The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-21
JARRETT SYLVESTER,
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

CdAPIEE N.-COntlnNeQ.
The Countess dozes in her velvet chair, the
Fraulein knits her white feecy c0u0r6-l)ied,
the girls talks softly, EVE makes a nes5
among the sofa cushions, and falls asleep
there. The fire snaps and sparkles, and the
little ormolu clock on the mantelpiece tinkles
ten. Then the door opens, and Hereward
follows Lord Heriot and the little Doctor into
the room.
Lord Heriot goes over to Evie and laugh
ingly shakes him out of his nest the Doctor
stands beside the piano, talking to Lady
Gladys, For moment Hereward does not
know what to do with himself then he crosses
the room quietly, and lets himself down into
the ottoman beside Miss Middleton.
He finds it very easy to get on with her
He answers her, and looks at her while she
is speaking, and sees the dead gold earrings
in her ears and the dead gold bracelets on
her pretty arms, and remembers with odd
commpassion how Blount had said only o
few days before they parted when passing a
jewellers together, that of all the ornaments
he had ever seen Worn he admired plain dead
gold the most. Poor Blount
81 hope I shall hear you sing tonight,
Mr. Hereward," Miss Middleton smiles
They have been silent for few moments,
listening to 'Lie1er oljne W0rte."
HOW 90 you know L sing
81 have heard it from very good authority.
But won't your"
81 think not. Who is your authority?"
. '"That L shan't tell. But you may guess.
t'Blount"
''No, not Mr. Blount. But you are pretty
near the mark
A shadow crosses Hereward's face. He
does not guess again.
edo Won know po11icarc IF Wood
leigh?" Miss Middleton is examining the clasp
of her bracelet while she speaks.
''No, do not. Why?"
"Oh, for no particular reason I met
Mrs. Cavendish at their house last week-the
bride, you know. They have just returned
from Paris, and everybody is inviting them.
You knew her before she married Charlie
Cavendish, did you not?
She does not look at Hereward directly !;
but she can see the hand playing with her
fap tremble little she feels like cat play
ing with mouse.
Eyes, I had the pleasure" Hereward an
swers coldly. ''How did you make the Gis-
covery?"
''She mentioned your name to me. We
were talking of her brother, and of her
brothers friend, as natural consequence.
Did you admire her."
'eThat is such leading question that I do
not feel called upon to answer it. Did you! +"
''No; not even as bride, when she might
nave been expected to show to the best adj
vantage. She is an insignificant little thing
no style about her. But, though you will
not confess it, everybody knows that you are
breaking your heart because she married
Charlie Cavendish."
'Not quite" Hereward answers with q
straight cool look into her eyes, closing the
fan and carelessly throwing it back into her
lap.
Nettie Blount has apparently taken the
bloom off his chivalrous feelings good deal.
But Miss Middleton is girl to whom show
of self-assertion-of rebellion even-in VIC
tim, only adds zest to the contest. She is SO
much accustomed to unconditional surrender
that the variety is very pleasant to her.
''How well Lady Gladys plays, does she
not? 1 like those dreamy Lie1er SO much |!
Have you seen the photographs of Venice they
brought back? MOI Then 1 must have the
pleasure of showing them to you. They
spent all last summer and autumn in Venice
till September. I should so like to see
Venice Shouldn't you? Eleven o'clock.
Dear me, how late it is 1 do hope this
snow will disappear after Christmas. 1quite
long for gallop through the rides of Kings
court! But think white Christmas is SO
jolly, don't you?'
Hereward answers, as in duty bound, and
lights her bedroom candle for her, and looks
at her steadily as she bids him good night.
But even the astute Bah Middleton cannot
assure herself that she has made any progress
towards achieving that little piece of amuse-
ment she has laid out for herself during the
Christmas holidays, and she confesses as
much-to her mirror-when she takes out
the dead gold earrings before it that night.
But she is not going to allow herself to be
foilcd in this fashion.