The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-06-28
A DEAD MANS LOVE.

A DEAD MANS LOVE.
The rain had come so suddenly that the Counties
Elsa Arcon conld not possibly, even by putting spur
TO her horse, reach the Castle Lancut before she
wet through and through, 40 she ana her old groom
John Drm, drew rein under the Dorte-cocher'e OF
dilapidaicd building, that seemed unlnhablted a
well me Countess sprang from her horse, saying
Here Is shelter, ut least, John. IL not this one
our farm, hogsSsg Put up the horses. and we vii
"lour ladyship f0rgeta-"
What. Are all the rooms shut up7" inquired
the Countess, now half way up the steps
| Not smut up; but your ladyship knows that
,ragoon regiment was stationed here week ago
and your e,ysnip has gwen them one OF your farm
"Oh. was Il this one 2" laughed the Countess, an,
as slie Knocked ut the door with her riding whip
az s slepnSS ont @
Of the Greek Mars, IN fgnre strength, and carriage
but withal 80 deadly pale that the beholder conl,
not decide wnether Ills beauty was greater than MI
"0hl" he exclaimed as he saw the lady, "pardoi
me-"
~ came 10 beg for admission. The old house he
longs to me, hut you are the owner at present. will
you give me and my OLD John shelter from tn,
"You will bring my poor room good fortune
| madcmosec," and she found herself In . room
hung with epaulettes and unlfOrms; the table was
chaos OF books, letters, cigar cases, gloves cravats
Inkatands, nnd small change. lie swept the table
clear, and she seated herself and looked through the
| window at the bowling summer storm.
"You must keep us for couple of hours, Llenten
ant she remarked; "wil your am the Count
| lie bowed politely, hut with slight Indifference
| almost mechanically. In everything that he did
there was something measured, almost sOnllcss AZ
II he went through the customary forms of life by
| routine.
al am Lieut.. Raymond Sternned. You spoke OF
my Keeping Sou but, as you let me know, the house
shot the room. though" She turned as she
spoke and for the ilrst time they looked each ohei
/ rat IN ana N Nod Ia vnu
his exceeding beauty, his unnatural pallOr and shv
cred as II with sudden cold And AZ his eyes resled
betrayed sudden discomposlre, and caught ut his
heart as one does when overcome by. sudden terror
second, and they continued such q conversation as
generally follows first meeting She glanced out
OF the window again, and watched the effects Of the
| storm with an artists interest
"Does not the beauty In all this wildness impress
you deeply" abe asked.
"NO.' he said; and again she noticed the terrible
quiet OF Indifference In him. as II lie were strange TO
the world and the world to him; II he could feel
neither Joy nor sorrow; as II he were a handsome,
powerful autOmaton, In whose face his Maker had
forgotten to put touch OF living color. No; see
Naliires beauty AMI wdness, but cannot say they
lyon are fortunate, said the lady, slowly "How
comfortable Il must be for yon."
do you think 80 Z" he replied staring at the rag
Ing storm; then, with apparent effort he turned 10
me draw the sofa to the window"
mo, thank you; am u little cold"
"iOur habit Ia damp What can lo?"
solve me cigarette"
81 am sorry that have only Virginia. Josl, my
COssack shall get you some rice paperh
Would you have him drown on the way" cried
the Countess.
, 81 hope not. do You take me for corporal?n
she cried, with her own pretty, vlvacity. q only
wonder at your smoking such poison"
'YOu are q cOnnolsscur."
81 have tried all kinds. My father was an invete-
rate smoker, and my husband, den. Arcon, was III
nurse. learned to know my cigarette well during
those long nights Of watching and waiting in the
She spoke simply, and Siernieli threw her a
glance that seemed TO ask pardon for an Injustice
done her In his thoughts.
"But you have tea and a sam0var, see, she
added added; Evil you give me cup OF tea' You zee
al will make 1t for you, Countess"
"What! an Oliicer make tea, with a lady In the
room!' laughed the pretty woman, taking the Old
hands Bezerdyi belongs to yoor regiment, be-
lleve. lie used to he in the Uhlans, and Is son of
Field Marshal Bezerdyi, Is he n0t?"
lyon know everything, Countess"
son, you wonder that am well versed Ia army
matters. You must remember that am a soldiers
daughter and soldiers widow. Otherwise should
from the Storm she finished with smile. There
was pride AMI dignity in her smile, childlike as her
away, and The Countess rose TO go.
