Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-03

tmcebt 0OuScntef, L 0ectafe
said Mira. 0rmskirk, o. she extended
her daintily -sloved hand. II though
] could not be mistaken. Whom die
you return from Indias"
4 "0nly the day before yesterday" b
replied, looking her full in the face
"lt Is pleasure to find | am not quit
forgotten--a pleasure I hardly autici
patcd. ] have been in The park for al
hour or more. aud you are the only per
son who has recognized me-"
"l--I have . good memory for faces
And you are very little altered" sh'
finished with blush.
| That ready bl1sh Of pretty Mrs
0rmskirk's gave her an air Of girlist
simplicity that was more charming thar
real.
Would you have known me again p
she asked with an innocent air, which
became her wonderfully.
| 81 should have known you any.
where" was his fervent answer.
"How crowded the park is this Of
ternoon," remarked the lady, changing
the subject abruptly.
| f'Isn't it wonderful where all the
people come from9 And such queer.
looking people some Of them are. just
look at that woman in a pink bonnet
and yellow gownl"
MAY l call on you, Mrs. 0rm-
skirk:" he asked, when they had talk.
ed about mutual acquaintance, criticised
the psssers-by, and chatted amicably
after the manner Of friends who meet
after long interval Of absence.
"0f course you may. l live ct Me-
gstberium Mansions when am in town.
You will generally find me at home
about a o'clock" And with another
of her sunny smiles Mrs. Ormskirk
drove on.
Major Bourchier saw good deal Of
Mrs. 0rmskirk during the next few
weeks. On some pretext or other he
contrived to drop in nearly every day
at Megatherium Mansions. The luxu-
rious suite Of rooms occupied by the
fair widow was on the seventh floor Of
the huge block of buildings; conse-
quently they were reached by that USE
full modern convenience, lift. Bour-
CHER soon cherished quite sentimental
feeling of affection for the cosy little
cage which carried him so easily and so
swiftly upward to the dwelling of his
charming Rosalie, and had he been of a
poetical turn he would certainly have
penned sonnet in its praise.
Hewas resolved to try his luck again,
and, in spite of the fair widows occa-
sional fits Of caprice, he believed his
chances Of success were considerably
better than they were ten years ago.
The worst Of it was that Mrs. Orms-
kirk had at least half dozen pretend
ants, and the name Of her admirers was
Legion. Bourchier was often mortified
to find that the attentions Of one OF the
other Of this band of aspirants seemed
more acceptable to the little coquette
than his own. More than once he was
tempted to risk everything on single
cast Of the die, and ask her boldly if
she would marry him. But more pru-
dent counsels prevailed, and he re-
solved to bide his time. Precipitancy
might ruin everything. A woman, he
argued, is seldom won by coup de
main.
One evening, nearly two months after
the meeting in the park, Mrs. Ormskirk
was present at fancy dress-ball given
by Lady Ethelinda Roster, sister Of
the most distinguished of the fair
widows suitors. 1t was the first en-
tertainment of the kind at which the
latter lad appeared since her husbands
death. Lady Ethelinda made so great
a point of the matter that she wrote a
charming little note begging dear Mrs.
Ormskirk to break through her rule.
Her ladyship, it may be limited, was
extremely anxious to bring about the
match between her brother and Josiah
Ormskirk's widow and Josiah Orms-
kinks thousands, the Rockminster
revenues not being exactly in flourish
ing condition.
Bourchier also received card of in
vitation and he had the modification
of witnessing the very marked attention
paid by Lord Rockminster to Rosalie,
and what was worse, Of noticing
that the latter received his lord
ships attention with apparent salts
faction. He watched the pair with
silent wrath. The green-eyed monster
had full dominion over him, and Of all
Lady Ethelinda's guests he was the
most miserable. The brilliant scene,
the music, the gay crowd, were like
dust and ashes between his teeth. lie
was about to quit the ballroom in dis
gust when, as on previous accession.
he caught a glance from Rosalie's beau
tiful brown eyes, which seemed to bid
him stay. In a moment he relented and
went up to her.
She was standing with Lord Rock
minister and one or two other men near
one of the long windows.
Bourchier asked for dance. which
was graciously accorded to him, but
when the loDged-for time came round
he sought in vain for the graceful figure
dressed in pink as Vatican shepherd
ess. Just as the last chords of the
waltz were dying away he caught sight
of her emerging from distant con-
seryatory on Rockminster's arm. Bour-
CHER went straight up to the pair.
1.-The last was our dance, | think,
Mrs. 0rmskirk," he said in voice that
struggled to be calm, but only succeed
ed in being reproachful.
There was flush on Rosalie's cheek
and subdued sparkle in her eyes as
she answered:
81 am so sorry, Major Bourchier.
And now" she added quickly, 1 am
going to ask you to give me your arm to
my carriage. am tired and want to 60
home.o
Lord Rockminster frowned, and MUIR
INJURED few words into her ear which
Bourcher could not catch; but Mrs.
0rmskirk's silvery tones were so clear
that be could not avoid hearing her re-
ply:
!" Yes, tomorrow"
Then she dropped Lord Rockmin.
ster's arm and took Bourchier's with a
Slight air Of embarrassment.