Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-23
CHAPTER XVIII.

| moran, may nave tho pleasure or thfs
danceY' says Denis, gravely looking down
at his cousin. The old familiar Duchess"
Las long been laid aside.
Madam's calico ball has come OF at last
in SPITE OF many delays. 1t is now Oc-
tober, warm and bright on its pet days,
lowering and dark enough on the others.
Tonight however, is beyond expectation,
lovely and mild as though last breath Of
the dead summer had been waited 10 IL by
spirit hands. All the gardens are agow
with colored lamps, poor counterfeits OF tho
myral stars that deck the armament above,
where, too Diana sails in perfect splendor.
IL Is an ideal night, balmy, and calm as
death Itself, with no sound save the whisper
in of tho lime trees under the tender moon
light and the far-oif breaking of the waves
upon the pebbly shore.
"With pleasure, 1" responds tho Duchess
colby, not looking at him. She is staring
past him, with unseeing eyes, however.
very pale, but lovely as dream, in tho
quaint costums she W ars. She is very
exqu site Miss Muif It" in her short
wasted gown of aesthetic saffron tint, a
very big mob cap, and long soft gloves
that reach up to her white shoul Ter, and
then gently wrinkle all the way down
again from that 10 h,r wrist A more adj
mirable p ctu than she makes it would be
| impossible 10 conceive.
She is w.th)u doubt the belle of the
evening, though Katherine CaEalet, who is
supremely lovely as Queen Of Hearts, in
long trailing skirts Of white and gold, runs
Ter hard. Miss Blake, too, as my Pretty
Maid, I" is charming; and Lady Glandore a
thing of beauty as "Mistress Mary"
The Duchess, indeed, seems quite trans
formed A brilliant fire has lit Itself in
each OF her great gray eyes, and though
her cheeks have turned strangely white
within the last few minutes her lips still are
crimson.
"But to dance" she says, still not look
ing at him. ~ am tired OF dancing Is
there no place to be found for the sole of
ones tired foot this evening""
BY intuition L. knows that she will not
suffer his arm around her aist, and bit
ter pain beats within his heart; pain that
is mingled with an anger bitter.
SIC you are tired we can sit down in one
of the conservatories, or, better still, ia one
of the gardens" he SAYS, as calmly as he
can. Twill that suit you, or shall l give
up my place to alothery'
| "Ihat is n very rude speech, isn't it'''
| says the Duchess, at last turning her eyes
on his And might almost lead me TO be-
I lieve-" aeN
"No''-interruptei he with n sternness
that yet is agitated-"you could never be-
| l.eve that?' He draws her hand with a
touch of determination within his arm, and
moves toward a door on his left. This
leads to conservatory. Entering it, they
come to an open glass door beyond, that
| opens on 70 a yeranda. Three or four steps
| from this leads 10 the terrace beneath, which
in turn gives access to the garden glowing
| in the moonlight
'What lovely nightr' says the
Duchess, looking round her, evidently with
a view 10 making conversation. There is q
slight touch Of nervousness In her manner
| a soupcon Of uneasiness.
~ es am glad it has turned out fine
| Such n mere chance as it was. You are
enjoying YOURSELF" with steady glance
at her.
$50 muchr' with enthusiasm. 81 hardly
thought it possible that one could compress
such an amount OF thorough enjoyment
into one short evening oh, yes. l am
feeling absurdly happy"
"l GU should" bitterly. "The right is
al your own. You have the world at
your feet"
"The world! A large statement"
Not SO large as it sounds. Each Of US
has world of our own in which 10 know
! grief or Joy; your world is a most submit s.
sive one; it owns itself captive TO your
will"
"Does ity' with little unmirthful laugh.
"And who are my capt vesH
''Ihc quest on is not like you" says he,
bitterly. But you are SO changed, SO
different from the cousin | once knew, that
is it to crafty your vanity you ask it?
Shall | speak of Grcene-of kilgarrif-
Of"
pray don't if you want TO make your
self interesting; / know quite rs much Of
them as ! wish TO know"
SIS that true, Norah2 Is that sighting
tone nest? Am | really 10 believe that
they all-that Kilgarrif is OF no account in
your eyes,
why should you seek to believe any
thing of that sorJy' demands she, coldly,
lifting large resentful eyes TO his. "Are
you my guardian, my-my brother, that
you thus SPEAK?
"You do not deny then" excl aims he,
recklessly, that there is now, at all events,
something between you and kilgarrif ("
There IS such passionate anguish in his
tone that had her own heart cen free from
care she must have condoned h words
This is an exam nation to which | re-
fuse TO be subjected " says she, lightly
cHbub Dub Nabl III angry EidHct neE
heart is beatAg wildly painfully; fear OF
his next words is depressing her, with that
vehement indignation that he-engaged
TO and doubtless in love with another
woman, us lie is--should dare 10 take her 10
task.
ut is true-I have no riTht TO speak,"
says De!gney, cont olling himself by vsi-
Lle effort ''But you are very young. and
much as you may dislike the idea am in q
sense your guardian whilst you remain
here"
'You are not my guardian, here or else
where. Nou,n with a cold, steady glance
"are njthins 10 me. Please understand
that at once. / am under my aunt's care,
not yours. II thought otherwise should
not remain an hour longer under this roof.
cannot permit you to interfere with me in
any way"
mot even for"
''Not in any way" haughtily. "Now,"
with a slight curl of her lip, ''if you have
quite finished your impromptu lecture,
should be glad TO return TO the house"
II have not finished, " breaks he out
nercely, goaded to quicker wrath by that