The morning call., 1891-02-23
TWO S0LILOQUIES.

L WV OULlLUQUlES.
Houghton Hall was crowded with guests.
Tor Sir John and her ladyship were cele-
brating their golden wedding, and had sent
forth invitations TO every one who could
claim kinship with them to the remotest de-
gree. They were such genial couple. SO
thoroughly esteemed as well as liked. that
few If any of these invitations had been
declined.
AS the weather was fine, and the festiv-
tiles we'll planned. every enc was in high
good humor; especially some half-a-dozen
scho ol-boys, whose spirits, as frequently
happens on such occasions, rose to such a
pitch that they occasionally became trouble
some to their grayer friends.
They ran wild all about the house and the
grounds; made raids on the fruit garden
and the larder; rode the quiet old horses
turned outin the paddock; romped up and
down the long corridors of the house. and
played practical jokes whenever they dared
on their elders.
An excellent opportunity for one of these
pranks offered-or so thought the mischiey-
Gus urchins-when in the twilight they en-
countered Major Lorng, newly arrived that
to the smoking-room.
Some might have hesitated to plav trick
on the tall, grave, bronzed soldier, who had
8 ent the last ten years of his life in India
and Egypt, winning fame and respect by
his abilities, as much as by his courage. But
the temptation was too strong to be resisted
and the sauciest of Sir John's grandsons
acted upon it.
" The smokingroom? Oil here it is;
hope you'll enjoy quiet pipe all alone by
yourself, Major. Ta-ta."
Raising his eyebrows a little, as he heard
the suppressed giggling of the other boys,
Major Loring nodded his thanks, stepped
through the door held open for him. and did
not suspect anything wrong till he heard the
key turned in the lock, and knew he was
made a prisoner.
g Let him fancy it's the cells in the guard
house" cried one juvenile voice, close to the
keyhOle. daresay he's put many a pri-
vatr in them. He looks like a martvr-nn.
that's notthe word, is it? MartyInet, that's
it,"
So I'm trapped, am -" unused the Ma
jOr-he had habit of thinking aloud. II
suppose That being stranger the young
rascalS think me fair game. Well, | dare
say can spend an hour between these four
walls more comfortably than in the draw
ingroOm, where l should have to make N.Y.
self agreeable, to throng OF people l don't
know. But where am | 2"
BY the light Of n small lamp perched on a
bracket he surveyed his cage with grim
amusement. 1t was a long, low apartment.
filled with shelves and cupbOards, and was
evidently the store-Toom of the establish
ment.
A door, now partly open, at the further
end, afforded a glimpse of more Shelves on
which reposed the stores-damask cloths and
tabe-napkiuS, and lavender-scented sheets
and pllioWSlipS, On which Lady Houghton-
dame Of the old regime-prided herself.
The room was bare of furniture, with the
exception of the long deal table that ran
down the middle of it. and a smaller one
under the only window. Besides these there
was nothing else but TWO or three rush
chairs, the most cOmfortable-lookiug of
which the Major carried TO the fire-Ihere
was bright little one burning in the CRATE
and prepared to make the best Of his I'M
DriSOnment.
he did not know, he did not suspect, that
his every movement was being watched by
a graceful little lady, past her first youth.
though still extremely pretty who nj .he
time of his entrance, had just slipped into
the linen-closet to count out a dozen of
glasS-clOths TO be sent to the buffers pantry
Unseen herself, she could descry the feat
ures and form OF the soldier noting with
mingled admiration and regret the changes
time had marked upon them. He was no
longer the lignt-hearted, enthusiastic subal-
tern with whom she had danced and walked
and driven so often through the prettiest
scenery OF Devonshlre, her native county,
but he had developed into a man capable Of
winning respect as well as affection, if
But he was speaking. Ought she TO step
forward and warn him that he was not
alone?
All, no, she could not do that, for they had
parted under circumstances SO CALLING to her
pride, so woundng to her heart, that she
could not be the first to renew the acquaint-
ance. She must remain in concealment I'M
til those tiresome boys released their cap
tive and thus enabled her to make her own
escape.
II was fool to come here" she heard
him soliluquze. Some one told me that
Lady Huughton is Agnes Warton's elder
sister. and very possibly Agnes herself is
at The Hall. | shall have to meet her. and
perhaps see i'll her amused smile that she
has not forgotten my boylsh folly. Perhaps
she is married, and | shall also see her wills
per to her husband that l am the idiot to
whose raptures she used to lend such will
Ing tar, Turing him on and on, only to make
him the laughing-stock OF her relations. l
was the biggest fool in those days that ever
believed in the truth of women! | admit it
but could not meet Agnes Warrior even
now without-Pshaw! Why do l think of
her at alp"
The breathless listener to this soliloouy
sid noiselessly on her knees for her trein-
OF what she thought for tie next five or ten
minutes there is no record, but to her it was
period OF intense anxiety and incertitude
Whether to reveal herself or no, and in what
manner, she could not determine. Pride
whispered at one ear, memories of the never
forgotten past at the other, and when she
arose to to execute hastily formed resolu-
uon and play an lmprOmptu drama, her
cheeks we're burning with excitement. her
hands like ice.
Af,fn I l..
fire, the while lie lazily pulled at cigarette.
was aroused from reverie by sound thai
proceeded from the linen-cloSet Was there.
he asked himself, way out through that if
he had had the foresight to reconnolter?"
Certainly voice was audible in that di-
rectl0n, or was 1t two voices? One was only
heard occasionally uttering gruff mono
syllable responses to the remarks made by
another, and ali! how familiar was the
latter! How the sweet soft tones made his
pulses throb furiously though years had
elapsed since last he listened TO theml
He rose from his seat and was half
way across the room before an unpleasant
thought checked him. He had no desire to
meet Agnes Warrior If she were the wife of
another, nor indeed to meet her at ali after
the cruel treatment she had neted To him
At all events he would keep ont of her
way till he had neryed himself to appear in
different, and, turning To the window. he
softly raised the sash
But IL was Impossible to avail himself of
that mode of egress. The window over
looked the garden certainly, but tbe lawn
was too far below.
Perhaps the speakers. having entered the
adjoining room by another door, would go
as they had come, without detecIinp his
proximity; and in this hope he shrouded
himself in the folds of the curtains, won
dering the while if the Odor of his cigarette
would overpower that of the punches of
drled herbs pendant from the low ceiling
and betray him.
But nov, graceful figure, not quite as
slight. yet almost as girlish, as he remem-
bered IL long since, came lightly into the
apartment, posing on her arms mean of
drapery, and glancing back over her
shoulder as IL still carrying on a converse
tion with some person within the linen
closet.
You'll not forget, Mary. that these
ehintzes are TO drape the bed in the blue
room, and the eiderdown quilt is TO be put
on Major L0ring's, because lie is inst home