Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-15
CHAPTER II.
"Portia!" l cried.
PORTIA.
kNilNllA A. There was no answer. The woman stood mt

CHAPTER II. | PORTIA.
 1 There was no answer. i The woman stood motionless as if carved from stone.
 l 'Portiar' I cried again. Slowly she moved across the piazza.
 Who calls mel" she asked. | ''Portia. it is I-your old friend, Pru- dence Mason. Oh, do not tell me you have forgotten me-that you are not glad to see me. Ihave come so far" and choked with my emotion I hurried l up the steps. holding ont my arms to her. i The light from the huge bronze lamp | in the hall shone straight upon my host ess. 1 saw the face of which I had so often thought-the faceof my old friend.
 Why, what was it:
 stopped. dazed and bewildered. This was not Portin!
 1 had prepared myself for great change in my friend. I had not looked to see the girl. I remembered the morn ing we bade each other farewell. but had anticipated seeing an older, ma turer Portia, in whose features l yet might trace the lines and expression of my friend of long ago.
 But this cold, proud-yes insolent- faced woman. where were the amiabili- l ty, the sweetness and the tenderness l remembered? Vanished-all-and in their stead l remarked only disdain and vcXatiou.
 She saw my surprise, my hesitation yes, my alarm-and n singular expression crept in her face, an expression of min gled cunning and dread.
 Why. you are not Portia" l stam- mered
 Oh. yes, am," she replied, with light laugh-''yes, and very glad to see you. Prudence It was good of you to come so far. You think have changed? So have. But l am Portia." and she bent and kissed me
 The caress was intolerable. I could have screamed when her cold lips touched mine An, how different re- ception had pictured: What did it mean? Was it she who was changed or I?
 She led me in, with many polite in- quiries, uttered i'll perfunctory and me chanical fashion. Servants were sum- moned; tea was brewed; my bags and wraps taken; everything that the most punctihous hostess could do for guest was done for me. And vet through all these kindly offices I was conscious of a vague feeling of uneasiness and distrust.
 Under the glow of the great drawing room chandelier studied Portias face closely What was il: Where was the great change which seemed to separate the friend of my youth from me as by gulf. There was the same lustrous hair, uutinged by a thread of silver; there were the great almond shaped liquid eyes. like black velvet: the same faultless- ly faultleSS features; the same ivorylike complexion. But the soul was gone from the face; the essence Of an exquisite nature no longer looked out from the eyes. It was Portia and yet not Portia.
 She caught my intent scrutiny.
 II have grown old. Prudence" she said in answer to my inquiring looks, and our southern climate has not im- proved my complexion. Then. too, have lived n monQtonous life, have been very much alone, and that, you know, is not good for one," and then she laughed.
 I recalled Portia's laugh-mirth pro- voking, contagious, hearty. could hear again its silvery sweetness ringing through the leafy avenues of the old con- vent gardens. My hostess laugh was hollow, sinister and harsh, like the crack ling of thorns under n pot. Had the years wrought complete revolution in her character as we'll as her face? , II am sorry Colonel Marchmont is not , at home" she said after she had gra- ciously pressed a second cup of tea upon me. He went to Atlanta last week. expect him back very soon-possibly to- morrow"
 You have children, Portia?'
 'One," she replied coldly, as if the subject were obnoxious-"a little girl 6 years old-a headstrong little creature. l can do nothing with her. I'm glad have but one"
 | looked at her in amazement. 1 had often thought of Portia as a mother. .. How tender, loving and womanly she I would be in that relation! had pic
 tured her holding baby on her breasl and looking down at it with that divine expression only to be seen in a young 1 mothers eyes, and I had fancied hes surrounded by merry, romping. happy
 children. Her scarcely yelled distasts !, for maternity shocked me. You must be very weary, Prudence, I she said after little. If you like, a will show you to your room"
 As l was only too anxious to be alone ly l slSnlned my wish 10 retlre at once. Rising, my hostess took from the man ]. tel tall silver candlestick and led tht way through the wide hall and up tht
 old time winding stairs. I followed. with a strange sinking al 4 my heart. My reception, though cour teous, had been utterly mechanical. /, saw my blunder in having thrust an uu
 solicited visit upon an old friend who
 alas! was not the friend of old. I re e fiected, however, that it was not neces . sary to prolong my stay and decided tha
 as soon as possible would return nortl i. with my stock of disillusions. which nov r weighed upon me like the burden or d Pilgrims shoulders.
 The room into which Portia led m
 was large and Oloomy. Tsaere were