The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-02
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THEBRASS-BOUND CHEST.

Flakes of snow were hurrying through
the air and falling on the chrysanthemums
and faded hydrangeas in the garden at
Fendall Court. Snow was a rarity in this
humid, mild South-of- Ireland climate, and
the feathery atoms futtered about as if all
astray, and seemed as shy of lighting on the
trembling last tokens of the autumn as the
frost-touched flowers were loath to receive
them.
A bright pair of eyes watched the gath
ering storm from window set deep in the
stone wall of the house. Though Gladys
Luttrell was eighteen years old, the sight
of the falling snow was still fascinating to
her.
"I will go out and make pile of snow
balls to attack Rex as he comes through
the gatel What fun! she exclaimed,
fying away to her little room to make
ready for the adventure.
One farewell glance in her mirror showed
her bright gray-blue eyes sparkling with
pleasure, the delicate color of her cheeks
heightened to rich bloom, and her gold
brown hair straying in ravishing little curls
and tendrils beneath her fur cap. With
her lovely fresh face to glorify it, her dress,
with its many undisguised darns, seemed
the perfection of costume. as she left
the room, she picked up from the sofa a
little muff made of a pheasant's breast, and
pressed it to her lips.
The foolish little girl frequently wasted
kiss on this muff, for Rex had shot the
pheasant to make it for her, and had it
lined with soft white rabbit-skin. A
trimming of pheasants' feathers adorned
the tight-ftting jacket she wore, and con-
cealed all the shabby edges, giving her
quite the air of a Russian princess-so
Gladys said.
She hurried down the stairs, and out
into the long winding avenue, amid the
fine old trees of which she soon vanished.
"Well aimed, you saucy minxl' pres
emily exclaimed clear, fresh voice; and
Rex Fendall stopped for an instant between
the headless stone lions guarding the gate
way to get rid of liberal handful of snow
which some rosy fingers had sent flying
down the back of his neck. "You shall
pay penalty for that, Miss, when l have
had time to think of the punishment | can
inhict.
aRex, your laugh is only on your lips,
and your eyes are quite sad what is the
matter, dear?" Gladys asked, letting the
remainder of her snowballs fall unheeded
to the ground. "Before you saw me |
noticed how serious you looked
"You are right, Gladys. l have got the
very bluest kind of blues, and, since you
have surmised part of my secret, may as
well tell you all. /"
Gladys arm stole through her lovers,
and together they began slowly retracing
their steps to the house, Gladys burying
both hands in her muff and fixing her eyes
sorrowfully on the road.
"Three months ago." began Rex, "a
fellow in Rockdale told me story upon
which was fool enough to rebuild all my
half-dead hope He said that he had re-
ceived through friend in America news
which he thought would prove to cer-
tainty the death of Herbert Fendall 1
investigated the matter eagerly and joyfully
enough, as you may imagine but | foucd
the whole story as Daseiess and visionary
as the thousand and one others which have
misled u.s. | made solemn vow to myself
that, if this last quest ended in nothing,
would abandon all hope of seeing myself
righted in this country, and would seek a
new career for myself am going to
Australia :"
'"Oh, Rex r
If the young man had declared that he
was going to take his own life Gladys could
not exhibited more distress.
"Andyou could go all that long journey
away from me?" she said reproachfully.
aGladys' don't make it harder for me
than it already is exclaimed Rex, with
catch in his voice. "My darling, it is for
your good that l go. We can never marry
on the miserable pittance that | get here,
whereas in Australia | could in few years
make enough to buy the dear little cottage
we so often talk about, and you could have