar glance,
sven in a crowded building, had solicited her
regard just az Selma had advised her OF It,
II sho had not been asked to look toward her
lsft, she would probably nave done so; as it
was, she resolutely avoided any movement in
that direction.
The play finished In q tumult of applause.
Lady Kate Talbot forgot everything In her
excitement, and as she stood up flushed and
trembling, she Inadvertently turned toward
the loft Instantly she recognized q pres
encs with which she ought to AVE been
familiar enough.
The gentleman bowed with an extreme re-
spsct. Lady Kate acknowledged the cour-
tesy in a manner too full Of establishment to
DO altogether gracious, and the elaborate po-
Likeness Of tho recognition was not softoned
by any glance implying . more tender init
macy than that of mere acquaintance.
Ny lady was silent all the way home, and
for some reason Selma was not disposed to
interrupt her revsrie. It did not seem to be
an unpleasant one. Rates face had n bright
flush on 1t, and her eyes held in them a light
"a light that resembisd what Selma would
have called hope and love, IL my lady had
not been already married, and her destiny
apparently settled
Selma, when you have got rid of all that
lace ane satin. come to my room; 1 have
something to say TO you"
Selma nodded pleasantly. She was sure
It concerned the g~entlsman on the loft. She
had no love Affairs of hsr own on hand or
heart Mt present, and being neither literary
nor charitable, her time went heavily on
ward. A little bit OF romance, especially If
connected with the cold or proper Lady Tai
bot would be of all things the most interest
ing.
She was speedily unrobed, and with her
long blonde hair hanging loosely over hsr
pretty dressing gown. she sought my lady's
room. Lady Talbot sat In a ream-lik still
ness, looking into the bright blaze on the
hearth. She scarcely stirred as Selma took a
largo chair beside her, and SCARCELY smiled
when she lifted one of her loosened curls,
and said, What exquisite hair you have,
Katel True golden"
h~,h poauItu- 1 Know thhtp OF
course"
"Of what are you thinking 20 intentlyrr
tho gentleman on our left tonight
"Ah, who is hsi He seemed to know you.n
He ought to know me much better than
he does. He is my husband, Lord Richard
Talbot"
"Katerr
at is true.n
II thought hs WA In Africa, or Asia, or
Europe, or somewhere at the end of tho
world"
pose he just arrived. / have not seen him
BEFORE
Where Is he staying, thsnF'
II presume in the left wing of this anEion
II notice there arc moro lights than usual in
it tonight. His apartments are there"
Now, Kate, do tell me all, dear. You
know l love a romantic love affair, and I am
suro this is one"
You were never more mistaken, Selma.
There is no love at all in the affair. That IL
the secret Of the whole position. 1 thought
that as you were staying here this week, and
might probably $50 or meet my lord, 1t was
better to make all clear to you. People are
apt to associate wrong with things they do
not undsrstand.n
ITO DO sure, dear. / yuppose Lord Richard
and you have had a little Disagreement.
Now, II could only do anything toward n
reconciliation, l should be 20 happy. YOU
know"
INC, Selma, there has bean no quarrel, and
you can do nothing at all between US. 1 don't
want you to try. Just be kind enough to iR-
more the whole circumstance. Lord Richard
and l understood each other nearly four years
ago"
But it is not four years since you mar
riedf'
Just four years-yeSterday."
and my lord has been away
Three years, eight months and Eighteen
days, SO far as / know
well, this Is a most extraordinary thing
and very, very bad, l must say"
at might easily have bsen much ladder. 1
am going to tell you the exact truth, aud 1
rely upon your honor and discretion to keep
the secret inviolabls."
my dear Kate, l would not name II for the
world.n
"Listen, then. Ono night, whom 1 was
scarcely II years old, my father sent for me
to his study. 1 had known for months that
he was dying. He was the only creature
that l had to love, and I loved him very ten
derby. l must mention this also, for it
partly explains my conduct that tho idea Of
disobeying him In anything had never pre-
sented itself to me as q possibility. This
night l found with him his life long friend,
the late Lord Talbot, and the present lord,
my husband. l was a shy, shrinking girl,
without any knowledge OF dress or society,
and very timid and embarrassed in my man
ners. Then my father told me that 1t was
necessary for the good OF both houses that
Richard and l should marry, that Richard
had consented, and that ! must meet n few
friends in our private chapel at Z o'clock in
the morning a weok latar. OF course these
things were told me in q very gentle manner,
and my dear father, with many loving kisses,
begged me as a last favor to him to make no
obiection.n
And what did Lord Richard sayr'
81 glanced up at him He stood near a
window looking out over our hne old park,
and when he felt my glance he colored
deeply and bowed. Lord Talbot said rather
angrily, Orchard, Miss Esher waits for you
to speak" Then Lord Richard turned to
ward me and said something, but In such a
low voice that I did not catch its meaning.
my son says you do him a great honor-and
pleasure" exclaimed Lord Talbot, and he
kissed me and led mo toward the unwilling
bridegroom.
"Of course / ought to have hated him,
Selma, but / did not On the contrary, /
fell desperately In love with him. Perhaps
1t would have been far better for me II l had
not Richard read my heart in my face,
and despised his easy conquest. As for me,
L suffered in that weak and torturing sus-
spense OF a timid school girl in love. ]
dressed myself in the beet of my plain. un-
Little Jokerp Ia the best smokinp