The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-25
CHAPTER v.-vALEDICTIoN.

| CHAPTER V.-VALEDICTION
 The evening was one of rare beauty and sultriness, while, from a sociable point of view, 1t seemed as if it would never come to an end. immediately af ter dinner the entire company adjourned to the pleasure grounds, even the lnvalids venturlng out to watch the moon rise The youthful and venturesome had be taken them elves to Ihe wide sweep ot heath stretching above the establishment toward the sea, and few s.rolled down to the seashore. It was the rule of the house that guests should retire to their chambers and lights be put out in the re- ception rooms by eleven o'clock Ten had already struck, and my chance of se- curing tete-a-tetc with Lionelle scene slenderer than ever
 Now she was waltzing with a recent adorer, an elderly post cap ptain who had returned to England after years of active service 10 cure liver disorder and pre- sumably settle in life; now making the round of the 1ower-garden with devoted adherent ot the other sex, an old lady who had taken the greatest fancy to her now dancing with Julian a bewitchirg old Spanish dance for the general bene- fit. Last of all, heard her well-trained rather than fl ne voice leading a glee tn t suddenly delighted our ears from the ex- treme end of ths inner garden
 Never had l seen this incomparable girl exchange one role for another with such grace and dexterity Q leen of the drawing-room, mistress of the art of co quetry and persiA ge, sparkling, finished, brilliant, no part seemed beyond the limit of her apacities, and each was played to perfection. There was only one qual- ity missing-that of spontaneity. It never seemed to me that L,onelle was moved by impulse like any other girl. This ab- sence of spontaneity. combined with a certain studied f4ultlessness the cold impersonality Def re alluded to o-more than anything else, distinguished her from the rest of her sex Sne lived moved, breathed among us; but in one sense-the sense et careless, common en- loyment-belopged to us not at all. At last missed her on a sudden, and real ized, with a quickened beating. ot the heart, that the eagerly desired moment was come at last.
 She was hiding herself from her little world of haugers-on, in order to grant me final audience.
 It was the amiable custo m in our little Arcadia for one guest occasionally to fete the rest. Tonight, for no reason in particular, except perhaps that the un- wonted charm aud serenity of the wea her in spired a feeling of joility, light spark ling wine and iin,y cakes were served to all by our post-captain in the dlHing. room.
 Nothing, perhaps, so completely ab- sorbs the mental faculties as the behavior of bottle of champagne at the critical moment of uncorking. How will the wine go of Will 1t go of at allp Where will it go to? Such are the questions that for the moment keep out every other problem from the spectators miod.
 Public attention thus happily diverted, company, sure at least of ten minutes with Lionelle knew we'll enough where l should find her. There was a certain little summer-house in which had caught the weary glrl drowsing many time before now No more than Julian could she win everybody's heart without paying heavily for such excessive popu. larity, Sometimes. as l scrutinized her handsome and youthful, yet slightly worn features, and graceful figure, often limp with sheer bodily prosuation, felt con. vinced that the girl was just killing her self with abnormal exert on, wearing out alike body and mind by this perpetual strain.
 Yet she would never countenance such an imputation-never snatch a brief in- terva! of repose except in secret, On thus especial occasion, however, seme- thing told me that 1t was not reoose and solitude she sou sht now, but final un. derstanding with myself-a last word with her lover ere she quilted him for ever.
 knew well enough that she WIS not in love with me, tn It she did ot l we me in the accepteds sense of the V ,rd. | could hardly boast of having received any show of favor at her hands at all Yet, despite the habitual indifference, aiooiness, impsrsonals,y os her manner, 1 perceived, or thought Iperceived, a touch of real feeling g--s's,erly, friendly, it mi sht be, yet real feeling nevertheless. She had been invariably kind to me, and had seemed to understand my sympathy. my lurking compassion for what could but take to be an unwelcome lot. It was evi- dent that, in some way or other, Mir. and Mrs Bolingbroke made capital out of their daughters gifts, and traded upon her powers of fascination.
 had judged rightly. True enough, she was there. The moonlight played upon her white silk dress and gleaming lornaments-the brooch and bracelets of