The morning call., 1892-07-17

door opened and Miss Demetrius paused for
a moment on the threshold, Oswald felt that
never before had his eyes taken in such
vision of loneliness.
In figure Myrrha Demetrus was tall and
slender. but with nothing of fragility In her
appearance. Her complexion was OF the
purest and most transparent olive, her silky
hair and sharply penciled eyebrows as eben
as a ravens wing. But Ia her eyes lay her
greatest attraction. They were large, hQulds
melting, and as dark as midnight, and, like
midnight, pricked with points OF ardent
fame which thrilled the young man through
and through. No wonder that when his
mind as it presently did, reverted for a
moment to the image Of Nellie Trent, 1t
was only dim and faded picture of the
fair-haired, blue-eyed girl who had nestled
so warmly in his thoughts that now fitted
across his mental retina. All in a moment
new and gorgeous planet had swum into
his ken, and for the time being poor Nellie's
wistful eyes and shadOwy smile were
eclipsed.
Ainslie was conscious of being introduced
to Miss Demetrius, and OF f0underlng
through the ordeal nmehow. Then the
girl vanished, to rea ppear couple of min
utes later when she had taken of her out
door things.
Presently Demetrius asked his daughter
TO favor them with little music. by this
time both the men were smoking. MyTrha
and shyness were unacquainted. She seated
herself at the piano and began 10 play, and
so went on playing one piece after another
with Only half q minutes pause between
each. Oswald sat enraptured and en-
tranced. Never before had music appealed
to him as this girls playing did. He was as
one buoyed up and borne aloft on wave of
senSuOus emotion; who, minute by minute
is conscious that be is drifting further away
from the humdrum, prosaic life, which is all
he has hitherto known. toward land OF
delicious dreams and Infinite sweet posi-
biities.
He was recalled with start by Demetrius
"We have not yet taken, Myrrha and l, to
the English fashion Of o'clock tea; but at
this time of day, when l happen 10 be in
doors. certainly enjoy cup of coffee with
my cigar. What say you, Mr.. Ainslie-will
you indulge in one with ME? AS it hap
pens. Nine. Chevin, my worthy lOcatalre,
has the secret of making ii to perfection"
Ten minutes later black coffee was brought
in and Demetrius proceeded to pour out a
cup for Ainslie aud another for himself.
Oswald, who had never tasted the stuff -
before. followed his hosts example in sip
ping il with apparent gusto between the
whitfs of his cigar. Still the music went
on with but brief iDtermissions, MyTTha's
repertory being apparently inexhaustible.
by this time the evening was drawing on.
Already the room was In semi-darknesS.
The fire had burnt itself down to a deep
red glow, viii included the two men
within its radius. Presently the captain
filed the cups afresh, and then crossing TO
CaDlHel He pIonuceu from III Smail ue-
canter half filled with q ruby -colored
! liquor.
Here is something that goes specially
we'll with coffee, at least 10 my thinking"
lie said. Il am going TO try little of it.
and advise you TO do the same"
| Speaking thus, he poured a small guam
THY OF the liquor into his own cup, and, as
Stunning OSwad's consent, like quantity
into his. Then the smoking and slipping
went on as before. and still Myrrha's magic
strains. not weird, now tender, now in.
fused with pathOs which caused Oswald's
eyes 10 dim with tears. and anon rising to
pitch OF subllmated passion, awoke echoes
as varied as themselves in the young mans
breast. aud seemed 10 aitune his soul TO finer
Imagining than any it had ever known be-
fore.
Was il the music; was il the coy warmth
aud perfumed twilight of the room; was it
the tDctured sweetness of the coffee a mix
ture unlike anything within his experience :;
or was II the whole combined which pres
emily caused Oswald to become conscious that
a vague, delicious drOwsiness was beginning
10 steal through his veins aud mount to his
brain? IL was question he cared neither
10 ask nor answer-nether that nor any
other question. OF course he was not
going to bed; the mere thought of such a
thing was absurd. He was pleasantly
| drowsy-nothing more-and after indulg-
Ing IN the sensation a few minutes longer
he would shake il of and become himself
again.
u,
the fingers still holding his half-burnt cigar,
was resting on the arm of his chair, and
really he felt too lazy TO lift the weed TO hi
lips. After little while his gaze. idly
wandering and seeking object in especial,
scented drawn. without any conscious vo-
lition on his part, to the face of his host
who sat fronting him on the opposite side
Of the hearth-nOt, however, to the face
generally, but only to the eyes, which gave
him back stare for stare and so fixed his
regard that lie had no power to withdraw
it or turn it elsewhere. He was dimly
aware that the drowsiness was growing
upon him, wrapping him round like gar
ment Of softest wool, and in the same vague
way he felt wholly pOwerless to break
through its insidious influence.
From the dark OTbs of Demetrius, from
under the gloom of his penthouse brOws,
were emitted two pa!pitatiDg rays of light
which penetrated Oswald's brain by way of
his eyes and held him captive. Then pres
entity 1t seemed to him as if the head of the
man opposite became transformed into the
head OF hooded snake, which, with slow
undulatoTy movements, alternately dilated
its capellO and contracted it, but never for
an instant changed the direction of its bale
full gaze.
Then there came over him sort of far
away Consciousness that the music had
ceased, and that a fine current of ice-cold
air was being directed full on the crown of
his head which sent an Involuntary shudder
down his spine. a few seconds more aud
all his faculties faded into Inconsistencies.
Anslie opened his eyes and came to him.
self with start. He sat up in his chair
shivered, and stared around. Myrrha was
playing dreamy waltz in a minor key,
while her father. with a freshly lighted
cigar between his fingers. was staring FIX
eddy into the fire. The evening had grown
somewhat darker, but the gas had not yet
been lighted. Oswald glanced at the clock !;
the time was % minutes past z. He had
been asleep exactly half an hour The
moment he realized this fact he felt himself
become one huge blush from head to foot.
What must Captain DemetTius think of
him? Above all, what must MyrTha think
Of him. AS this question put itself he in
voluntarily started to his feet
a moment later The music ceased alb
rupty, aud Demetrius also rose to his feet.
Ainslie stammered out something abou t
having Overstayed his time and having an
appointment, and so forth; but he could
never afteTward recall in what terms he
did it.
my dear Mr.. Ainslie," said the captain,
} ''if you had only called upon me yesterday
or the day before. should certainly have
done my best to induce you to stay aud dine
with US. To-day. however, as it happens.
we have an engagement iodine out. But you
must come to US on Sunday next without
| fail, when we will have quiet dinner by
! ourselves. Mr.. Ainslie must hold him self
disengaged for Sunday, must he not, Myr-
rha?"
} '0h. do hope he WILL" responded Myrrha
in her clear. bell-like tones. as she came for
I ward. Indeed, Mr.. Ainslie, we shall not
let you 60 till we have your promise"
Then, a moment later, she said, Permit
me, and with that she fixed an orchid in
his buttOnhOle, which she had taken from
one OF the bowls. AS she did so, her eyes
met his with depth of intensity in them
which might well have intoxicated the brain
OF far wore seasoned man of the world
| than Oswald could boast of being.