The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-30

1
yet so clever and sprightly. l quite
dote upon herr
But Miss Fairfax" began Philip.
"Yes, Miss Fairfax; what were you
going to say about herp"
"No doubt her siser is charming
young girl, but she will never approach
Miss Fairfax in-in anything"
Angela is woman; Mabelle is q
girl. One can't compare them, ;" was
all Thekla would say. "We have known
them for a long time. Papa used to go
and tish at Men 'ide, and that was how
we first knew them. / only found out
the other day that they were here, SO
near us, and you. too. :"
And with your usual goodness you
took compassion on them as you have
done on me and Grace" said Philip, a
light of unaffected admiration and can
did goodwill in his eyes as they rested
upon Thekla's face.
"Oh, nonsense. Do you think Grace
would really like to know herP'
Il am absolutely certain OF it,"
Every goodl She shall, then. Do
you know, Mr.. Massey, that we have
been talking so long here in the hall
that the quadrille is overP"
"lmpossible" said Philip, looking
up, and too preoccupied to oSserye the
long searching look with which Thelka
favored him.
Her fac grew colder as the look grew
longer 1t was with rather hard little
smile that she listened as he muttered
an excuse about being engaged for the
next dance-Miss Fairfax-look for her
and so left her.
Angela was still seated on the same
settee as before. and beside her Mr..
Fordyce, the man who had been look
ing at them and whom they had been
talking about. Miss Fairfax was in the
act of bestOwing one of her long, mex
plicable glances upon her companion,
when she caught sight of Philip ap-
preaching, and the glance continued TO
travel upward until it met his, and re-
manned there inquiringly, as If she won
dered what brought him to her again.
"Our dance, believe, Miss Fairfax"
said Philip, ignoring Mr. Fordyce as
completely as if he had had no exist
ence.
"Oursr she repeated, with start.
"Did l say would dance? must
have forgotten"
But she rose, took Philips arm, and
was going, turning round first to Mr..
Fordyce to ask, in a low, gentle voice,
for her fan, which he held in his hand.
He gave it to her; and perhaps q
sweet glance might have its glamour
for the elderly Mr.. Fordyce as veil as
for Philip Massey. The latter led his
partner to the ballroom, where the
waltz was just beginning.
After 1t was over, Thekla, as good as
her word, took the opportunity OF max
ing the Fairfaxes and Grace Massey ac-
quainted. Philip, standing by, anx-
iously watched the proceedings, par
ticularly the demeanor of his sister
Grace. Grace, as must have been ap-
parent already, was of particularly
candid disposition, and Philip, observ-
ing her, and knowing her different ex-
pressions, felt thrill of bitter disap-
pointment as he saw the cold, unre-
sponsive look which crossed her face as
Angela Fairfax, with one of her long
est. most languishing glances, and her
most honeyed smile, spoke some words
which Philip did not hear, and held out
her hand with what seemed to him an
exquisite, timid grace.
What could Grace meanp Philip did
not notice that, though Thekla spoke
pleasant words, her voice was hard;
that, though her lips smiled, her eyes
were blue as steel and cold as ice. He
was most interested in the demeanor of
his sister and Angela, and his ewes
travelled from the one face to the other,
and then settled finally upon that of
Angela again, and remained there, till
he found a sigh breaking from his lips
unawares, while his heart beat, and he
thought-could think nothing else
"How beautiful she Isl how beautiful"
The rest of the evening he spent in
watching Miss Fairfax-listening to her
while she sang. Whatever her native
talent or taste in the matter Of music,
Angela Fairfax had been too well taught
to sing rubbish. Her voice was an ex-
ceptionally fine one, and vocal music,
like instrumental, has this peculiarity,
that, provided time and tune and the
conventional modulations of tone be
kept, an enthusiastic listener can always
find passion, expression, depth-all that
he feels in his own heart-in the sounds.
So it was with Philip that night.
While she sang he almost closed his
eyes, and listened in kind of rapture.
When twas over he opened them again |
and saw that she was surrounded by |
quite a little knot of admirers, who |
were pressing her to sing again. Her
eyes stole glance in his direction and |
seemed to ask, reproachfully: "Why |
are you sitting outside, and holding
yourself aloofP"
When the evening was over, Angela
and her sister and Philip and his sister
walked home together, under the moon
and the lamps, through the prosaic
streets OF Irkford, which, for
one of the party, had been so common
place before, but which now could
never be SO again.
CHAPTER vi.
ANGELAs REASONS, FOR AND AGAINST.
When July comes TO an end the col
eges and schools of Irkford break up