The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-06-30
D0CKRELL'S DEPARTURE.

It WINS evident that be did not mean to 20
Mrs Rashlty began to be alarmed. She
had asked him down, to be sure, without
specifying the exact day be WAS to leave
but now the last guest had made the last
pretty speech, and the dogcart containing
lingering sportsman and his belongings
was disappearing down the drive, and vet,
by blazing fire in the cozy study she
knew that at thRt moment Willourhby
Dockrell was unfolding the morning pa,
pers and lighting cigar, with TINT com.
plRcent smile which irritated her no much
when she was not n the mood for it. And
she was by no means in the mood for 1t TO-
day. II was not only that a fresh set OF
people were To arrive tomorrow, most of
whom would by no means share her en-.
thusiasm for the poet who was now
stretched at his ease in her favorite arm
chair, but that the party invited for the
next few days was TO include a faithful
aud somewhat stold admirer, Major Cham.
pion.
Now, Mrs Rashleigh was not one Of the
order Of women who are unhappy II they
have not second lover TO play off on the
hrst. Under such circumstance she
opiued both were apt to be fretful and un,
amusing. Mrs. Rashleigh, to be sure had
been widow for exactly five years, so that
II may be inferred that she knew some
thing Of the other sex Young, cheerful
and well of, without being pretty, she was
distinctly attractive, and, having the SO
cial Instinct, her place in Blaukshire was
nearly always full In London she was
inclined to affect the smart intellectual
set" and She liked 70 he credited with
ideas and opinions Ideas and opinions
were, perhaps, rather scarce IN the circles
In which Mrs. Rashleigh usually moved.
II was probably this which had made her
seek the society OF Dockrell, for the man,
at any rate, had brains But there were
questions which she could not help asking
herself In her present unsteady frame Of
mind.
Apart from q volume Of poems which
had made certain stir, who and what was
hei Nobody seemed quite to know. least
OF all In the rather fashionable act into
which he had effected an entrance. He
had clean cut face. plausible manners
and pretty talent for giving the talk a
neat and epigrammatic turn; while it was
certain that be had lived In Paris. In Rome
and In New York, and that he knew every
body little and nobody well II men, too,
instinetiyely disliked him, ii was notorious
that Tor most women he had an irresistible
attraction, so that one was apt 10 meet
Willoughby Doekrell more frequently In
inner drawing rooms than in the more
breezy mental atmosphere Of the clubs
But though Mrs. Rashleigh was fond of
having long discussions with her literary
Admirer, II by no means followed that she
intended to continue those discussions for
life, and during the last day or two Dock
rell had assumed an all conquering air
which was distasteful to her 1t Is always
awkward for hostess to have TO tell y
guest TO CO. aud Mrs. Rashegh racked her
brains for an expedient as the hall door
closed to on the last member Of the party
and she thoughtfully crossed the hall.
WELL shall have TO tell Jack all about
It when he comes tomorrow" she said to
herself at last, with that little sigh OF re-
lief which a woman gives when she has
determined to transfer her troubles to
shoulders broader than her own.
And meanwhile Willoughby Dockrell,
having finished a second cigar was medi.
tating on his plan OF campaign. For nearly
thirty hours he would have his charming
hostess to himself, for the young sister
who was there TO play propriety hardly
counted, aud he would surely he able to
get her to drive or To ride alone with him
that vary % uhtrt =, ha,,u, l..aIJ
himself. alone in country house with a
woman who obviously likes you is worth
thirty months Of afternoon calls and din
per conversations In London
He glanced around the room. How de
hghtful 1t all was--so cozy, 80 old fash.
Toned, with the air Of having been always
Just like that. The leather bindings Of the
books were worn and melowed; the gilt Of
the picture frames was a little dim with
age. A Rcmney and Gaiusborough-
portraits Of departed RSsheghs-g -gaz6l
down on him from either side of the fire
place. A granduncle with diIettante tastes,
who had made the "grand tour" had
brought back that Canova from Rome.
Generations Of gentlefolks had lived and
read and chatted In that room AT his
age, and with his tastes, it was all Just
what appealed to him most--the sense of
security, Of rest, Of long unchanging years.
Willoughby Dockrell had been Of late
frequent guest in English country houses.
but no home that he had entered had ap-
pealed to him quite SO intimately as this.
A man Of forty-hve, who has lived In most
OF the capitals Of civilization, generally
turns at last to some such haven. AT for
ly-ave the boueyards of Paris, the clubs
Of London and the balls of New York may
begin to pail.
At that uncertain age, when he Is neither
old nor young, he had begun TO think that
. man wanted home, a position and a
wife. Now, all these things, he thought,
were well within his reach. There were no
children; the place was hers for her Life