Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-07-11
CHAPTER XI.
NOT a TRACE, MY LADY

NOT TRACE, MY LADY,
Lady Lydia was woman thoroughly dis
gusted with so-called society men, the ma
Jority Of whom she considered either insipid
or hearlcss; while she looked upon all as
more or less selfish.
Being a girl Of quick perceptions, she gen.
orally managed to form a tolerably correct
opinion of a mans character during the first
few interviews with HIM
She was woman Of strong physique,
strong will and strong intellect. An only
child and the owner CT enormous property,
she was the target for the tiattery and sell
fshains of an hundred designing advent
urers. Many of her admirers We're sincere
in their devotion, however, for her dispo-
sition and mental endowments We're not one
whit inferior to her physical and pecuniary
attractions. But she never yet had seen
any one who had inspired her with any thing
like deep interest; and She was too sim
cc.sa, and possessed far too much indiyid-
| uality of character, to desire a match for
| mere honor or conycnence's sake. If she
ever thought of marriage at all-and it was
| subject that rarely troubled her-her future
| husband was clearly defined in her imagina-
| ton as a man whom she could love, respect
| and, perhaps, fear.
| She, too, had been struck with the sad
| ness and fine expression of Fairfax's
| cOuntenance on that eyentful night at the
| Marchioness'.
| When the man was under the influence Of
any unusual or thrilling excitement, as he
| was during that evening, his entire manner
| was strikingly courteous, refined and digni-
| fed. He never appeared to better ad-
vantage than when suffering pain, mental or
| physical.
! With woman's eagerness to solve a
| TaySfarx- q +f, r.; h;
| She was convinced that there ,cas some
| mystery connected with it. Why had he
| been SO disturbed at Natalie's appearances
| Then, again, he had actually all but ''cut''
her-not Intentionally, she supposed; thus
making his action the more annoying, be-
cause of his Observation-Disclosures.
At any rate, whatever the cause, her
| thoughts were continually reverting to
Fairfax, and she found herself making the
resolve to see more of him, and also to
fathom his relations with the Princess.
But fate, in the shape of Fairfax's willy
note, had forbidden her proposed conf
DENTAL little chat with Natalie upon this
| eveutful afternoon.
Only yesterday Lydia had written a
pleasant little note to her s'fy-away''
friend, Richard, inviting him TO dinner the
following evening. and begging him to
bring his friend, Mr.. Fairfax, if he liked
for whom she also inelosed note
| Curslng his fate and using some similar
associative expressions with regard to the
headstrong and obstinate Fairfax. whose
inexplicable conduct was thus Willingly
casting away so magnificent an opportunity,
Oxford sat down, grinding his teeth and
with tears of anger in his eyes. wrote a po-
lite reply to Lydia, regretting that Fairfax
had left for Havre the evening previous
S,frr Il
| for America''-and that he himself was
obliged ''to depart in IA few hours for Paris
whence he would soon leave either for En-
gland or for Switzerland"
This turn of affairs, while it ANNOYED
Lydia, only served to make her more deter
mined, and, during her ride to Dol, She
| came to the conclusion that, If she woult
:. gain any headway in learning the history o.
this young American, she must make hel
: gay young countrynh the objective poin
Of her attack.
: At Dol, of course, she found no Aun
Blanche, and no explanation of that LADY,
non-appearance. Whereupon the energeti
girl set about solving this saeas mystery.
Dashing off a hasty telegraph message
she bade her coachlnan hand it to the op
orator in the depot. That official, the mo
: ment he glanced at Lydia's signature, CAV
. 1 E0dGHiiian u untti tflasb ne wa
intended for his mistress.
Tearing open the letter, Lydia read:
: This Is simply a Fazss to draw the Lad
2 Lydia out Of the way. Her friend, the Prin
! cess Natalie, has boon abducted, Kindi
{ make known the ntiws at Chateau D'Ol
{ urging the uselessness of any search 70
her. The inclosed note is for Madame Y.
To explain the letters having been in hi
2 possession, the operator quietly handle
Lydia large envelope, bearing the nc
: dress: Telegraph Operator, r. 4. Station
Dol" On q slip of paper inclosed therei
= was the following request:
: '.Piease hand this envelope to Lady Lytii
Broadacres. If she comes to the r. R. st
ton. Otherwise, held /. for further dire
e tions..f
2 That was all, but quite enough to el
tighten Lydia