Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-09
OF the goodness OF his heart no accepted

| the invitation. Via tout"
kngarrif makes some rather rambling
return TO this half hooking speech, and the
Duchess, slipping into a chair near Miss
Blake, begins 10 look with curiosity around
her. She passes over most Of lie women
present until her eyes fall upon a low
lounging chair of saffron velvet, in which,
she feels, sits the one for whom she has
been unconsciously seeking ever since her
entrance into the room.
IL is beyond doubt very handsome
picture on which she is now gazing. Miss
Cazalet is lying back in the low chair
trifing indolently with a tiny back-and-
tan terrier that lies crouching in her lap,
her eyes turned lightly upwards TO the man
who is leaning over the back of her lounge
Those eyes are large and lustrous if a
rather light blue, swept 10y lashes that are
extremely dark and curl daintily upwards.
Her nose is pure Greek, her mouth perfect
The ripping hair that Is drawn back so
vottly from her brC ad low brow is Of a pure
and very rare gold color. One can ses that
she is tall and slender, and that she is pos
sessed OF an ease and elegance not t. be
rivaed Her voice, as il comes family to
Norah, who is watching her, spell-bound
and sick at heart, sounds soft and low as
distant music. 1t would he indeed most
degenerate man, one lost to all grace, who
could dare 70 find a fault in that faultless
form.
The man conversng with her now does
not at all events come under this head, as
his devotion Is sufficiently marked TO be
seen by all who will. He is middle a ged
gentleman; stout, and somewhat scant of
breath, with the commencement of a very
respectable tonsure on the top Of his head.
J He is, however, bending over Miss Cazalet
in n semi-loverlike attitude and is appa-
rently addressing her with all the ardor Of
youth.
'Sir Bran1rum Boieau" says Miss
Blake, seeing where Norah's eyes are riv-
eted "You know Katherine Cazalet, OF
course. She is considered the handsomest
blonde in the kingdom. Sticky | call her:
but then I'm hereto and don't love those
beaux yeux Of hers, in spite Of their saintli-
ness. Last season she was staying with the
st. Lawrences in Park Lane, and went
about a good deal with them, and after a
BIT she became known as the Virgin Mary
She is so seraphic. But if she is an angel I
confess j like the other sort best, the de-
mons. I'm demonl' conclu les she, pounc-
ing, as it We're upon KilgarriR, with quite
a tragic note in her voice.
"Oh, no.n says he. with violent start
md in deprecatcry tone. She laughs.
"Now, shall | tell you about the others"
she says 10 Norah. ''Ihey are not of the
least consequence taking them as a whole;
but suppose l had better put you up
about them. That little wi2ened- looking
man is an author; he is all brain, no body.
They say he sold himself to the devil half
century ago, consenting TO let his body go
if MS brain might live forever, and he has
been calmly dwindling ever since
''Half century! He does it with care"
says the Duchess. Miss Blake looks at her
with appreciation.
81 begin 10 have quite respect for
you" she says to Kilgarrif, sofia voce, and
AS that young man of course fails to un-
derstand Eer she gives him gentle but
scornful push and tells him TO bring Lady
Glandore TO her aid, as Miss Delaney is
proving too much for her.
''Hc is such muff'' says she, when he,
obedient, has departed. after all, / dare
say you were right.
Fright, howg"
'In refusing him.
'Oh! But how do you know that" says
tho Duchess, little shocked
''Why, he told me So OF course" says
Miss Blake, with charming unconcern.
Ssh? now; here he comes All. Bless me,
what an awkward creature it is. ~
For Kilgarrif, in his eager haste to re-
turn, stumbles hopeleSsly over little milk
ing stool in the way, and all but measures
his length on the ground
What's the good OF your steaming up
the room at twenty knots an hour" de-
maNds the Hon. Nancy, half laughing.
"Where does the hurry come ins The day
Is always Internationally long, spread it
out as much a you can. F"
Lady Glandoie, who has come up TO
them, sinks laughing into her seat
''Those little stools are the most treach-
erous things imaginable" she says,
specially when they're black. One can
hardly see them; and really of what
wonderful us, are they after all, that we
should keep them at the risk OF endanger-
ing life AMI limb"'
'Well, | don't know; they have their
use, you know" says KilgariH, regarding
with a nobly forgiying glance the black
and psrilous stool in question. They give
you the free use of both your hands. 1t
was awful, long ago, having to hold your
cup and cake both. Now you can put your
cup down and eat your cake, or YOU can
put your cake down and eat your cup-or
-ah that is"
''Is Nancy letting you into few of the
mysteries asks Lady Glandore, in her SOFT
low, rather drawing voice, turning to
Norah. She is very good at that sort Of
thing; but | think Mr.. Wyldin- is even
better. He Is the absurd looking person
with sandy hair at the end OF the room.
and that little tub OF n woman on our right
is his wife, but she doesn't count At least
he won't let her"
''No, poor little soul l often wonder
why she married him." says n man with a
dark, c.ean-shaven face, who has Just
saunered up-Sir Philip Glandore, as the
Duchess afterwards discovers. az rather
like her il spite of her many defects "
why, yes, " says Miss Blake. ''She is
better than some. | suppose he had
money. By the by, who Is hes''
at doesn't matter in the least, my good
child, who anybody is nowadays; it is what
he has He may be button man or q
vendor of bricks so long as he can pay his
bills and entertain tn, word at large.
Talking of cha, what has Wylding,''
Fifteen hundred year and an internal