The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-04-21
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CHAPTER DISCONTINUED.
To pause now, and to enter into an
explanation with q servant. would
bnve bson to reject an opportunity
which might never return. In such
an establishment he was lure OF find
ing himself before long In the pres
snce OF some more or less intelligent
person OF his own class, OF whom he
could make such inquiries as might
enlighten him. and to whom he could
pr. sent such excuses for his intrusion
~ might seem most fitting in so diff
cult a case. He let his sables fall
INTO the hands OF the servant and fol-
lowed the latter along a short pas
sage
The man introduced him into .
spacious hall and closed the door.
leaving him to his W reflections.
The place was very wide and high
and without windows, but the broad
daylight descended abundantly from
above through the glazed roof and IL
Illuminated every corner. He would
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tory, for it contained a forest OF trop-
i"al trees and plants and whole gar
dens of are southern flowers. Tall
letonias, date palms. mimosas and
rubber trees Of many varieties
stretched their fantastic spikes and
heavy leaves halfway up to the
crystal ceiling. giant ferns swept the
polished marble floor with their
soft embroideries and dark
green laces. Indian creepers, full Of
bright blossoms, made screens and
curtains of their INTERVENING foliage;
orchids of every hue and Of every ex-
Ole species bloomed in thick banks
along the walls. Flowers less a
violets and lilies OF the valley, closely
set and luxuriant. grew in beds edged
with moss around the roots of the
lnrger plants and in many open spaces.
Inc air wxs very soft and warm, moist
and full Of heavy odors as the still at
mosphere of an island in southern
seas. and the silence was broken only
by the light plash of softly falling
water.
Having advanced a few steps from
the door. the Wanderer stood still and
waited, supposing that the owner OF
the dwelling would be made ware Of
a visitors presence and would soon
appear. But no one came. Then q
gentle voice spoke from amid the ver-
dure. apparently from no great dis
lance.
Il am here" it said.
He moved forward amid the ferns
and tall plants until he found himself
on the farther side of a thick network
of creepers. Then he paused. for he
was in the presence of a woman, OF
her wna dwell among the flowers. She
was sitting before him. mot!onless
and upright in a high. carved chair.
and so placed hat the pointed leaves
of the palm which rose above her cast
sharp, star-shaped shadows over the
broad folds of her white dress. One
hand, as white, as cold. as heavily
perfect as the sculpture of a Praxiteles
or a Phidias, rested with dropping
fingers on the arm of the chair. The
other pressed the pages of g great
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knee. Her face was turned toward
the visitor and her eyes exam
ined his face calmly and with no sur
PRISE in them, but No. without a look
of interest. Their expression was at
once so unusual, SO d~isguietlng and
yet so ineXplicably attractive as to
fascinate the Wanderers gaze. He
did not remember that he had ever
seen a pair of eyes of distinctly differ
n colors, the one OF a clear, cold
gray, the other of a deep, warm brown,
so dark as to seem almost black, and
he would not have believed that
nature could so far transgress the
canons of her own art and yet pre-
serve the appearance of beauty. For
the lady was beautiful from the dia-
dem Of her red. gold hair to the proud
curve of her fresh. young lips; from
her broad, pale forehead, prominent
and boldly modelled at the angles
OF the brows, to the ST. ong
m%ouldings of the well-balauced chin
which gave evidence of strength and
resolution wherewith to carry out the
promise of the high aquiline features
and of the wide. sensitive nostrils."
Madam" said he, bending his
head c~ourteously and advancing an
other step. II can neither frame ex-
cuses for having entered your house
unbidden, norhopet to obtain indulgence
for my intrusion, unless you are willing
in the first place to hear my short
story. May ] expect so much kind
ness?"
He paused, and the lady looked at
him fxedly and %curiously. Without
taking her eyes from his face and
without speaking. she closed the book
she had held on her knee and laid it
beside her on a low table. The Wan
derer did not avoid her gaze. for he
had nothing to conceal, nor any sense
of timidity. He was an intruder upon
the privacy Of one whom he did not
know, but he was ready to explain
his presence and to make such
amends as courtesy required. if he
had given offence.
The heavy odors OF the flowers
filed his nostrils with an unknown.