Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-09


his. They might have been the only two peo-
pie In the room.
self "How can be? Perhaps he scarcely sees
me at all: If he were anyone else should not
notice it. And her c1lorIose and fell and rose e
there was not change in her face lost upon
one man at least.
"Confound itr' he was saying restiyely to
himself "What obstacle could there be? I'm
not such an Objectionable fellow as all that,
hope"
and delight in Mrs. Maria Huntington, but
there was one moment during the evening
when his sentiments for her underwent q sud
den change and he revelled In her, so to speak.
This was when she was placing her guests In
position for doing justice to the paper" she
was going to open the intellectual feast with.
She was arranging them in chairs and, Is be
wavered near her uncertainty for moment, she
turned upon him.
said. "Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Huntingdon-Mr.
Hamilton. Miss Huntingdon"
and Sitting b1 hsr sde S
most incredible. The flowing wilderness of her
dress touched him; the fragrance ofthe lilies-of-
had bent her head slightly in recognition Of the
Introduction, but she did not speak.
He remembered afterwards that she scarcely
spoke at all while he was near her. He address
ed himself to her mother at drst-he had man.
ner which was considered very attractive to
cinated them. He could always make the most
elderly and sedate laugh and enjoy all he said
and did: But Mrs. Huntingdon did not laugh,
and, indeed, he did not sustain his reputation
during the Interview. He was not brilliant at
all.
T.. II . have the pleasure Of knowing your SOM"
Paris"
she made tiny movement which might
a transitory expression of something like sur
him:
Donald spoke of yourself and your cousin
In his last letter." she said.
Her manners and tone were very gentle and
graceful, hut she was wondering at the hardi-
placency OF the acquaintance-of course he
knew what place he held in Donald's esti-
mation-Donald was too frank and courageous
additionally repellant that he should brave
things out In this way. She did not find
1t easy to talk to him, but she did her
quiet and clever best to SO far engage him
that 1t was not necessary for Nell to utter
more than a few sentences. 1t very well
and then there was no more opportunity for
conversation. AS soon as his hostess unfOlded
her manuscript Mr.: Hamilton arranged him.
self in a listening attitude with great decorum.
He gave himself up to listening from beginning
to end; he was not perhaps enthusiastic, but the
nxedness of his attention was al least laudable
and not to be complained Of Nell also kept her
eyes fixed on her aunt-steadiness of gaze
being taken tor granted as an iniallble sign OF
deep interest. She was apparently entirely abb
sorbed in the Oberammagau.
He is not looking at me now" she was saying
i
should feel as II he were. I could not have be-
lieved it OF myself He Is not looking at me or
thinking of me: He i behaving very well. He
Il suppose he was saying to himself, II am
more Objectionable fellow than thought my
self What have they heard? What is the
matter? Oh, the deuce! I'm in q rage and
what's the use off Is the brand of Cain on my
forehead?'
had learned TO realize the periiousness of and it
almost got the better of him when, the moment
the reading was over, Miss Huntington spoke
81 promised Aunt Maria to pour out the tea
for her," she said. "She is looking for me
Mrs. Maria was really coming In search Of
her and approached to bear her away.
Wait a moment" she said. MIR: Hamilton
will come too. He Is to help you"
A slight quick smile irradiated Mr.. Hamil-
IONS DARK countenance. He bestowed upon
his mustache that light, Involuntary, mascu-
line caress which MEANS according to circum.
stances, JOY, rage, amusement, embarrassment
or sentiments Of a Inurderous nature. I.cstT
II shall be delighted" he said. ~ am very
strong 80
1.-THE tea Is not said Mrs. Maria, III have
some respect TOR peoples nerves." 'o'
so IT was he who stood at Nelrs right hand as
referred to. Her color and her eyes seemed 10
brighten each moment. She did not seem To
make an effort TO avoid addressing him directly,
ana yet almost every remark she made was
shared by some other than himself The men
who came for cups OF tea exhibited a vivacity
Of justice which is the finest quality OF the sex.
Some of them were repusively witty and
made clever remarks which he felt to be en-
tirely out OF place. He would have felt blum
defs, or silence and gloom To be better taste
He hated and condemned especially one long.
attractive demeanor. This obtrusiVe n and eS.
graded idiot and criminal kept coming back for
cups OF tea. and each time presenting himself
Huntingdon laughed delightedly, and each
time she saw him approach, her great, lovely
laughing eyes welcomed him. He came back
ten or fifteen times. Hamilton felt sure that
the low craft and baseness OF his natur, were
such that he poured the cups of tea out of win
dow and brought them hack empty for the mere
sake of having them filled. It was plain To the
most impartial observer that he was creature
deep dyed in crime.
fool, he exclaimed mentally with artiess fer
vor, and then suddenly he broke into a laugh
"a laugh so unexpected that Nell started and
looked up at him.
81 am not insane" he said. 81 am laughing
AZ myself Insane people never do that
humor that Sell was obliged to admit s AGAIN Gain
mat ne looked very much more attractive
than was his right.
She eSented his good looks more than ever
when little later his cousin came to the
table. The gentle, innocent little blonde face
sank into such insignifcance by contrast with
the other 8 splendor OF dark rich cOloring, the
slim, neat frame seemed almost unmanIy.
"Oh, she thought with spasm of her warm,
earnest young heart, "how cruel that he should
be the one to look SO. How cruel too that I
should think it for an instant"
And in her contrition she turned so sweet
and brilliant q look on the young man that his
relative almost staggered under it. The recipi.
ent hlmself-perhaps through sensitive sty.
ness-seemed little embarrassed when she be-
gan 10 speak to him of her brother and because
he seemed so, she redOubled her efforts TO place
MIN at his ease. Nothing could have been pref
tier than these efforts, they were so kind 81
frank. He recovered himself rapidly and in n
few minutes they were talking and laughing to-
gether So gaylJ that even the man with the
mocktng eyes was rather neglected and Mr.
Jack Hamilton stood by like man in a dream.
pulling his mustache and looking more dark.
ling than ever.
There was, after all, something little inter.
esting In this blonde little HamiltOn-somethinp
suggestive and elusive-as IL perhaps he was
more clever than he looked. At all events he
hao evidently quiet, rather sly sense of humor
he made some rather neat remarks and Nell
noticed that his blue eyes had a queer little
look OF fun In them as II he enjoyed himself and
was we'll entertained. His cousin looked on
with singular expression. his glance rested
nrst on one and then on the other then he
looked down at the carpet and knitted his brow
and bit his lips. Nell saw that he was restless
and iii at ease. and was perturbed herself be-
cause she saw it. She had begun to realize that
he was the intense and strOng-wiIled kind OF
person whose moods are Invariably felt by
those near him, and she could not enjoy feeling
nersen even vaguely conscious OF one OF them
she was quite sure that he was angry and ex-
cited because he was not accustomed to seeing
himself set aside even for q moment for his
cousin. He was like a spoiled child who is
really bad at heart. He waited for few mo.
ments as the two talked. He might have
turned and talked himself tn other panpio IN,