Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-05
BEATRICE
OR,
A TANGLED WEE.
twritseu for ne DispAscs.l
CHAPTER /.


L.
~roricrns The very word Il like bsll
10 solI me bach again 70 nv sole SELF"
Beatrice murmrred these lines half
1loud a. the volume of Keats slipped from
her iistless fingers to the floor. and throwing
her hcad back wcarily upon the purple
Inning Of the great armchair she closed
her eyes and sighed. An cir Of languid
melancholy marked her attitude. The set
ting sun threw It's farewell beam through
tho open window and il rested lingeringly,
lovingly, on the rich brown hair, touch
ing Il up with q wonderful light. Tho
face was pale and classic, and bore the I'M
press OF The mind in q marked degree. az
Been thus in rcpose. From early childhood
her heart and mind had been nourished on
musical thoughts. She bad foundin poetry
Of the highest order food for her
love of beauty and an opiate for every
pain Lost in reverie she sat motion
less till the golden ray withdrew and the
shadows fell, darkoning she room. What
little light renamed fingered around her
softly, dirnly outlining the white-robed
form against the dusky background. All
unheeded quick footsteps fell upon the
broad walk outside and ncared the long
French window opening 10 the floor.
What. dreaming here alone in the
cleaning, beautiful lady, with no COM
panion to share the witcbing twilight save
The creations Of your own bright fancy!'
said voice at her.side.
well, truly q most harmonious dance OF
words upon the brink of nonsense. II You
pre- ambitious Of becoming companion
Dir. Fairfax, drop such phrases and declare
truce TO fiattery for noveltys sake" Ie-
torted Beatrice, coloring slightly az she
arose slowly and extended her fingers IN
quiet greeting.
II WILL" no replied In on altered tone,
"and crave forgiveness for bringing into
your presence the atmosphere OF the Vani-
" Fair baye Just Quilted. In token OF
pardon sit down and listen. have news
of importance for you"
And she sat and listened to tho tale he
told like one bound by spell
till the coming of other guests reused her,
and Fairfax rose TO GO. You will not
forget? Eleven o'clock tomorrow eve
ming. at Colonel dArcy's."
Since there is no help. for II" she an
ewered with an effort, and turned TO meet
the newcomers with forced calmness,
dead weight lying on her heart crushing
out its life.
As be passed her moment after Fairfax
bent and whispered: take care; you
will not always have me under your proud
foot" and the pale rage in his eyes made
her quake. Il do not understand" she
gasped.
"'Tis as well" he said, and was gone.
Had she listened to his offer and accepted
his hand the communication which had
20 stunned her would not have been made,
but her ill-concealed dislike left him no
room 10 hope that he would ever win her
hand by persuasion. and he took despe-
rate course, coolly counting the cost.
Tho weary day had worn itself out:
Beatrice scarcely knew how, as she stood
before her mirror looking abscnuy at the
Queenly form reflected there, hardly reali-
Ting it was her OVID, so far away were
her thoughts, till laughing voices float
ing upward from the hall below recalled
her to herself and she turned to go down,
the ball-dress OF pale Nile-green satin.
mellowed with soft. rich lace, falling IN
Yipples of light and trailing noislessly over
the floor.
Looking at the.hall-clock as she descend
ed the broad stairway she sighed, lien
O'Clock Only one hour more"
The chandelier in the spacious hall shed
its light upon gay group of friends, who
had called by for Miss DalmaDe that they
might have the pleasure of naming her as
one of their party at the ball. for. being an
heiress and the graceful dispenser of many
fayors, she, of course, counted her friends
by the score The fortune was all her own,
but her fathers brother, Mr.. Dalmane, and
his society-loying Wife lived with her and
Gid the hoDors CON dmOre.
For an hour Beatrice mingled with the
dance or sauntered through the imposing
rooms, admired and fiattered by the men,
envicd aud courted by the women: then,
catching the ever-watchful eye of Fairfax
fixed upon her with an expression OF dark
meaning she manuuvred to separate her
self from the crowd, and, taking his offered
arm with an ill-concealed shudder, moved
away.