The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-10-21
DAWN.

warm tint, and the bare rounded arms,
ON which shone rich bands Of gold.
She carried a richly-jeweied fan. and
wore diamonds in the masses Of dusky
hair that sat like a crown on her head.
And her brilliant face had the imperial
beauty men in olden days gave to the
%goddesses they worshipped.
She read the wonder in the tender
earnest eyes, and smiled. There was
more character in her smile even than
in her FACET came slowly, and was,
to a keen observer, cruel. Lady Rose
dene introduced Hyacinth to her.
Lady Fraser smiled again, and in her
turn looked intently at her golden
haired rival.
Hyacinth thought the sound Of her
voice very sweet. She watched her in
wonder. She had never seen any II
so superbly beautiful, and SO superbly
dressed.
Lady Fraser was older than herself
by some years. and the contrast be-
tween the fair, fresh. golden-haired girl
and the beautiful dark-eyed woman was
curious in it's way.
She fascinated Hyacinth-it was a
certain fact that, if Lady Fraser once
took the trouble to smile in any face,
she made the owner of it captive at
once. There was no power to resist;
she possessed a marvellous gift Of fas-
cination.
She smiled a little at the young girls
unconscious homage.
I'VE shall see what we shall see,'
said Lady Fraser.
On the fourth of May Alan Branston
came, and when he reached the Hall
Lady Fraser had gone out into the
grounds. She had found for herself a
pleasant seat behind the plumed lilac
trees. There a soft western wind, 4
sweet perfume reached her without the
warmth Of the suns rays. There was
no II amongst he visitors whom she
thought it worth her while to conquer,
so she had given her morning to- the
study Of some poems
Presently, ON looking up, she saw a
stranger who interested her-a tall,
handsome man, young, with a brave
bright face, and dark earnest eyes-a
man who was evidently a gentleman,
from his erect, easy carriage and court
ly nne Who was he?
She answered her own question. 1t
was the squire, of course-Alan Bran
ston-Miss Nane's lover; and Il goodly
lover he was, in Lady Fraser's eyes.
AS they passed by the group of lilac
trees, engrossed in each other, and for
getting the world, she heard Alan say:
Il see no beauty in any face but
yours, my love. Other faces are all
blank to me-"
They walked n but with the sound
of the words in her ears an evil spirit
entered the beautiful woman's heart.
Shn 1o,1u]n I o1c,,1 q or,o Ia,,rl>
What nonsense" she said to herself.
Il will teach him that other faces are
not all blanks. My face shall not be a
blank to him. So that is the child's
lover. Well, he is a gallant one, tall
and handsome-simple, too, if he thinks
hers the only face on earth worth look
ing at"
She was a wOma1 of Unsuitable yani-
ty. She had been so much worshipred
all her life for her marvellous beauty
that she considered the heart Of every
man she met her lawful prey.
She had but little trouble in winning
them. A CLEAN from her splendid eyes
a touch Of her white jeweled hand
a whisper from her musical vOice-a
smile from her beautiful lips-and the
weak hearts of men went out to her,
no matter what bound them. She had
never had the least trouble in making
4 conquest. The strongest and wisest
men had fallen before her like the
leaves from the trees.
She was cruel. 1t was play to her
to take 4 mans heart in her soft white
hand, and after toying with it for a
time, crush it as she would have
crushed a rose-leaf. Her vanity was in
satiable-nothing ever daunted her. If
she liked any nj or thought the con-
quest of any particular person would
add to her reputation as a beauty and
winner of hearts, she pursued that per-
son to the bitter END. The gentle heart
of a loving wife might break, the o V
Of a fair fiancee might all be turned to
gall and bitterness-Lady Fraser mere
ly laughed. All that her victims won
in return was a few smiles, 4 few tete-
a-tetes, a weeks fidelity, and then they
had to make room for another.
It was dull, according to her notions,
at Dene; there were several men, but
none whom she cared to win. The
handsome young squire, however, took
her fancy, and she smiled as she said
to herself that she would win him.
'Such boy-and-gil loye-such. nom
sense-only M face in the world Tor
him! 1t is high time he saw two. 1t
will do him good-educate him. A fir
tation with a woman like myself is the
best possible education for n like him.
1t will do the girl good, too, if he talks
to her in that way. She will begin to
think herself an angel" She had
nothing particular to occupy her during
the next few weeks, and it would not
do to get out Of practice. If ther9 had
been 4 handsomer or weather. man at
Dene hail, she would not have troubled
Alan; but he looked SO handsome IN
so gallant, added to which there was
! the irresistible fact that he belonged
to some n else, that it would be a lit
tie, amusement fer hel., relieve u te-
diousness Of her visit, to captiyate MIN.
It would be amusing, because at first ne
would doubtless rebel. After all, II
she chose to educate him and show him
that life held more Tor him thu he
knew at present, it concerned no one.
When she had had her fair share OF
amusement, she would be leaving Dene,
and perhaps should not see him again.
She would not wish to see him--a few
weeks were quite enough for any poor
moth. s
She laughed softly to herself as she
thought how the fair-haired girl would
he lost in q maze OF wonder and doubt,
and how rejofced she would be TO Win
her lover again. ],
She walked back leisurely TO the
I house.
Yes, she said to herself. 8 have
nothing better to do. I will try IL
can win him.
And she dressed with unusual care,
smiling az she did so to think how easy
her conquest would be.