The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-07-26

ing me from the hand Of perjured traitor.
though he has slain heart -
Neither Sir Philip nor Lady Ausbureh
spoke for some moments. The band had
paused, and strange silence seemed 10
reign. Sir Philip was gazing dreamily, as II
at some visionary figure. Lady Ausburgh
was apparently absorbed in thought. Her
ladyship was the first to take up the broken
thread of the dialogue.
And You never saw her again %
" No. She disappeared as IL she had
vanished into cloudland. My mother was
startled and almost Mortified. We did not
imagine she had taken fight until the next
morning. II was her habit to go TO my
mothers room about III o'clock and break
fast with her. was horribly anxious that
fatal night, but as she always went away to
her own room early had no means of hear
ing anything of her. When she did not
present herself as usual In the morning my
mother sent her maid to ask If she was iii :
then We found that she had disappeared the
night before. She must have walked to the
station. The servants denied all knowledge
OF her movements. Never shall forget the
agony OF shame, grief, and remorse which
suffered. started off at once to her aunts
place in the Highlands, only TO be received
by the old lady with absolute insult. This
diabolioal old woman would not answer any
Of my questions would not say yes or no to
the simplest inquiry; refused TO say II she
knew anything of her niece. implored,
tried to bully, tried every means could
invent to coax or drag some scrap Of informa-
ton from her, but abe at last ordered me to
quit her house. Ten years have passed and
l have as yet never been able TO trace one
sign of my darlng's steps from the night
she fled"
"Strangel" unused Lady Ausburgh. 81
am sure You will never find her now, or II
you do she will be married. Beautiful girls
are nearly always married, whether they
wish 1t or not Themselves. IL she had been
a Catholic she might have entered convent,
but my opinion Is that II she is alive"
You seem determined to make me mis-
erable," protested Sir Philip. :" But will
not despair. Every year Ellce's image is
more firmly impressed upon my heart, and
really loved me, aud would love me to the
last day of her life, for she was not one to
change"
GA woman's conceit is only surpassed by
the conceit of a man." laughed Lady Aus
burgh, anxiously glancing again at her
watch, closing her lace parasol and secur-
ing truant glove bntton-signals of speedy
departure.
Did she take anything with her when
she flew away p
"Only as much as would fill small port
manteau. l was rejoiced TO find that she
kept my few gifts, the chief one being
bracelet-she affected to be fretted about a
peculiar mark on her right arm and TO wish
to conceal tia curious mark. like two little
blosd red hearts"
"On her right armi" said Lady Aus
burgh, as If startled, and speaking so alb
ruptly that the young man looked ut her.
Yes--about four or five inches above the
wrist. In a teasing tit had the bracelet
designed with two hearts formed of rubies,
joined by an anchor formed of diamonds
Tndeedr" said Lady Aushurgh, as il
thinking of something else. "What an odd
| fancy-l0vers are queer creatures" She
rose, an odd, puzzled expression on her face,
which Sir Philip, absorbed in his own medi
tations, did not observe. $50 You intend
to start off again on your voyage of discovery
without knowing which way to take dis
approve of betting or wagering, otherwise
would not mind laying a thousand guineas
to one that If your goddess was standing be-
fore you now, changed, as she must be, You
would not recognize her."
Sir Philip laughed. little bitterly.
"And i" he said, rising, as Lady Aus.
burgh was evidently about to depart,
"would not mind laying twenty thousand
pOuuuS dShtuSt YOUR ltC6 nduuktTcn1eI lnat
| c0uld find Ellice Dayrell among crowd
such as throngs these gardens to-day,
changed as she may be.''
The bracelet was set with diamonds,
not with loadstones 2" inquired Lady Aus.
bnrgh.
Don't be satircal. can see you sym
pathize with me, although yon laugh" said
Sir Philip.
Scan yield a sigh of Pity smilingly
supplemented Lady Ausburgh, as he paused.
When are you going to begin yonr quest
in search of this lost love %
My plans are indefniie.''
$50 should imagine
only just for moment. You will
laugh again, as you have done since l began,
but will tell you a strange thing. lam not
superstitious-qu the contrary.-bnt am
haunted by singular presentiment that |
shall meet her within the next few weeks or |
months. She seems to hover near me like
q spirit" said Sir Philip.
Lady Ausburgh looked at him he spoke
with such seriousness that she felt slightly
startled in spite of her better judgment.
" That is only caused by your excited
fancy" she replied. "Itis great pity You
allow yourself to cherish dream that may |
end in really spelling your life. Try to get
rid of it. 1t is dangerous to cherish |
these foolish fantasies."
some can no more Danish ideas, feelings,
and fancies than one can forbid Dreams" |
said Sir Philip.
"No," Lady Ausburgh assented "that
Is quite trus-yes. was going to say some
thing-I quite forgot what it was all about"
That you are in hurry to spread your
wings and fyf 7" suggested Sir Philip, smil.
ing.
~ am, or ought to be, in hurry. But
hat 81 hat 1t 1t, la,-A
said Lady Ausburgh, unfastening hutton
Of her glove as an excuse for looking down
and rsfsstening it. Nobody had ever yet
seen Lady Ausburgh confused; nobody was
ever yet likely to be conscious that she
could subside into that semi chaotic state OF
existence. Lady Ausburgh was trying to
unravel q puzzling problem In the space of
three minutes. From past uncomfortable
experience, she had observed that smile,
glance, frown, arout of the lips, shrug
of the shoulders, meant, as emanating from
herself, almost as much as the only too
celebrated Burleigh nod. To gain another
moment she allowed her cream sstin sun
shade to fall at her feet.
"Thanks," she carelsssly said, as Sir
Philip picked up the pretty toy. 81 recol. /
lect what ] was going to say-it was not
worth remembering, Pm afraid. Only that
! hope you will be sure to come to my living
wax work exhibition on Thursday. have
sent you card. Mind. You must come"
To hear is to obey" said Sir Philip.
1" May attend you to your carriagef"
oh, nonsense. Good. bye until see you
again." laughed her ladyship. "I shall be
obliged to speak to at least fifty people on
my way out. ! have wasted good half
hour on your romantic story, my friend.''
Lady Ausburgh glided away. Sir Philip
sauntered Of In the opposite direction.
What dashed fool man can make of
himself when he let's himself talk to
woman like her." he mentally observed.
81 wish | hadn't told her all that non
ssnse.'
What odd things people tell you, Lady
Ausburgh thought. al suppose hs ia in
earnest. When one reads of affairs like this
in penny dreadfuls they seem absurd ; when
one meets them in clever novels they are
disagresable; and when real people tell You
about them they are worst of all, and make
one feel uncomfortable. Two marks like two
little hearts Just above the right wrist--and
that peculiar bracelet II must be more
than q coincidence. hope hs won't come
L.. IA