The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-05-21
SUSPECTED.
CONTINUED FROM THIRD PAGE.

tllllh uer So very pretty dIC6r I'LL! On,
bother that old woman! She will stand be-
tween me and the dancers Yes, there she
is again. Do you see her? No-that girl
in the red garibaldi, dancing with--yes do
believe Lord Heriot is dancing with her !"
Hereward looks, but he does not share in
Miss lliddletons excitement. The girl is
pretty-more than pretty; there cannot be
two opinions on the subject But her face
is too much like the wax effsies in hair
dressers window to please Hereward She
has red auburn hair, and she has also that
opaque, milk-white skin which usually ac-
companies red hair. Her face is simply per-
feet in outline and color SO far as mere
physical beauty goes, it challenges all criti-
ciSm. The pure white forehead with its deli
cately arched brown eyebrows, the large,
light hazel eyes with long underlashes, the
straight nose, the small coral red mouth, the
ting of rose-pink in either cheek, are almost
mpossibly lovely. The face is only too per-
feet, if such a paradox may be permitted, to
be perfectly beautiful
But the girls figure spoils her it is clumsy,
too much inclined to e6Oap0i7at, too short for
the head and face. Her dress is not above
her rank i'll any way, a brown silk skirt and
scarlet jacket, with bow of red ribbon in
her hair She has not chosen the colors
most becoming to her but she cannot spoil
her face or complexion by any bad tas, in
that respect. She requires no compliment
tary colors to bring out her own gorgeous
Hnts.
She gets compliments enough of another
kind from Lord ileriot tonight. Hereward
watches the little Niscount with amused eyes.
He seems quite struck with the loneliness of
his rustic partner, and whispers speeches
which make her smile with half-conscious,
half-saucy triumph.
The Countess wearies of the heat and noise
in very few moments, and is conveyed away
by Doctor Jones. Lady Gladys soon follows
her, but Miss Middleton dances with Here
ward and EVE and with the young game
keeper and others before she returns to the
drawing-room.
Lord Heriot dances very often with Anne
Grace Hathaway, though both Mr. Cart
wright and the little Doctor are also aspi-
rants for her hand. Hereward laughs at
their rivalry, but Miss Middleton fears the
girl will be spoilt by so much attention.
''Look at young North" she whispers to
Hereward, while they wait their turn to dance
aquadrille.
Lord Heriot has taken the top of the set
with Anne Grace Hathaway, and the game
keeper, leaning against the wall at q little
distance,is watching them with a peculiarly
baleful look in his black eyes.
Gle looks dangerous" Hereward says,
laughing,
HE looks horribly jealous! Did you ever
see so demoniacal an expression on human
face? If that girl has given hirl any en-
couragement she had better take care. :"
(Which of course she has DONE" Here
ward answers coolly. '1t is our turn now,
Miss Middleton"
Hereward dances well, though he does not
care greatly for dancing he tells his partner,
as they fall into their places again.
''Not care for it p cries Miss Middleton
'What Vandal yo'. are, to be sure! AS if
anybody could not like dancing who danced
as we'll as you do"
Hereward laughed, Struggling his shoulders.
Then he escorts her back to the drawing
room, leaving her there.
s." The gentlemen finish the evening down
stairs or at least do not put in an appearance
again in the drawing-room that night. Here
ward however does not stay long with the
dancers. He prefers pipe and his own
meditations While he smokes he thinks of
Blount, and wonders what he is doing OF this
moment-wonders whether he is longing to
be ct Kingscourt He has never spoken to
Miss Middleton of his friend in the light of
an admirer, rejected or otherwise He sus-
poets that she would like to talk about him,
to find out what he may have said of her to
Hereward. But Hereward will not crafty
her in this respect, could not, even if he
would Blount had not taken him into his
confidence with regard to Miss Middleton.
He could have told her of the warning he
had himself received, but he does not do this
He tells her his mind pretty plainly on most
of the subjects that come up in the course of
their conversation he is rather bitter and
satirically disposed just now, and this mood
colors everything he says more or less
But Miss Middleton does not regard his
cnimadversions on her sex, or on herself
She rather enjoys them. She knows that
he likes her even while he criticises, and that
is all she cares about just now. But if she
looks for something still deeper in his dark
eyes than the laughing fash with which they
met hers when he sang that song for her to-
night it will never come to them for her !!
But this little coquette has done him good
Poor Blounts prescription hns gone far to
cure his sisters work. Hereward has taken
the tonic, and has not taken so much rs to
make himself i'll worse case than he was be.
FORE Miss Middleton'g careless handling Of
his cherished grievance has taken the bloom
of it, rs it We're; she has ruthlessly torn
aside the curtain from the skeleton cupboard,
and 10. the skeleton has crumbled into lit
tie pinch of dust The light and sunshine
and fresh dir have exercised the ghost of his
dead fancy-one could not call it love, even
though it il dead-and it haunts him no
longer with its shadowy presence, and its
ghostly footstep echoing beside his own.
Harauor ri hoo NOT yak lovad nc ro,ch ~ 10