The record-union., 1893-06-17

cumStance IN connection with his guest.
Conrad evidently was no lie-a-bed On
two different occasions the old gentleman
had caught sight of Count Kestler sally
ing forth from the house at an hour when
the housemaids should indeed have been
astir, but were not, and he regularly APP
peared late for breakfast, with hair wet
by dew, and not infrequently with frag-
mentS OF grass or a red or yellow leaf
clinging to his coat. The Baron began to
admit that there must, after all, be some
good in the man. An individual who
found pleasure in such simple country
enjoyments as a walk before breakfast
could not be entirely corrupted by the
wickedness OF town life.
Miss Wilkins, on her side, was much
pleased by the discovery that point
which for long had been rather sore one
between herselfand her pupil had shaped
itself according to her own wishes.
"Your cheeks are twice as pink as usual
and your eyes twice as blue" she said
approvingly, on meeting Elsbeth in the
passage one morning laden with autumn
crocuses. That is the result Of early
hours"
"Or Of holidays" said Elsbeth prompt
ly;;.
about that you require SO much less sleep
during holidays than on lesson days?
don't know of any bride by which
could have got you out of bed before
o'clock, so long as books and aliases were
in sight"
Elsbeth smiled happily and almost a
little guilty, but attempted no explana-
ton, and listened with quite unusual
patience to the wholesome remarks on
the subject of early rising with which
Miss Wilkins considered it her duty to
improve the occasion.
Neither did Anna and Helene entirely
escape; but these two young ladies' sub
mitted quite passively to having their
younger sister held up to them as an eX-
ample of good conduct, and got out of
bed no earlier next day. AS long as
there was a guest i'll the house it was OBJ
viously eXpedient to keep ones self
tresher for the evening hours by lying
late in the morning.
1t was on the fifth day Of Conrad's stay
that the Baron, when parting with him
for the night, remarked approvingly:
Il see you are as faithful a cultivator
OF morning hours as your father used to
be, but | fear your walk tomorrow is
likely to turn into shower bath"
Conrad looked somewhat taken abaclz,
and having reached the privacy of mis-
room he flung himself into a chair and
began to review the situation.
THAT looks like being watched"-thus
ran the course of his reflections. The
old man is just bristling with suspicious.
Is there any way, l wonder, to put him
oil the scent?"
He sat for some minutes, gnawing his
moustache and frowning at the carpet,
but presently his brow cleared and he
laughed aloud i'll the way man laughs
whose fancy is tickled by some specially
good joke.
"That will do it !" he decided as he
rose to go to bed.
The BarOn's prophecy concerning the
weather proved correct. and it was with
somewhat rueful face that Conrad
looked through the streaming pane next
morning. And yet, upon reflection, he
had 70 admit that in one way rainy day
fitted into his plans almost better than a
fair one would have done
Breakfast being over he promptly pro-
posed a game OF billiards, which was en-
Enthusiastically accepted by the Young
ladies, and for the perils of which the
Baron saw no remedy but to take cue
himself. The forenoon hours were
traught with severe trials for this con-
scientious father. While hobbling round
the table as well as his equity knee would
allow him, it was little short of agony to
note the soft chances which Conrad X est
Ter distributed pretty equally between
the Two girls, and to have TO listen to the
playful remarks-tull Of yelled mean
ings, as it seemed to him-of which Con-
RAIDS conversation was chiefly composed.
1t must be the eft11Ht of rainy day which
was inducing the lady-killer to bring out
all his resources, for the Baron mad never
seen him in such force as to-day.
Nor was the afternoon an Improvement
on the forenoon, except for a couple OF
hours, during which the host succeeded
III Turing his guest into the smoking
room. The rules OF hospitality would
Got allow of his being kept there by main
force, and thus it came about that on each
Of the visits of inspection he paid to the
drawing-roOm the Baron suffered great
distress. The first time it was the Sight
OF Conrad sitting on fOotStool and hold
ing skein Of sky-blue wool that was be-
ing wound by Anna, which gave him a
shock, while the second time this same
Conrad turning over the pages of Helene 5
music considerably aggravated his state
Of mind. Fine weather was, after all,
greatly preferable TO rainy weather, was
the conclusion with which he went to
bed.
Next day was not much better. The
sportsman, indeed, went out after break
fast, the barometer having risen, but a
heavy shower brought him back in the
middle of the forenoon, and though it
cleared of soon, he showed no incIina-
ton to sally forth a second time. Some
thing was said about a twisted ankle.
and as here, again, main force could not
be called to aid, there was nothing for it
but to stand at the window and grind his
teeth as he watched Conrad pacing the
garden path beside his eldest daughter.
He stood it fairly well until pause was
made beside q bush of late roses. but
when Conrad in full sight of his window
broke off a pink rose, and with an eX-
quisite bow handed it to his companion,
the Baron sent for Miss Wilkins and COM
a, Il
summoning Anna to the house.
Miss Wilkins obeyed, with the result
that when next the Baron looked out OF
the window Helene was sitting on q
garden bench straight opposite in lively
conversation with Count kestler, and
with one of the same late roses blooming
in her waistband.
"Only three more days till the 10th -
was the only thought to which the poor
harassed father could turn for comfort.
When i'll due course of time the 10th
arrived, the sun rose once more dazzling
and cloudless, exactly as it had done on
the first days of Conrad's visit, and ex-
actly as on the first day, he stole down
the staircase of the sleeping-house and
along the lime avenue which led to the
shores of the lake. His portmanteau was
packed and his wraps strapped up, for
the carriage had been ordered directly
after breakfast. To judge from the ex-
preston of perplexity and indecision
which sat on his face, his impending
journey did not fill him with any special
delight. Exactly as on that first day he
was plunged so deeply in meditation that
he came to an astonished standstiIl on
finding himself on the edge of the water,
and exactly as on that first day, the boat
was chained to the shore, only that this
time Elsbeth sat in it with hands lying
inactive in her lap, and blue eyes that
seemed to have been impatiently watch
ing the avenue. A new and happy smile
frightened Conrad's face; instinctively
he raised his head. The sight OF that
nhilrlialn 81 L L