The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-10-27

within sound of the music: 81 have al
ways held that you were the properest
girl of my acquaintance; you are pain
fully CONNIE il faut, and it would be a
positive relief to catch you tripping"
Margaret laughed gently.
"But the worst of it is" continued
Mrs. Witherbee, "that you will never
know what you have missed! There is
nothing in the world so delightful as
an unconventional episode; and the
most interesting people are those who
are jus6 little bit off Now you are
shocked, but 1 only wish that / could
convince YOUR
A tall and well-made man had been
threading his way among the groups
on the piazza and approaching them
unnoticed. Now he paused at Mrs.
! Witherbee's side with outstretched
hand.
''Why, of all the people in the world!
Where did you drop from?' she cried,
with genuine pleasure and surprise.
There was something familiar to
Margaret in the erect figure, and while
she wondered what association it had
for her, he turned, and she recognized
the rescuer of Alexis!
He bowed, and in her surprise Mar
garet was betrayed into returning the
salutation, and Mrs. Witherbee's
"Madge, dear, allow me to introduce"
was merged with her usual vivacity in
to: 'What, and you actually know
each other! Well, what man you
are! You spend your life in all manner
| ofa oft tho r,1o ond on
know everyone; how do you manage
it? Come, sit down and tell me where
you have come from nowr'
From a hotel at the other end of the
beach," he replied, while he turned to
Margaret with a smiling inquiry about
his friend Alexis.
Margaret was annoyed, but, though
she would not do more than answer his
questions with grave poIiteness, she
soon found herself listening with in
terest to the man who proved himself a
master of Mrs. Witherbee's own weap-
ons of persiflage and raillery.
But she did not even know his name!
And she blamed herself for allowing
him to entrap her into recognition
before a regular introduction had set
her right in her own esteem. From the
flippant conversation, in which she
resolutely took so small part, she
could only gather that he was an er-
ratio wanderer, and, as Mrs. Witherbee
had declared her weakness for doubt
full characters, Margaret wondered if in
reality he were not such one, in spite
of his fine presence and manly bear
ing.
The music ended, and as Margaret
arose the stranger took his leave, and
all through the long corridors which
led to the Douglas rooms Mrs. Wither-
bee laughingly rallied against their
late companion and warned her young
friend against him.
Confess that he's handsome, Madge?
You won't? Well, nevertheless, half
believe you are smitten already, but if
not, be warned in time. That man is
invulnerable. Iknow, for I've tried to
break his heart and it will not even
bend, though other hearts are like wax
in his strong hands! Did you notice his
hands? They are remarkable, but then
he's remarkable character, and some
one ought to write his history. 1t will
go to prove my theory, too, for there
never was a man who had less regard
for the conventionalitles than he. 1
wonder if you ever heard of him
MRS. Witherbee," Margaret broke
in, desperately, 81 don't even know
his"
Adventure in South Africa?" Mrs
Witherbee went on, needless of the in
terruption. "Well, you must get him
to tell you"
"But who is"
"Your rival? No one that know OF,
dear! There, don't look so indignant
it would delight me to see him at your
feet. He will get caught at last, and
| don't you think l noticed that though
he talked to me he had only eyes for
you? Well, here we are, and now good
by! for l leave early in the morning
I'm sorry to go before you do, but I'm
due at the Morgans'. hope your
mother will be stronger soon; give her
my love, and au revoir at Lenox in Sep
tember."
She was gone, and Margaret stood at
the door of her room, bewildered, in
dignant and all wrong with herself and
her ideas of propriety. Her one hope
was that she should never again see
this man who had so strangely troubled
her peace of mind.
But the next morning as she was TAX
ing her early walk with Alexis along
the beach he joined her, to the dogs in
tense delight. And, in spite of her nn=
comfortable sensation of self-blame at
having permitted him to presume SO
far, she could not help admitting to
herself that he was undeniably enter
tanning and agreeable.
The next day she chose different di,
rection for her walk and different
hour, and yet again they met-and
Margaret, in spite of her strict ideas of
etiquette, seemed altogether helpless
and adrift in the course of this "uncon-
ventional episode" She thoroughly
disapproved of it, and yet there was a
fascination about this man which gave
a terrible force to Mrs. Witherbee's jest
ing words.
If she could only take counsel with
her mother! But Mrs. Douglas was still
too weak and nervous to be worried
with any such extraordinary affair.
And so the days went on. One morn
ing, however, the cutting wind gave
Margaret an excuse to omit her walk,
and, hidden in sheltered nook among
the rocks, she fancied that unless be-
trayed by Alexis. her solitude would be
| undiSturbed