Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-07-10

''her husband is dead too"
Lady Dehhoime shook her head.
NO." she said, 81 did not hear"
"Ies," said her brother, 81 saw his |
death in the papers last year. He had
married again, believe. There is not |
now. therefore, any reason why l |
should not tell the story if it will in
terest you, he went on, turning to the
the others. "And there is not very
much tc tell. Not worth making such |
a preamble about 1t was-let me see
yes, it must be nearly fifteen years
ago"
WAIT a moment. Uncle Paul." said
Nina. YES, that all right, Gladys
You and l will hold each others
hands. and pinch hard if we get very
frightened"
''Thank you," Miss Lloyd replied.
"On the whole | should prefer for you
not to hold my hand"
But l won't pinch you so as to
hurt" said Nina. reassuringly; land
it isn't as il we were in the dark"
"Shall l turn down the lamps?"
asked Mr.. Snowdon.
NO. no." exclaimed his wife.
"There really is nothing frightening
scarcely even 'creepy'--ln my story
at ALL" said Mr.. Marischal, haIfapolo-
getically. "You make me teel like an
! imposter."
ooh, no, Uncle Paul, don't say that.
1t is all my fault for interrupting,"
said Nina. Now 90 on, please l
have Gladys hand, all the same" she
added, soto voice; cts just as well
to be Prepared
"Well, then" began Mr.. Marischal
once more, sit must be nearly fifteen
years ago. And had not seen her
, for fully ten years before that again.
l was not thinking of her in the least;
in sense had really forgotten her;
she had quite gone out Of my life
that has always struck me as very
curious point in the story" he added
parenthetically.
won't you tell us who She was,
Uncle Paul." asked Nina. half shyly.
"Oh, yes. | was gong to do so. |
am not skilled in story telling, you
see. She was, when first knew her
at the only time, indeed, that knew
her-a very sweet and attractive girl,
named Maud Bertram. She was very
pretty-more than pretty, for she had
!
file was always admired-and a tall and
graceful figure. And she was IL bright
and happy creature, too; that per-
haps, was almost her greatest charm.
You will wonder-I see the question
lowering on your lips. Miss Lloyd, and
on yours. too, Mrs. Snowdon-why, il
admired and liked her so much, Ibid
not 90 further. And l will tell you
frankly that did not because Idared
not. had then no prospect OF being
able to marry for years to come, and
was not very young. ! was already
thirty. and Maud was quite ten years
younger. was wise enough and ole
enough to realize the situation
thoroughly, and to be on my guard
"And Maud?" asked Mrs. Snowdon
"She was surrounded by admirers
it seemed to me then that it would
have been insufferable conceit to have
even asked myself if it could matter
to her. 1t was only in the light O
after events that the possibility O
my having been mistaken occurred tt
me. And don't even now see that
; could have acted otherwise" her
Uncle Paul sighed little. 1--WE wer
the best OF friends. She knew that
admired her, and she seemed to tax
frank pleasure in it's being so. l ha'
always hoped that she really like
; and trusted me as friend, but n
., more. The last time saw her wa
just before l started for Portu
, gal. where l remained thre
! years. When l returned {
: London Maud had been married 10
l two years. and had gone straight GU
to India on her marriage, and excep
by some few friends who had know
us both intimately l seldom heard he
mentioned. And time passed. car
!: not say l had exactly forgotten hel
- but she was not much or often in m
: thoughts. l was a busy and niue
{ absorbed man, and life had proved
. serious matter to me. Now and the
= some passing resemblance would r.
y cal! her to my mind-once especially
), when had been asked to look in an
see the young wife OF one OF my cou!
l ms in her court dress, something j
her figure and bearing brought bac
" Maud to my memory, for it was thus
y in full dress, that had last seen he
v and thus. perhaps unconscious'y, IN
o image had remained photographed c
=" my brain. But as far as l can reco
lect at the time when the o
a currence l am cong to relate
le you happened, had not been thin
e ing of Maud Bertram for months.
=. WAS in London just then, stayil
W with my brother, my eldest brothe
n who had been married for sever
!. years and lived in our own old TOW
70 house in--square. 1t was in Apr
a clear spring day, with no fog or ha
lights about, and it was not yet
:. O'Clock in the afternoon-not We
~ Rhost.like circumstances, you will a
:" nit. / had come home earlv from II
club-it was a sort OF holiday tir
70 with me just then for few weeks,
IL tending to get some letters writ
n which had been on my mind for sol
M days, and ! had sauntered into the
brary. a pleasant, tair-sized roo
s. lined with books. on the first foo
20 Before setting to work ] sat down