Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-16
CHAPTER XVI.
"Just when / seemed about to learn.
" here IL the thread now2 or again.
The old trick! only 4 discern

day Is too warm for that A cool deal or
tennis, little saunterlng amongst the late
roses, "A tremendous amount OF lounging
and Irritation at will The afternoon nes
by almost before one remembers it has be-
gun, and now every body is lying about,
rather exhausted from doing nothing, and
drinking tea, AMI champagne, and divers
cups with an unfeigned appreciation of
heir merits
Col. Shaughnessy, large, ford, we'll
bred locking man, with dict ltorial man
ner and the kiHdest heart in the woll Id, is
telling an old AMI thrilling Indian ta'e
born Of his years in Hydeyabad) 10 n select
company. Ills wife, at few yards dis
lance, is giving all the local gossip, o.
lee ell since her return yesterday, to pale
little woman, who seems rather upset by it.
Some Of or other friends N G scattered
round, and Mr.. Greene, who makes no Sc
cret Of his alteration, is lying prone at the
feet of the Duchess The Colonel, having
brought his ta.e TO pitch that is positively
appail ng, winds it up suddenly wi n all the
knowledge of clever raconteur, and is re-
warded by u silence that is half hysterical
on the part of his female audience.
Suddenly says some one-the rector's
wife, l think--ihs little pale woman
Does any one know how Mrs. Brady is
ayes, | called this morning." shouts
Col. o Shaugh nessy-he always shouts
more or less. 'She's far from well. They
told ne she had been confned-n Here a
most inopportune tit of coughing overiakes
him.
''Confned7 What are you talking about,
Colonel" cries the wife in condemnation.
'Why, they have only been mar"
Providentially at this moment her cup
slips along the saucer in tie nasty, treach-
erous way cups will at times, and Mrs.
O'Shaughnessy makes q grab at il, forget
full in her fear for the Irune silk of the as
constituent and horror tina. possesses her.
Confined to her bed with bad cold,"
roars the Colonel in voice suggestive OF
mu der and with q complexion positively
apopletic.
There is a dead pause; then someb- dy
whispers something into Mrs O'Shaugh-
nesy's ear, who appears bewllered, and
somebody elss gives an indignant kick 70
Mr.. Gree2e's recumbent form, who is
plainly on the verge OF Mysteries.
"A bad cold" persists the Colonel wild
ly. &C allied there-saw her. Nothing
worse than that, l give you my honor"
The nothing worse than that is the
last straw, AMI finishes Mr.. Greene, who
|
and bites the daisies in last vain endeavor
to restrain his ungodly enjoyment, But
Mrs. O'Shaughneasy, who has at last
mastered the real meaning of the thing,
evidently sees no reason for restraining
anything, and leaning back in her chair
gives way to mirth.
And is that itn' she says. ''Bless me,
what mistake l made" Aud Off she goes
into an unlimited number o. cackles, until
She shakes again. Then Miss CaZalet is
seen TO draw My near and as mirth has
trick of dying out in her presence, once
more decorous tranquility holds sway.
Mr.. Wylding, the author, is with her.
Zone can see ! scribble, re is saying, in
his dengntfnl soft voice. "Yet when people
look at me they sometimes hesitate Gt is a
compliment, | sure YOU; am always
charmed with it, and can almost hear
them say: He is like it, of course, but he is
not SO spiritual as ina gined. And yet
You can read the rest for yours If. is it
not? 1t is ali in my nose think" with
deli ious frankness, (which is of a goodly
length, and il my upper lip-have you no
,icod my upper lipS-wh.ch is distinctly en-
suite.
Miss Caya'et murmurs so,se inanity or
other, q it, unworthy of her, her mind be-
ing with her eyes, which are far away
across the shaven lawn, where stands De-
laney. He is converting with some one
size cannot see whom-but some one In
white. Pre- emily he moves a little, and
| her pulses grow more even as she sees that
tie woman IN white is not-NoTah,
"A voice at her elbow makes her start.
Can / do anything for yoJ, Duchess"
/ Tho voice is Lord kilgarrid's and Miss
Ca act, looking abruptly round, finds that
Norah is sitting almost exactly behind her.
'Eh' what" says the Duchess, with a
rather absent air, turning to Kilgarriir. 1t
is plain the tone, not the words, have
reached her ears
Miss Delaney-why this abstractionY'
says Mr.. Greene in accents mildly re-
proachful Are all we nothing to you,
that you thus wander into rSalms of phan-
tasyi Come back, come back, l entreat
you, to solid earth and us AMI cease TO
tread in spirit inmaterial space"
Norah, thus importunea, turns upon him
a smiling face.
II have been thinking" she says, that
should ike TO ay one set"
With me2" exciaims he rapturously,
scramtl;ng to his feet. Consider 10 done.
Now to find two others on playful thoughts
intent"
81 was just wishing for game myself"
says Mss Caza.et amiably. "What do YOU
sayg You and Miss Delaney against Mr..
Wylding and mey''
81 should be so charmed-so too do
lighted" says Wylding, but there is this
one trifiing obstacle to my bliss--I don't
pay"
IF might aspire" shippers Sir Bran
drum, turning n languishing eye upon the
blonde beauty.
10 what" asks Greens innocently.
ITO er-to be Miss Caza,et's partner in
this projected game of tennis" replies the
baronct sti lily; and then in n lower tone. adj
ded TO the tall, fair goddess ut his side,
''Oh! that dared aspire 10 more-to all.
Miss Cazalet sweeps her cold eyes across
his face with an insolence mdescribable.
This man-this old man-to presume To
hope that she will throw over Ventry and
Denis for him.
well, Is IL a matchT' says Greene, look
irg at her with dry twinkle In his eye.
If you will, returns Miss Cazalet, in
differently, ignoring his evident meaning;
''Sir Brandrum, as you know, is an excel
lent-indeed-" with a slow glance at the
unfortunate baronet from under her half
c.osed lids, I'VE might safely say an old
I'm NJ IA a~I