The Republican., 1891-03-27

terviews relative to certain legal mat
ters, but they had not invited Mrs. Bas-
sett to their home or visited her in hers.
So it was not strange she rather ques-
toned the motive of the present unusual
attention.
''You are very kind" she said. "Come
in"
She shook hands with the daughter of
her guest, and ushered both ladies into
her little parlor. 1t was the coziest,
the daintiest, the most artistic apart
ment conceivable. Many fine relics of
her former life had been retained. The
oriental rug, that almost covered the
floor, was one; the bookcase of polished
rosewood, long, low, dwarf affair,
was second; the oil portrait of hand
some and gallant-lool1ing man was an
other. The room was quite guiltless of
the hideous productions usually desig-
mated fancy work. Instead, there were
some good etchings and magazines, for
Lavender Bassett was one of those per-
sons who feel they can better sacrifice
a few of life's necessaries, or those
things that are ordinarily considered
such. than some of its luXuries But
the supreme charm of the place was
embraced in the bay window. That
was a veritable bower of verdure, of
bloom, of beauty Such flowers! Sonly
one who loved them dearly could have
brought them to their state of absolute
perfection. For they all seemed to be
in bloom. The tall oleander, with it's
long, banana-like leaves; the Storm
King fuchsia; the veined, olive-leaved
and waxen-pink begonia; the creamy
Chinese primroses; the brilliant and
multi-hued spikes of spicy geraniums.
Most exquisite of all, the lilies. OF
those, stately, snow-pure, golden
hearted things, there were fully two
dozen. Many were in full and splendid
bloom; others were in bud; but every
one was exquisite, simply that
''Oh," cried Mrs. Vandelour, bringing
her fat hands together with gasp of
amazement, of delight, Mrs Delamere
did not eXaggerate about your Lenten
lilies! They are magnifcent!'
Mrs. Delamere! Lavender Bassett
could hardly repress smile. Mrs. Del
amere was very wealthy and fash
ionable lady who lived in the preten-
tious green stone dwelling which over
shadowed hers. She had called ON Mrs.
Bassett, and been very kind. She went
a great deal into society. She had
doubtless CHANGED to meet Mrs. Vande-
lour, and had mentioned the success of
her neighbor as florist But surely
desire to behold some fine flowers
would not account for that ladys visit.
"'They are pretty" she assented with
pardonable pride.
pretty! They are superb! I never
saw anything like them. Did you,
Oriole?"
Oriole, stoop-shouldered, bilious
looking girl, over-dressed like her
mother, was regarding them with en-
vious eyes.
"Never. Oh, mamma, if only"
Her mother sent her a glance of
piercing reproof The time was not
yet ripe.
| Half an hour passed. The visitors
beamed on Lavender Bassett. She
calmly and courteously entertained
them. She was such contrast to them.
She was so slender, and gentle, and
graceful-so quietly clad. Her gown,
of some thick, soft, black stuff, was
fashioned with absolute simplicity.
There were few folds of Grape at
wrists and throat. Her face reminded
one of her own precious lilies, so pure
cately regular Her eyes, dark-browed
and dark-fringed, had the dreamy, at
tentive, half-brooding look of one who
is very near-sighted. And her hair,
cleaning golden, was at once crown
and an aureole But her expression
was one of sadness, the most controlled,
| intense.
| A rather curious story, that of Law
ender Bassett's. Married at eighteen
to her first and only lover, installed in
a charming home of her own, with in
come sufficient to meet all probable re-
quirements, she was the happiest of
women. Two years after her marriage
Jack Bassett was obliged to go west to
look up some land in which he was in
terested. He never returned. Many
were the conjectures as to his fate A
great deal of advertising and searching
was done vainly. Four months after
his disappearance his baby girl was
horn. A couple of hundred dollars to
her personal credit at the bank had
Mrs. Rassett-that and her jewels.
Otherwise she was unprovided for.
One day lawyer waited on her, ex-
planning, or endeavoring to explain, a
very peculiar case. Some old trans
atlantic relative of her husband had
died. His estate, of stupendous value,
was willed to Jack Bassett if he could
and would fulfill certain erratic re-
quests and conditions. In case he was
either unable or unwilling to do so, the
property would pass to another rela-
tive, Hermann Vandelour.
The vanishment of young Bassett,
the queer complications now resulting,
and all the singular features of the af-
fair were popular newspaper themes
for several months. Then public in
terest in the matter waned. The case
went into the courts, and it was gen.
orally conceded that if Jack Bassett did
not soon materialize the decision must
be in favor of Vandelour. But Jack
Bassett's wife and friends had decided
he must be dead. No such steady and