The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-03-09
OUT INTO THE LIGHT.
Double Blindness Cured by Love- the Univer-
sal HealerA Story Of English Life.
BY THE DUTcHESS.
'Author Of phyllis" Molly Baum etc.l
COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE. J

rfia was a tall girl. with features that
were strictly regular. all save the mouth,
which was rriie larger than it should
be. Her eyes were soft and dark, and she
was beyond doubt extremely beautiful;
indeed, there were very few women who
did not sink into insignificance beside her.
She WAS very thoroughbred in her appear
ance, and there was something IN her ex-
preston that gave one the idea that she
would be perfectly able to judge for her
sell on even the knottiest point, without
calling IN the aid Of her friends. But it
was the faulty mouth that was her chief
charm. When she smiled something grew
upon it that rendered her soft, sweet and
plant as the verlest child.
She stopped over Lady Synge's chan
and patted her on the shoulder.
'.Giving me the bastinado with your
tongue, aunties'i she asked, gayly. She
always called her cousin auntie. = tsNo
do not deny it. A heightened experience
has taught me that when your mouth
takes that particular curve you are saying
naughty things of me. .
y Where is Victor asked Lady Synge,
abruptly, taking no heed of the foregoing
Miss French raised her brows.
us it foregone conclusion that /
should know where he is?3 she said.
well with change of tone that pro-
dueed her perfect smile, .sas it happens, /
do He Is in the rose garden, talking to
Col Ashton of politically as that
tanned old warrior himself
sAh he will be tired, bored, worn
out, cried Lady Synge, rising with her
usual mpetuositY to her feet. She looked
at Joan with intense reproach in her
eyes, and the girl smiled back at her as If
amused.
You could at least have prevented
that, z said Lady synge.
Miss French shrugged her shoulders.
It was q trick of hers, and she did it very
charmingly. but she said nothing. Lord
pnrnsford, who was with her, and who
saw the shrug, smiled discreetly.
"By ,Jovel she evidently expects you to
play keeper to Sir Victor, he said, in a
whisper, as though such expectation were
one OF the greatest jokes extant. Bound
to look after him, eli? and deliver him out
of bondage on all occasions. A rather alb
surd notion ehs''
His manner toward Miss French as a
rule was absolutely servile, yet just now
he found he was unhappy enough to have
in some unknown way offended her.
aWhy absnrd2i she asked, in a tone
smile upon his lips. She swept him with
a glance, and then turned abruptly away
from him, and to Lady Synge.
II am off to the rescue. she said gayly.
II shall bring back Sir Victor, promise
you, dead or alive Wish me luck in my
hazardous enterprise Consider how
many times the colonel has been under
fire. and how seldom l.
Here Mrs. Trayers laughed little
satirically.
'.,Iow, thens' demanded Miss French,
turning to her.
s'Why, there are fires and fires, = said
she, with a comical glance. ''But, max
ing an imperceptible gesture toward Lady
Synge, who was looking anxious as she
dwelt on her ''poor fellow being thus
given up to the cruel mercies of a dotinS
old Indian officer, If you indeed mean
rescue, why go. But when you have car
ried off you prey what thenS' There was
considerable meaning in her voice. Miss
Ffrench reflected for moment.
ssThat's the worry Of it, she said.
"One seldom knows what to do with ones
captive Well--as yon put it to me-read
TO him as usual, | suppose, now that our
neighbors have kindly made up their
minds, at last, to go home. What trial
these afternoons are in the country
What going so soon, dear Lady Prim-
roseY Why, it is quite early yet. All,
well--good-byl Yes, he likes being read
to, doesn't he, auntieg'
He likes you to read to him" replied
Lady Synge, in an incorporating tone.
Consider it done, Them said her
lovely cousin, with sprightly air. She
moved away from the group minus an at
tendant, the discounted earl being too de-
pressed after his late snubbing to dare
offer himself as an escort.
Mrs Travers, as she passed her, stopped
her for moment.
''Why do you read to himsp she asked,
with suspicion of censure in her man
ner
s'Ahl That is Just what l so much wish
! knew myself responded she, with
careless laugh.
Here two figures emerging from the
laurestinas on their left caught and held
all their attention. One was tail young
man of about 20. He walked somewhat
deliberately, and leaned as he went ON
his companions arm. He was singularly
handsome, ii rather emaciated in appear
ance, and his eyes, wide open, were large
and dark. They seldom moved, however,
and one might remark that their lids did
not cover and uncover them with the
nervous frequency Of those who see.
Otherwise one could hardly imagine him
sightless; yet, alasl dark Is were those
beautiful eyes, their vision was darker
still
He was putting in word here and
there in his companions voluble flow of
political platitudes, but he was evidently
without interest in the subject under dis
cussion. His attention seemed indeed
tritie strained, as though he We're listen
ing intcntlv for some sound or thing that
lay well outside the colonel's prosy talk,
and that might come to him at any mo-
ment There was upon his face that sad
look Of expectancy that characterizes the
newly blind
Miss Ffrench went up to him and
touched his arm. He started violently,
and on the instant his whole expression
changed. The melancholy forsook it. a
smile radiant as her own lit his whole
face. 1t touched whatever heart she had,
OF permitted herself 10 have, and with a
view to overcoming her emotion, which
annoyed her, She put on her liyeliest air.
They have all gone, Victor, she said.
Such pity. chs If they could have
fully sounded the depth Of our grief at
their departures doubt not all these dear
neighbors of ours would have gone little
sooner
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