The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-09

began to think that In spite OF his fascnat-
ing ways, the Crock was little dull. The
sun crept around and invaded the piazza.
Gladys proposed that they should go into
| the library; she had some photographs OF
Greece that perhaps might interest him.
Davaris was about 10 decline to 60; he
did not care TO see the pictures. He looked
| at Gladys. who had risen from the ham
mock, and then-went The library was
a small room, darkened by closed shut
tors. In the dim light Davaris vaguely
noticed that IL was fairly loaded down
with bric-a- bric old coins In antique trays.
| scimitGss, old fire-lock guns, Egyptian
daggers and rare tapestries. The long
windows opened on the piazza. and
through one OF these, they passed into the
room. The place was so much cooler than
the outside air that Davaris shivered In.
voluntarily as soon as Miss Montague
closed the shutters OF the window back OF
them. The carpet was very soft, his feet
sinking into IL at every step. Out OF doors
they could hear voices from the tennis
court, mingled occasionally with Haver'
meyers well-known laugh, but save this
everything about them was still. Davaris
watched Miss Montague move abouti In hei
languidly graceful way, and something
made him wish that he had never come
into that room. Her beauty did not impress
itself on him at all in that dim light; she
looked so dark and her large eyes were
so bright that they we're almost unpleas-
| ant TO him. She took portfolio from
table, and then they seated themselves
| by window on another side os the room,
| Miss Montague drew back the curtains
| slightly, and when the bright light pene-
trated the room, Davaris felt relieved; ii
was as IL the sun had suddenly emerged
| from cloud.
For few moments they were busy over
the pictures. Gladys taking them from the
portfolio and handing them TO Davaris
with running fire OF questions and COM
| ment. Then he saw her put her hand
down into the lining Of tho portfolio
which was torn. aud take small photo
graph from 1t. Her face flushed with joy,
and she said with a laugh:
'Oh, there it Isl II has been lost for so
long" and she looked at the picture with
eager eyes.
| Davaris looked inquiringly at her.
1T is picture of my father-the last
one he ever had taken" she said, answer
ing his unasked question.
| Davaris, not saying a word, stretched
out his hand, and she gave the picture to
him mechanically. He took it and looked
at it anxiously. She noticed his hand was
shaking.
1t was a picture of a man little over
thirty years of age, with long sweeping
side-@hiskers which reached below his
coat collar. a smooth-shaven chin, hand
somely cut nose and lips. His head was
finely shaped and slightly bald at the
temples He WAS in tho uniform OF n COL
onel in the regular United States Army.
and on his breast were two or three deco
rations.
That man-your father?" Davaris said
looking up suddenly and gazing at her
earnestly.
| yes" she answered, a little startled at
the look on the Greeks face. HE died in
Rome ten years ago. He was colonel in
the army, but was on the retired list. He
had been in Greece-that is where he COL
ected all these photographs. The pie
ture was taken in Paris about a month, |
think, before he died. And I'm so glad
rave found 1t again. 1t is the only picture
have OF him. and you cannot think how /
| prize itp'
Gladys did not know what made her tell
this comparative stranger about her
'ather but there was a questioning ap-
| cal Ia his dark eyes; there was look of
sympathetic sadness in their soft depths.
Davaris laid the picture down on tie
| liable, and they continued to look over the
other photographs, but she noticed he
| glanced uneasily at the photograph of
| her father several times.
Gladys was where she could see out Of
the window and command view OF the
| driveway, and suddenly she started up
with little scream, letting the portfolio
and the pictures fall on the floor In disor-
| der. Coming down the road at a tearing
pace wns the dog-cart, with Mrs. Hamlyn
| In IL alone, and the horse unmanageable.
! The coachman was nowhere to be seen,
and evidently had been thrown out.
! Gladys rushed out on the piazza just in
| time TO see Langford make leap into the
air. catch the bride of the horse skill
| fully, and cling for dear life. Langford
was tossed about on this side and on tsht,
| but at last succeeded in cramping tho
| head Of the frightened horse and stopping
him. Davaris closely followed Miss Mon
| tague from the library and almost at the
| same instant Lawrence came around the
corner OF the house. After that every
thing was in confusion. Mrs. Hamlyn
had tainted. Constance was screaming,
servants were rushing about for restora-
| tives and Havermeyer appeared TO be the
only one who retained his presence OF
mind, for he attempted to take a picture
OF Mrs. Hamlyn, who had collapsed grace
| fully on tho lawn. In the excitement no
one noticed that Lawrence glanced darkly
at Davaris several times; no one noticed
that the Greek improved an early oppor-
tunity TO excuse himself and leave
At last when quiet was restored. Da-
varis and Langford gone, and Mrs. Ham
/ lyn put to bed Gladys went back into the
library TO put away the photographs. She
! picked them up from the floor. and then
|