The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-01

best evening suit, and ImOgene was SHUT VI
with her velvet and japOnicas good hOuI
before the usual dressing time.
Alas! our most prudently laid antIclpa
tons are sometimes doomed to 'ganS-a
gley." The Senator's carriage returned
from the depot with only one of the ex
pected party in it. Lord Hythe had beer
| detained in st. Louis by visit from hl:
family lawyer. who had business of such
Importance with him that it had not beer
thought prudent to trust it to the delay:
| and uncertainties of correspondence, and
Mr.. Shipleigh had therefore brought my
Lords apologies and regrets, with the as
surance that as soon as possible he would
follow his friend.
The Senator's kind heart went out a:
eagerly to one stranger as to another. My
Lords friend was just as welcome as my
Lord, and before long he had lost every
sense of disappointment, and was chatting
gayly on canyons and gOrges and bear-hunt
ing; for this Mr.. Shipleigh was handsome
pleasant fellow, who was by no means SC
devoted to his easel that he could not han
die gun and talk enthusiastically on sport
ing matters.
It was Catherine who brought to Imogent
the disappointing tidiIgs. Sac hal. with
her father, met their guest at the door, anc
made the young artists acquaintance II
the pleasant eAaDresScEneHtO of a Southwestern
welcome. And he IS just as handsome
and agreeable as possible, Imogene. was
at home with him at once"
But he is not Lord Hythe, Catharine
and Just see how becoming my dress is! II
is too bad. l have great mind to take II
of and save it,
20 no, wouldn't Lord Hythe's friend
is next thing to Lord Hythe. You know
men talk so 10 one another. and he is sure
to write TO St Louis"
''That is true and besides. as l have had
a disappointment i'll the dress, shan care
for it again: | never doIh9rrid old I'm.
| lucky thingi' and she looked ruefully at
the splendid toilet on whose effects she had
built so many hopes.
| Never mind dear: YOU had a good time
planning it, and this Mr. Shipleigh is really
very fine fellow. Papa seems ever SO
much pleased with him, and Lord Hythe is
| to follow in a week or two. We have his
friend as hostage. you know
Very well; in the mean time | shall take
care of the hostage. You don't mind If
do. Catherine!'
Not bit. This maids light fancy does
| not turn to artists"
! ImOgene did not answer. She was taking
a final survey of her charms before putting
| their power to the test. And the survey
| ought to have assured her. There was CON
! quest in her dark, luminous eyes, soft and
| shady, in her white skin, never needing
! powder, i'll her pink cheeks. never needing
paint. i'll her brilliant look of perfect health,
in the enchantment of her graceful move
ments aud in the exquisite toilet, which
rose almost into the region of science and
| art.
When she entered the parlors her father
and Mr.. Shipleigh were standing together
| at the upper end. The Senator was exhibit
! ing rifle, and enthusiastically dilating on
its excelIenceS and Mr.. Shipleigh was
examining it with scarcely less interest.
| He was a tall, blonde, handsome young
Saxon, with a very frank, pleasant face:
I E. -
her presence, and with thrill of pride adj
vanced to meet her. The artist had thus
moment in which to observe her wonderful
| beauty ard graceful movements, and he
was so intent on this occupation that he
scarcely did himself justice in the intro
ductiOn, for he muttered some nonsense
about 1.-The fair lmOTene,' and then, blush
ing and thoroughly ashamed of himself,
retreated to the Englishman's stronghold,
the hearth-rug.
But handsome mans confusion before
beautiful woman Is never diSagreeabie to
her Imogene accepted the tribute to her
charms and then speedily found means to
restore Mr.. Shipleigh to Mr.. Shipleigh's
good opinion of himself; SO that, before
dinner was over, the little party were quite
at home and well disposed to think highly
of each other.
During the evening Mr.. Louis Saltonstall
made his appearance. He had been told
that Lord Hythe was expected, and had
come prepared to assert the most radical
democratic principles. He had told Cathe
rine that he considered himself the equal of
any Lord, and that he was not going to
allow himself to be put down." and the
little woman had encouraged him in his
self-asSertiOn and rank republican ideas.
But when Louis found that his antago-
mist was only an artist, the provocatlon to
battle was removed. He hardly thought
Mr.. Shipleigh "a foeman worthy of his
STEEL Louis SaltonStall had been Attor-
ney-General, and was now looking toward
a seat in Congress; it was not likely he
should trouble himself about a man whose
lot in life was to make pictures-perhapS
take likenesses-for toe lawyer had no very
clear idea as to the dividing line between
photography and art proper. He watched
Shipleigh keenly as to his behavior toward
Catherine; but seeing that the EngliShman
had no eyes save for Miss Imogene, he was
not inclined to quarrel with him. Nay,
before the evening was over, he had sung
bass to Shipleigh's tenor, and asked him to
LOOK in and smoke cigar with him III his
Office
Perhaps no man ever accepted the at
tention and service of his fellowcreatures
more as q matter of COURSE than did Arthur
Shipleigh. Nothing except the grandeur
of the mountain gorgeS and the beauty of
Im1gene ever excited in him any enthuSi-
aSm. The comforts of his lodgings, the
or diSli6es of those with whom he came in
contact, the annoyanceS of bad weather,
the failure of planS-ail these things he
took with perfect SGngtrOid as part of an
unavoidable existence.
In the course of a week he had become
the person whom every one delighted to
honor. If he was not away with his gun
or his pencil, he could generally be found
the centre of an admiring group in the
post-office or the hotel bar. His opinions
on sporting matters and on horses were
held in high esteem: and he even succeeded
in converting many OF the wealthier sort
to his opinions about a limited monarchy
and landed aristocracy. In fact, he was
so well liked that there was tacit agree
ment to avoid mentioning the fact that he
was only an artist; and when it was forced
upon them by a magnificent picture of
their own particular portion of the Rocky
mountains, and of fine painted specimen
of their own particular Indian plague, they
charitably agreed to ignore this weak
point in such really good fellow as Mr..
Shipieigh.
They were so happy in the Senator'S
house that they began to fear the advent of
Lord HYthe would break up the charming
life they had fallen into. This fear was
strengthened by the fact that Mr. Shipleigh
was very 10th to say any thing definite
about my Lord. Imogene had asked if he
was handsome, and Mr.. Shipleigh had
frankly admitted that me was considered
a fine-looking fellow"
WAS he good.
well, all men had faults, and Hythe had
his share"
''Was he cleverl"
eyes about horses and sporting matters"
''Was be good-natured!'
"Not worse than his neighbors. perhaps"
Il hate a man who can talk about his
friend in that way" said Catherine, in
dignantly; land wish Lord Hythe would
come and put Arthur Shipleigh, artist,
down peg or two"
But GATHERINGS wish was doomed to
further Observation-Disclosures Lord Hvtha had