Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-22

be. l should suppose they might be
brother and sister, only they are Of diff
ferent nationalities. The man is evil
IDENTIFY an American, and the lady,
/ though she speaks English perfectly
| well, evidently is not. She is probably
| four or five years older than he, and has
a certain air of experience. She is de-
cidedly handsome, and has what they
call distinguished manners; that is, she
makes you perceive that they are man
ners, though very good ones. She has
rented that large house ON the top of the
hill"
''She or they?'
''She. He has his room here, and turns
up every night at 10o'clock. They spend
the day together; he is undoubtedly
in love with her, and she seems to be
anything but Indifferent to him. You
see it isn't an ordinary affair. Here
they are, buried from the world beyond
discovery, and they might live as they
liked; and yet they-or she at any rate
prefer to conduct themselves in this
anomalous fashion. There is some mys-
: terry in it, my dear Geofrey-some deep,
dark, inscrutable mystery! They are
known respectively as Mr.. Edwardes
and Mrs. Peters, but 1 have an idea they
! call each other something else. One
1 theory of mine about them was that.she
4 was younger sister of his mother; his
father, you know, might hs,e married
| foreign woman In that case she
would be his aunt and the mystery
would be solved; but, as I said before,
they are plainly in love, and nephews
and aunts neither fall in love nor marry,
so far as my experience goes. Come.
you are fresh from the States; can you
guessT'
81 guess not" said Bellingham; and
the conversation took another turn.
Suddenly Helwise, who had been look
ing toward the southern approach to the
terrace on which they were standing,
said in a low voice: ''There come the
mysteries. Nowyou can judge for your
self"
Bellingham turned his eyes in the di-
rection indicated and saw man and
woman approaching slowly, side by side.
They seemed to be conversing intermit-
tently, and as they walked her shoulder
occasionally brushed his arm and their
glances constantly met. The man seemed
to be under 20 years of age; he was tall
and active and of rather slender build,
and as he approached Bellingham noticed
that his features were of a bold and
striking cast, with bright and somewhat
intolerant eyes. His expression at the
present moment was troubled and
gloomy. He frequently looked on the
ground and struck the pebbles from his
path with a stick. He would speak
few sentences at a time, theoretically
and rapidly; then relapse into moody
silence, responding by shake of the
head or other brief gesture to the dis
course of his companion.
The latter was a woman whose aspect
Gf the distinction be permissible was
younger than her looks. Her face and
figure were Youthful. but her bearing
and gestures were mature. Her features
were of a clear paleness, regular in out
line and of remarkable beauty. Some
thing in her aspect enchanted Belling-
hams regard; she did not resemble any
woman he had seen, and yet she remind
ed him in some intangible, elusive way
of a woman whom he wished to forget.
She was different-different at every
point; and yet if he turned away and
glanced at her from the corner of his
eye there was an indescribable likeness.
Was it the way she had of slowly lifting
her chin? Was it the slope of her Shout
deTs? Was it in the way the soft hair
grew on the nape of her white neck?
Was it in the smile that lighted her eyes
before it touched her lips? 1t was all OF
these things-it was none of them! After
a minute Bellingham forcibly dismissed
the question from his mind. OF what
earthly consequence was it?
Here were a good looking woman and
an enamored young man, a common
sight enough. They seemed to be in love
with each other, as Helwise had said;
but while the gentleman had evidently
lost his head the lady was entirely self
possessed. She seemed to be amused
specifically at some extravaganza or
perversity in her companion, but there
was an underlying sadness or anxiety
perceptible when her face was at rest.
She had the air of trying to make him
take some step or comprehend some
thing which he refused to do or under
stand. As they passed the young man
glanced for a moment toward Helwise
and nodded recognition. The lady did
not turn, nor evince consciousness of the
presence of any third party. They
slowly traversed the length of the ter
race and disappeared through the gate
way at the farther end.
''She knows how to dress" remarked
Bellingham.
"And how to walk" added Helwise.
''She must have learned that on the
stage"
IAN actress, then, you think?'
Eyes; or an opera singer, perhaps
Well, what do you think is the matterT'
HE hasn't money enough, maybe"
said Bellingham; "or perhaps she likes
him too well to marry him. A woman
like that knows that an ounce of imagi-
nation is worth pound of reality
both to her and to him."
you have studied women since
knew you last, f" remarked Helwise with
a smile.
''If have" replied Godfrey, ''they
have only taught me to disbelieve the
little ever thought knew. Come, let
Us be moving"
no BE CONTINUED
n-oro, uT.zL:L.- - A. Ta-4b