Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-23
THE RICHMOND DIspATCH-sUNDAY. DECEMBER % 1888

beauty Every man in the room, and
even = few women, acknowledge this I'M
denieble fact.
Living there upon the crimson
covereicouch IN her delicate white robes,
with her nut-brown curls nesting
amongst the red velvet OF the cushions,
Lillian Englethorpc looks lovely as q
bappy dream. The exquisite face IL
colorIess. save for the scarlet lips and
the dark lashes lying on the oval cheek.
Had that dead past beauty OF oiden
time. 80 dear TO fairy lore aud poets, been
han so fair as this her modern repre-
sentative. no wonder the Prince lost his
head. but gained his courage, and made
her his by that reyivifJing kiss
So thinks DuGdale, rs, compelled by
his part but yet very wilingservsnt-
he bends over her. How sweet she
iooksl How kind Yet II she knew all
would she not spun him? Au-yet
how little How delicately the lsshes
lie upon that perfect check Oh that
the curtain might stay mp forever On
that he dareI. as did that Old-Norld
lover. 10 stoOp and kiss and wake her
into q new lite-a life OF love for him
The curtain, however, like time, takes
heedof no man. Down it comes with a
little bang: so suddenly that Dngdale,
lost IN his trance of admiration, forgets
all about il. 1t is only when the large
dark ewes open and look straight up INTO
his impassionod ones that the fact OF its
descent lawns upon him. That fact, and
another too. With little sharp exclama-
ton. Miss Enelethorpe springsto her feet,
hiugs back the crimson coverings that
bad partially covered her, aud for mo-
ment stanispale. defiant, horror-stucken
before him. What is she thinking OF
Uhdfs II seems 20 him in the midst of
lis CONSERVATION that be haO'rs! Again,
he sees himself in that biue chamber
looking down upon the sleeping girl.
Again she wa0es. Again her eyes up
lit themselyes to his as they do now
Miss Fnglethorpe has taken step
nearer to bin she has lifted her nand as
though she would have spoken to him.
There is in the strange deep glance OF
her ewes something OF absolute AGONY
Her lips part
Al at once she turns aside. her hand
falls to her side, and abrup'lX nay
brusQuely. she passes him by, and dlsap-
pears Nv the amateur wing.
Dug ale, who has grown 4 little pale,
is the only one leittoreceiye the plaudit'
of the assembled county.
She put in no appearance Mt breakfast
next morning. and Dugdale's heart SINKS
lower within him Of that be possiblcl.
Late in the afternoon, at tie o'clock
ten, that seems to delight everybody
but at which she lreally he has begun
TO regard her. 50 far as name IS con-
cerned. almost as The heroine Of Mr..
Hacpards novel; is also absent, and
slrolling leisurely into the library where
this mild dissipation IS, as rule, carried
ont 10 its bitter end. DugdaIe becomes
aware Of that crushing fact He hos
hardly had bis own cup, however, winch
neither cheers nor inebriates him, when
a door opening on his left causes Inn to
turn.
Yes. it is she. But very pl'e and
nervous she. A "she." too, fighting
evidently against odds that are OF a
spiritual naturc and not open to the
public Dugdale looking at her feels
puzzled.
His ignorance, however, is OF short
continuance. Miss Englethorpe has not
been two minutes in tho room when
somehodv-Lady Raitleton, OF course--
says loudly:
.sWhose watch is this ," As she
speakssne lifts gold watch from a small
table at her elbow, with chain attached,
and holds it up as if for auction to those
around.
Dugdalos heart grows still. That II
is his watch goes without telling. Thai
! SIN. unable longer to endure the sus
pense unable, too. to retain so valuable
an article-has at last decided on Drawing
the worst is clear to HIM. She had come
10. had laid that vile timepiece upon th,
table unseen by any one, anu now, wher
all the guests are assembled, IS waiting
to lcarn-fhc truth.
Well. she 9hant hear it from him al
all events.
a fine thing N very fine thing
And who is the owner of this fine thing
cries Lady Rattieton in her shrill tones
dangling the watch to aud fro, aud chal
longing all the men present. " Yours
Oswald ? 40? Yours, Mr.. Lighiwo0d
Yours. Sir George " TO her host. "No
rcqVv2 10 looks Ike an heirloom
Well, come, it D'vst be yours, Captain
Duglale.
For moment Dugdale hcsitates it il
hesitation SO slight as 10 be almost un
felt-bu in the most ininilcsma space
Of time quite a train Of thoughts caI
present themselves. II he repuilate
the watch Low lie can never claim j
again AMI it is an old friend, the com
panion Of many year, and dear 10 him
as inauimato things sometimes viii he
But not 10 dcnyall knowledge Of It, will
those large searching ewes gazing OF hiu
from the other end Of the room, waiting
breathlesslv as it seems Tor his answer, i
impossible 10 him.
"Mino? No, sayshe shakinghis hea,
with "a smile.
"Must belong to some Of the othe
fellows. THEY'LL claim il when they
come in" SAYS Oswald. indiferently, a
Lazy Rattleton puts back the watch o.
the table where she had found It. Dug
dale brelthes moro freely and lets hi
glance turn to where Lillian has hut jus
now been standing. She has gone mt
the embrasurc of the window, however
and is sitting there on pile Of cushion
chatting with apparent gayety will
young man, VINO IS holding tea
cun for her. She has not disbelieye'
hun then? Once again he has escape,
detection. Surely she could not laugi
ike that il she doubted. Yet-strang
neyversitv- be olmost wishes she hnt