The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-15

~ WIS "ohu"fiul Nlng 10 iinu MN
sell, the next moment, actually being pre-
tentcd in formal style TO the hour Of the
hammock. Just how Aunt Sarah man
aged it he did not know, but before long
Tom Jerome had gone off in the carriage
and the hour and himself were strolling
liong together on a shady little woodland
path, and he was saying:
"lIave YOU ever been in Italy, Miss
Sevelonl'
"Oh, yes; mamma and spent almost
n year there was the quick response.
Have YOU ever had your portrait
paintedi' was the next abrupt question.
Never said Miss Sevcllon, coldly, as
IL she observed and disapproved the bad
.aSte of this informal catechism.
Nor ever posed for an artist"
Never in tone grown positively
icy.
Mr.. Temple looked at her with a gaze
of uncomfortable surprise.
Most extraordinary he said, half
under his breath His exclamation was
not 50 low however. but that Miss Sevel-
on heard it. and it did not serve TO mod
fy her expression. She walked along at
his side rs stately as white pigeon, hcr
head alert and her manner distant and
cool.
You d have no motive in misleading
me. ! suppose" Temple went on, after a
momentary pause, "and can't help he
ieving you are playing trick on me. 80
Playing a trick on you, Mr.. Temple2"
aid Gertrude. Indignantly, chow could
such an extraordinary notion ever enter
nto my head, or yours, either?'
Temple saw he had given ofTonse, and
when he was forced to recognize the pos
ibility that he might he mistaken in hi
Wrmise, the fact was not hard tOaCcount
'or. Ii Was very hard indeed however,
. believe IN that possibility, and it was
only by dismissing the subject from his
llnd as far as possible that he could
larry on the perfectly conventional con
rerSaticn that hc knew 10 be the only
)ne which his slight acquaintance with
us companion warranted.
He made % great effort to be entertain
re, and 10y the time they reached the
n1usc ne was able 20 feel that ne had
lone something toward celebrating the
lsgracclu impression Of his first style of
address
When the carly Sunday dinner time
arrived, and MIS- Sovellon appeared with.
put her bonnet, having changed her
,hurch dress for more relaxed style OF
garment. the likeness to the picture was
stronger than ever. IL was not likeness,
It was positive identity; and when, dur
ing the afternoon, Horace found himself
near Ms. Savellon, in spite of all good
resolutions he had made, in defiance Of
every instinct of good taste, his intense
interest in this matter led him on Until he
had contrived to turn the cony ,rsation
IN Italy, and he then asked Mrs. Seyellon
# none Of the Italian artists had never
prevailed on her daughter to allow her
self to be painted.
Mrs Sevellon had just responded in the
negative, and was going on to say some
thing more. when he became aware that
her daughter was standing near them in
The recess of the window. and that she
heard his question. And this was not
all. He saw by the impetuous flush that
came to her face. and the look with which
she glanced directly at him for an in
slant. and then away, that she resented
as well as heard.
One evening Mrs. Leaton's guests got
up some tablcaux for the amusement of
the company. and Mr.. Temple, who had
declined to act. found himself seated on
the front seat beside his aunt very lisi
less spectator, except when Miss Sevelion
figured IN the scenes, which was very
often. as she was the acknowledged
beauty Of the party.
He had left his seat and had strolled
over to q corner very near the stage,
when the curtain went NJ for the last
scene. 1t was fortunate for him that
every eve was fixed on the stage, for
otherwise the great start and smothered
exclamation he gave vent to must have
been observed. And 10 wonder he was
startled for lust below his very eyes, in
a hammock ingeniOusly swinging in the
midst of a clumb of large shrubs that adj
mirably simulated a garden, was Miss
Sevellon in an attitude and costume that
exactly reproduced the picture lie al
most held his breath in the absorption of
his attention as his eager eve took in
every detail even to the Greek pattern
in the border Of her dress and the silver
coins in the bracelet on her arm, and
yes there in a little group, near the
rounded elbows, were the three little
dark specks. Could circumstantial evi-
dcnce 20 farther?
As soon as the tableauX were over he
made his way to Miss Sevellon's side,
eager vet timid. To his delight he saw
that she seemed to welcome him. and he
half fancied from her manner that she
made a hasty resolution 10 let bygones be
bvgoues, and TO make friends with him.
She was SO flushed with pleasure and ar
imation, and SO surrounded herself by
feeling and praise, that 1t
seemed difficult TO her perhaps to be Sc
we're upon another. Sine still wore the
beautiful white costume in which she
looked far Iovelier than the picture had
portrayed her, and his delight knew no
bounds when he found himself presently
leading her TO quiet seat IN
the hall ard supplying her with refresh
ments from the supper nom. when
they were seated together on wicker
sofa, eating their ices in a friendly tete-a-
ITO ,Io ,-,t,,,., follovv hpcapnp 81 pmbell-