St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-29
the common lot and it gives zest to the fun

the common lot and it gives zest to the fun
OF making up.''
He wouldn't for the world have acknowl-
edged he was unhappy; and she had pecul-
lar power over him which could charm him
into any mood she desired. If her occas-
ional bursts of ill-temper or indiscreton of
manner towards other men were thunder
clouds in his domestic life, her smiles were
summer, her acted affection was sunshine.
She knew that l saw through it all. l visited
them rarely and only at all for Reggy's sake.
They lived in a curious way, constantly
travelling, coming to town only for month
in the season and going to Berkshire for the
lst OF September. Reggy's mother
kept her own estate in town.
Two mothers in-law. she would say, could
not be expected to get on well together, and
Reggy's wife preferred to have her own
mother with her, and so between the dear
old lady of Mayfair and her son there had
grown up an enlargement, which MIS-. Gard
ner, junior, promoted with great persis-
tence. Count fourier had latterly been a
rare visitor at Reggy's owing to misunder-
standings with the head of the house; but he
often wrote to his ''dear niece" and made a
special journey now and then to see her.
''No, | don't know where the count lives
or how" said Reggy one evening, at the end
of our weeks shooting, when we were smok-
ing after dinner. ''He is, as you say, rather
a mystery Marie's mother is Italian, you
know, on her fathers side, and the count
belongs to that branch of her family. At
Milan he is an authority, believe, in chem
zeal science"
''You don't like him, fear?''
''Lke him? l hate himr'
Mrs. Gardner entered the room on the
word.
"My dear, thought you had gone to bed, >"
said Reggy.
She had been listening to our converse
ton.
81 have come to smoke a cigaret with
you, if you don't mind" was the answer.
Her suspicious had been confirmed flor
our conversation was long one) that her
strange influence over her husband was in
danger OF weakening; that his confidence in
her was on the @ane; that her hideous secret,
whatever it was might be oOZng out.
''By all means, delighted" said Reggy,
and she sat down by his side, superb-look-
ing woman, if you did not examine her face
critically for indications of feminine gentle
ness.
During my acquaintance with her neither
she nor l had ever alluded to the incident at
the zoo, though she knew it was constantly
in my mind. She had not great penetrating
powers, and she was like woman constantly
on the watch. Reggy only saw her great
blue eyes, her faultless classical features, her
wealth of hair, her TALL graceful figure. 1.-THE
and sinuous as serpent. From tue first he
had been enamored Of her beauty, and he
was not in the habit of looking behind the
mask of what are called perfect features, nor
did he understand that face to be truly
beautiful must in some measure reflect
pure soul.
One part of that conversation which she
overheard mot that Reggy ever suspected her
of listening) referred to his WILL about which
l had made an inquiry, since he had only
lately told me l was one Of his trustees. 1t is
possible she mad misintcrpreted something
he had said about altering it. l think of
these and other things now which IN
der other circumstances might have for
gotten.