The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-23
CHAPTER XII.
MISS JEssICA STRONG.

81 should like to speak to her," said the
colonel, obstinately. Isn't she respectable9
Then you ought not to appear with her in
public"
Georges face again flushed deeply.
'Of course | will introduce you if you
like, and if she does not object. | did not
know that you cared for artistic people;
that was ALL"
II am still young enough to cara for a
pretty woman when | see one," said Col.
Eastwood, with a grim smile. TELL her to
excuse the whims of an old invalid, and
bring her here"
George elevated his eyebrows, glanced
appealingly at Diana, ami tnen wen5 on his
way. 1t was useless matter, as he well
knew, to oppose his uncle's wishes; there
was no way out of the difficulty but to
yield.
Diana watched him with curious, puzzled
eyes as he made his way across the
crowded room to the beautiful girl in
white, who was now standing close to the
red rope stretched before the pictures. al
most as if she had some reason for not
turning her face to the world at large.
George Eastwood spoke to her, and seemed
to be explaining something hur-
riedly and earnestly. Diana fancied that
the girl was objecting, that he was persuad-
ing, entreating, even commanding. At
any rate, the two turned at last, and began
to walk slowly toward the colonars chair
Lovely as the fair stranger was, it crossed
Diana's mind again That tho grace of com
plete good-breeding was absent from her
beauty. Not unpleasantly absent, perhaps;
there was nothing coarse or vulgar about
the girl, but she was more timid than she
ought to have been, and even little awk-
ward. She almost stumbled over her dress
as she came forward, she did not know
what to do with her hands, she hung her
head like a frightened child. Diana's eyes
were quick, her Judgment penetrating; and
long before poor Jess, constrained and mis-
cradle in unaccustomed finery, and in a
strange and bewildering place, had been
piloted through the crowd to the other side
of the room, Diana had discerned that she
was, in common parlance, mot a lady"
Nevertheless she was eager to be kind to the
girl, whose rapidly flushing and paing
countenance shovel how terrific this ordeal
by inspection was to her. As for George.
his face wore a half elated, half vexed ex-
preston; but it was plain to Diana that he
expected his companion to make a great
impression. He glanced at his uncle ex-
pectantly as he uttered the few conven-
tional words of Introduction, and then
seemed to await result.
Poor jess! Taken utterly aback BY this
sudden encounter with Georges friends,
she trembled from head to foot. She half
extended her hand and then drew it back
again, remembering soma advice that
George had given her on this very subject.
Then, in an agony Of shyness, she did the
very thing which was likely to drive him
to despair-she made neat little curtsey,
bob such as a charity child might m Ike,
such as she would have made in the old
days if anyone had given her money in the
street.
Diana saw that it was done involuntarily,
and that George looked black as night. But
Col. Eastwood did not grasp the situation
at all. Jess sweet face, natural graceful
ness, and becoming clothes, blinded him to
the real meaning of that bob-curtsey,
which in his eyes had half-foreign look
being not very dissimilar from the slight
bending of the knee, common amongst
foreign women on introduction to person
of superior rank. He was rather fattered
by what seemed to him an implied distinc-
ton.
"You will excuse my not rising" he
said, smiling at her. 81 am great invalid,
and my young people always humor my
whims and fancies. When heard that my
nephew had been allowed to paint you,
begged for an introduction"
What was poor jess to sayf People
never talked TO her in that wav In Mill
street and Baldwin's court. She looked
straight into the old mans face with
startled, dilated eyes, and made no answer
at ALL Diana came forward with out
stretched hand to relieve her from her Diff
Guilty. She asked her how she liked the
gallery, and jess answered forlornly.
''Very much"
And then, gathering courage from the
kindness in Diana's eyes, she added, In all
innocence:
"But I've never been to one before-in
England, anyway"
''You have Travelled good deal, I sup
poser said Col Eastwood, wondering il she
were an American heiress.
Jess shook her head.
s'No, hain't never Travelled much" she
said, notrealizing the shock that her gram
mar and her accent we're to inhict upon
her hearers.