The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-06-05
Mrs. 80 b
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
Author Of" Boobies Baby" Beautiful Jim, y
Etc, Etc.
CHAPTER Iv.-sTEPHEN HowARD's PAST.


Bob Markham. in lll her life. She could
not get Stephen Towards lazy blue eyes
and soft voice with its sweet Australian
accents out of her head. She was inn
pressed with the idea that he was more
than ordinarily attracted by her and yet
she could not believe ii.
She had no very great npi1ion of her.
self, and very small ami contemptuous
one OF her looks, and being very shrewd
and senSible-like her mOther-She could
not believe that things really were as they
seemed. And yet, try as she would, she
could not shut her eyes or her senses to
the truth that this Stephen Howard had
fingered beside her until his brother-in-
law had come and turned him out, that
he had detained them at the door just as
long as they would stop in spite of the at
fractions of the beautiful Lady Lucifer,
who had but just gone in and might rea-
sonably expect him to follow her as soon
as courtesy to his sisters visitors would
allow. Yet he had seemed in no hurry,
in no hurry for anything except to see her
again.
And yet-Julia was in her own room
tidying her hair and dressing for dinner,
and she went quickly to the glass and
scanned herself closely. She turned the
gas bracket so as to throw a full light upon
her face and then after long look at her.
self, she shut her lips tightly aid shook
her head-"No, it is Incredible" she MUIR
INJURED. st cannot be. Pm such little
ugly thing" Add yet as she hustled
about to wash her hands and change her
frock she began to think about him again
naturally enough, for eXcitements OF
that kind had not often come into Julia
Trafford's life, and to do her justice, she
was not one of those girls who fancied a
lOve-affair when no love-affair was there.
But this Stephen Howard-Stevie, Mrs.
Markham had called him-was such a
handsome fellow and he had looked
straight at her with his blue lazy eyes
and-and just then Julia, who was but
toning her gown, walked to the dressing
table, and without meaning to do SO, look
ed full at herself. For moment she was
quite startled by herself-she looked so
bright, so like her younger sister who had
become Lady Staunton, and she had such
pretty color in her cheeks, such a light
in her eyes, such charming curves to her
lips and-and really the hitherto despised
little teapot-spout of a nose did not, to use
look half bad.
For moment she laughed like pleased
child, then she pressed her hands to her
flushed cheeks and her perpleXed eyes
and asked herself aloud, Heavens, can /
be dreaming or am 1 going cracked, or
what?" and then the gong sounded below
and she hastily finished her toilette and
hurried down the stairs.
Still she could not get the young man
out of her heal. Mrs. Trafford, as was
natural, was full of the new people and
talked indeed about little or nothing else
Everything so nice and yet no show"
she said complacently: indeed there was
no sign of ostentatiousness excepting per-
haps the footman"
''And everybody would have powdered
footmen if they could afford it, remarked
Julia, drily.
Eyes, you are right, Julia-at least,
am sure should" the little widow cried
with her ARREST laugh. "They must be
very RICH" she added in different tone.
'sWhy?"
Because nobody who was not very
rich would have dreamed of setting up
such an establishment of servants as they
seem to have.
''Oh! should think they were rich, !"
said Julia, carelessly.
She thought far less about their money
than she did about Stephen Howard, in
fact, she did not give a thought to the
money at all except when Mrs Trafford
mentioned it; but she went to bed and
tossed feverishly about through all that
long, long night, haunted by pair of lazy
blue eyes and wonder whether he would
find his way to ST. Ewes on the morrow
or not.
And in the morning she got up feeling
like limp rag and looking-well, so that
when she saw herself in the glass, she
fairly groaned.
Have you headache, dear?'' Mrs. Traf-
ford asked the moment after Julia entered
the mOrning-room.
eyes, have rather headache" she
answered.
Poor child. / hope it won't be worse
as the day goes on" Mrs Trafford said in
commiserating tones. "Have d cup of tea,
dear, and try to eat something. Nothing
will carry it away so SOOn."
Thus hidden Julia sat down at the table
and after a very respectable meal an.
nounced that she felt good deal better.
"Then," said Mrs. Trafford, keep your
self very quiet this morning and most
likely it will pass away. have one or two
little matters to see after, and I have to go
into the town, SO you will be quite undis'
turbed."
She very soon went out and then Julia
tucked herself up on the comfortable
roomy sofa in the morning-room and tried
TO make up for the i'll effects of her bad
night, not only tried but succeeded sc
thoroughly that when Mrs. Trafford re-
turned two hours later, she peeped into
the room and found her eldest flower fast
asleep.
It was wonderful what that sleep did
for Julia. She felt quite like another be-
ing, and did full justice to her lunch, fol
Mrs. Trafford remarked, ''There is nothing
like food for nervous exhaustion, which is
the proper name for half the headaches
there are, my dear"
Aud then Julia went upstairs and dress
ed herself in nice smart tailor gown OF
dark green cloth-rife- green l believe
they call it-with some handsome gold
lace work about the collar and cuffs of it
and put on her outdoor coat and hat