Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-08-27

take to hey bed after an early run with the
hounds - she dressed an went down to
the drawing room. AMI went in to dinner
with the rest of the family, and sat in tor
ture all dinner time, expecting every time
footman approached her, that he was
coming to deliver some mysterious mes.
sage. But the dinner came to an end, and
no such message reached her.
Sir Allan began to yawn directly they
got back to the drawing room He had
been up to London and back the day be-
fore-he had been in the saddle at 4:30 that
morning The colonel and Grace yawned
in concert. 1t was chorus of stifed
yawns.
"If you hunting people are so sleepy, you
had really better go to bed exclaimed
Dora, irritably.
She was one of those Objectionable per
sons who are never sleepy. She was in
the habit of playing classical music to the
family of an evening, and liked her people
to listen and admire
Dora is right" said Sir Allan 81 am
only nuisance here, so I'll say good
night
The colonel and Grace followed suit.
Lady Darnel said she had some letters to
write, and would go to her own room to
write them. She knew that even when he
was sleeping her husband liked her to be
near him, and her pretty morning-room
adioned his bedroom.
"You won't mind my deserving you, will
you Dora she asked sweetly, know
ing that Miss Darnel detested early hOdrS.
Dora replied in her blandest tones. She
could amuse herself for an hour or two
with Beethoven, if the noise of the piano
would not disturb them upstairs.
1--WE shall not hear it, but it would
be very nice if we did said Lady Darnel.
Then all went away, and Dora had the
spacious drawing room all to herself 1t
was frightened by a glowing fire of coal
and logs and by the light of lamps under
colored shades, and it was beautitied by
masses of dollhouse bloom in great ma
jolica jars of blue, and yellow and dull
Indian red. 1t was in all respects as de
lightful room rs the heart of a woman
could desire; and yet its spaciousness gave
an idea of desolation and abandonment
when only one person was left in occupa-
ton.
Dora be- gan a rondo of Beethoven's but
she played listlessly, without fire, without
expression, and before she had played
three pages her fingers were lying idle on
the keys as the player sunk in deep
reverie.
She was reused from her thoughtful alb
straction by sound on the terrace out
side-a sound that seemed like the tread
of feet upon the gravel. She ran to one of
the windows and lifted the edge of the
blind, and looked out into the darkness,
with her face close against the glass. The
night was pitchy dark. She could see
nothing
Then she opened the easement and lis
tened intently for some minutes, but there
was no recurrence of the sound which had
startled her.
Still she was not satisfied. She rang
for a servant and told him to 90 ont upon
the terrace and see if there was any one
lurking about.
~ certainly heard footsteps she said,
about ten minutes ago.
The footman had a family incredulous
air, though he was too we'll bred to ex-
press his unbelief He went into the hall
/ SlnwhE gd iqb4ri2qsly withdrew tbs. bolts
terrace, and walked about three
/ yards in each direction. The night
was so dark that a regiment might
have been in ambush at either end OF
the terrace, and the footman would have
been none the wiser. He came back tC
nell that there was not a mortal on the
terrace or in the Italian garden and ther
he went back to the servants hall and en-
larged upon Miss Darnel's tidgety, pryin4
ways and love of late hours, while he fin
ished his supper.
81 suppose she'll keep me hanging abou
till half after II before | can take thos'
lamps away he grumbled.
.ir 4 nd NJ
yet gone to bed. lie had taken off hi
coat and put ON loose velvet jacket AM
was smoking a cigarette in his wife
morning-room. He always enjoyed bein
alone with her, always had something
particular to say to her some scheme o
arrangement to discuss. He never knew
WEAKNESS in her society, and even Il
night. tired rs he was, he was 10th to 90 I
bed without the customary talk. Sine
Yesterday his mind had been full of tn
Italian trip.
'. And you are glad to 90 away with me;
he said.
Very, very glad More glad than ca
say
IN that case you ought not to hay
, waited for the doctors orders. Direct
you felt yearning for change of scene 80
ought to have told me TO take you away
II could not be so selfish, Allan, know
ing how fond you are of Darnel."
II am fond of no place in which you NJ
not happy
. 81 have been very happy here-wit
You
Yes. you have been-at first, perhap
= You were happy here, and so was l-cor
u pletely happy in the beginning of ne
Il life But you have not been happy latel
Clare There has been something Weig
u ing on your mind; and | have shreW
! suspicion that it is the polar atmosphe
= Of Darnei that has been freezing my da
Il ling'S tender heart
> "Oh, Allan, how can you think me
weak What other society can | wa
y when | have you?'
But Sir Allan had made up his mind ,
the subject.
"Women are sensitive upon small mi
ters," he said Never mind, my dear \
C shall be far away from the people "
have sighted you, next week, beside t
K blue waters of the Mediterranean. 7
1 IL. IL q