The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-16

wait on you. No, Rosalie, you must marry
a rich man, or l wash my hands of you" !"
Miss Dryden had not sufficient strength
of character to defy her aunt and marry
Vincent Bourchier, whom, in her heart of
hearts, she knew she loved A couple of
months or so later, Josiah Ormskirk pro-
posed to her and was accepted.
II wonder if she would remember me
if we met again." thought Bourchier, as
he turned into the park
The afternoon being unusually fine, the
drive was thronged with carriages. Bour-
CHER paused several times and leaned on
the rails to watch the moving panorama of
beauty and fashion. The interminable
stream of vehicles and the constant success
sion of faces that looked blankly at him as
they passed made him feel somewhat mel
ancholy. He was about to turn homeward
when he became aware of a pair of large
brown eyes regarding him from hand
some barouche that had just come to
standstill not three PAGES from where he
stood. As his gaze rested on the piquant
face in which the aforesaid eyes were set a
flashing glance of recognition shone from
under the delicately-archeG brows and a
fresh rosy lips parted in a bright smile over
set of the most dazzling little teeth imag-
Unable.
"Rosalie p murmured Bourchier to him.
self; "and she has not quite forgotten me
after ALL
''He raised his hat and went quickly for
ward to the side of the barouche to greet
the woman he had parted from in bitter
ness and anger ten years ago.
"vincent Bourchier, 1 declare" said
Mrs. Ormskirk, as she extended her daint-
ly-gloved hand. II thought | could not
be mistaken. When did you return from
India ?"
'.Only the day before yesterday" he re-
piled, looking her full in the face. at is
a pleasure to find l am not quite forgotten
"a pleasure I hardly anticipated. have
been in the park for an hour or more, and
you are the only person who has recognized
me-
"I-I have "a good memory for faces.
And you are very little altered, she finish
ed with blush.
That ready blush of pretty Mrs. Orm-
skirks gave her an air of girlish simplicity
that was more charming than real.
"Would you have known me again p
she asked with an innocent air, which be-
came her wonderfully.
II should have known you anywhere" "
was his fervent answer.
'How crowded the park is this after
noon" remarked the lady, changing the
subject abruptly
''Isn't it wonderful where all the people
come from? And such queer-looking peo-
pie some of them are. Just look at that
woman in a pink bonnet and yellow
gown p
"May | call on you, Mrs. Ormskirk p
he asked, when they talked about mutual
acquaintance, criticised the passers-by, and
chatted amicably after the manner of friends
who meet after long interval of absence.
''Of course you may. live at Megath
erium Mansions when | am in town. You
will generally find me at home about 4
o'clock" And with another of her sunny
smiles, Mrs. Ormskirk drove on.
Major Bourchier saw good deal of
Mrs Ormskirk during the next few weeks.
On some pretext or other he contrived to
drop in nearly every day at Megatherium
Mansions The luxurious suit of rooms
occupied by the fair widow was on the sew
enth floor of the huge block of buildings;
consequently they were reached by that
useful modern convenience, lift. Bour-
chier 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 poetical turn
he would certainly have penned sonnet
in its praise.
He was resolved to try his luck again,
and, in spite of the fair widows occasional
fits of caprice, he believed his chances of
success were considerably better then they
were ten years ago. The worst of it was
that Mrs. Ormskirk had at least half
dozen pretendants, and the name of her
admirers was Legion. Bourchier was often
mortified to find that the attention of one
or 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 prudent counsel prevailed,
and he resolved to bide his time. Precip-
itancy might ruin everything. A woman,
he argued, is seldom won by a coup de
main.
One evening, nearly two months after
| +l ,,,oatipor ha 1arlr Mrc RI
was present at fancy dress-ball given by
Lady Ethelinda Roster, sister of the
most distinguished of the fair widows sui
tors. 1t was the first entertainment of the
kind at which the latter had appeared since
her husbands death. Lady Ethelinda
made so great point of the matter that
she wrote 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 Ormskirks
thousands, the Rockminster revenues not
being exactly in fourishing condition.
Bourchier also received card of invita-
ton; and he had the modification of wit
Messing the very marked attention paid by
Lord Rockminster to Rosalie, and what was
worse, of noticing that the latter received
his lordship's 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 Ethe-
linda's guests he was the most miserable
The brilliant scene, the music, the gay
crowd, were like dust and ashes between
his teeth He was about to quit the ball
room in disgust when, as on previous oc-
casion, he caught glance from Rosalie's
beautiful brown eyes, which seemed to bid
him stay. In moment he relented and
went up to her.
She was standing with Lord Rockmin-
ster 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
longed-for time came round he sought in
vain for the graceful figure dressed in pink
as Watteau shepherdess. just as the
| L. Il. g 81, i