"l'hank you" ele said, a. she gave him her hand,
are invited to come as friend to Castle Lancut.
and my aunt, the Countess Oiescall, win be de-
lie bent his handsome head.
"YOur permission Ia an honor. Our major, Count
tettwiiz, viii shortly walt upon you with his ON
GERS"
shine"
An she rode away two officers met her and bowed.
one was the captain, Count Linski, "a tall, slender
man, with projecting chin; the other was Count
Dobskl, ugly ana small with freckles, red hair, and
Look, that is the countess from the castle" said
ilnssi "She was talking with sternfeld. How
The ngly little rcd.head smiled mallcousy.
Sternfeld and love aiiar!' no said, scornfuy:
:, s mot 30 impossble," returned Capt Linski.
no sternfeld3 mol" saldthe little Count sharply,
entered the room. " Lord knows, such piece of
femlninity makes a bachelors den more hOmellke,
Fs e she 4 ss ns s Il on s Have
known her long? or Is she relative?" 'T
!" saw her to-day for the nrst tine,n answered
Sternteld, In his Indifferent manner. " The rain
drove herin.n &t
yoa lucky dog! Then you Will not be sorry
She must be peculiar creature scandal has never
breaihed her name. She nursed an old husband on
his ih-bed vegetables here with half idioilc old
aunt, plays the piano magnncently, and will not
hear Of auitor. What IL she like?'
really did not notice her, said sternfeld, In his
The Major and,ave OF his oflcers made their visit
10 Castle Lancut. The Countess Elso and her Aunt
o,escall received them charlningly. The Countess
odescali was scarcely more than sort OF cfe who
always smiled and ate, hut abe was sort OF
claperon for tine Young widow, and with the excep-
the sole occupants 81 the castle.
- Az Widow" said the Countess Elsa In farewell,
as BY w s p hs s nSr wSsa
You have the lime TO Hpare--nnd a. many OF You To-
gelher a. pOssible.p 4.Fl $40 II
last words Az u soldisra daughter aud hostess, |
she wished to be on good terms with all the oicers
nut TO know none Intimately. When they were |
"We, dear Mona, how did you like theme" But |
she dld not ask the question for the sake OF any
expression waa IN eternal, gentle smile. She WAS |
treated BY her cheerful Young niece Ike q poor
only to express her own opinions and give her mono
logues an acceptable form.
"xon don't care much for the Major, you wonld
lay,' pursued Elisa. " lie tries to he more martial |
Than Mars. Yon like that long Count Linski the |
heat; he Is not handsome and he seems to have |
wicked tongue, but no has some sense, you think. |
Bezerdyi Is u nice boy; yes, you are right. But |
can not endure that hideous Count Dobski, nor YOU
We s a me SSs Us
Isn't 1t shameful that the didn't Conner il is IN.
Gentlemen, We must pay our respects To the
Countess Oh whose estates we are stationed, and she
come except nm / care nothing about II, but II L
would have been polite to return the Visit was
forced TO make him."
The Countess supposed that Aunt Odescaii, as
usual, heard little ami understood ess. SO she
started when tho OdescAlI, opening her mouth "a
ittle wider, said, tilcklyl !" Wh07" H.
" The man who gave me shelter In the rain. How
10 know what hia name is2"
lie IL cOnnt?"
:| - a, !, y. !. ING Il
What IL he, theus'' qtf 4Hs tA
] /" Hudeip said the Countess, with flushed cheeka.
rhen she laughed, aud added; "What silly things
He are To get No angry, Mona"
Aunt Mona amiled, ~ usual.
Tho C0untesa did her duty; she invited the ofcera
Who had visited her 10 dine Al Iancut The dinner
oL as such Dinners do; They told military
Q the lady Of the house, ate drank, aud felt coin-
lletey At ease. In one ofthe anecdotes Lieut.. Stern
eld'H name came up.
yon Know him, countesss' interrupted Capt,
inakt, invOluntarIly.
~ lie Ia the member of your regiment who gave
nc shelter In the last rain STORM said the Countess
"why wan he not with you when YOU
"oh,n cried Dobaki, shriy, .s!ernfeld Is o little
oQue. He isa miaanthrOpeo Of the deepest dye. YOu
must not measure him BY the rules OF society
lave you not seen him7 He u AZ while az the wall
l.nll. ul..a fas. ua..l... i