Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-07

Ill say rs they Say,-and perSeVore So
And in this mist at all adventures goI
Comedy of Errors
The soft rustic of sill1en garments
announced the approach of Mrs May
nard. 1t drew nearer, and with noise
less step the lady herself swept into the
drawin-room.
North, whose eyes had by this time
become accustomed to the dim Wight,
rose at once with formal bow To his
surprise he found that his nerves were n
little unsteady, his pulses beating a
little moro rapidly than usual. Could
it be that he was excited? The critical
moment had come. lie knew that
within the next few seconds his drcis-
ion must be made. If he were t. retreat
from the reckless course that he had
mcditatrd, it must be in the very mo-
mcnt of greeting Mrs. Maynard: but,
granting that he made this choice,
what acceptable excuse could he offer
for reading Il note which he was morally
certain was not intended for his pc
rusal, and a"ccptinGan invitation which
it was equally certain had never been
extended to him?
This question which, strange to %1y,
occurred to him now quite for the first
time, produced IL most pHr@|y"iuT effect
upon him. and for the moment deprived
him of the power of speech or action.
1t might almost be argued in his de-
fcnsc that he was not responsible for
what immediately followed, for as hv
stood there in this state of fascinated
INDIGESTION Mrs. Maynard uucaISrinuSly
turned the WavcrinT scale, in which.
nicely balanced, his line of action lay,
by uttrring his name in tones of vel
come and holding ont her hand to him
cordially. 1t WAS Il small white hand
with Il solitaire ring sparkling ON one
fingcr-hc noticed that in Il VI rl;H sort
of w&y-and it rested in his hand rs
lightly as Il snowflake.
North realized then that in his mo-
mcnt of hesitation he WAS lest: he
therefore gave himself up t. an Interest,"
ing study of Mrs. Maynard and Il panic
stricken wonder how best to adapt his
manner and conversation to Che pccul-
lar situation in which he had placed
himself.
The first consideration was easily dis
posed of. Accustomed to arriving swift
ly at conclusions, he summed up Mrs
Maynard in one rapid glance. Age I'M
certain, something between twenty-five
and thirty; height n little above the
medium; figure graceful and willowy;
hair pale golden, cXquisitely fine and
wnvy; eyes large, dark and brilliant;
features regular and dclicatcly color
less; manner vivacious and slightly i'm
pcrious. n little spoiled and willful,
perhaps, but only delightfully."- so.
Her gown was of black silk, with q
profusion of fine white lace about the
corsagc, which relieved the sombcr CT
feet and seemed to give IL peculiar bril-
liancy to her eyes. That faint exquisite
perfume like hot house roses, which he
had noticed when he read her note,
hung about her like an intangible pres
CnCc. There was an indCscribablC
dnintinCS8 about her that gave u pccul-
lar charm to her beauty; yet with all
this softnCss and beauty ono could not
fail to perceive that she possessed some
strong and decided points of character.
Invincihlc pride and force of will
beneath all the charm of Il sweet and
| gracious exterior.
Had North been very susceptible tC
feminine attractions he might hav,
lost his heart to Mrs. Maynard at first
| sight, as others had SO often done. But
a certain cold, ilippant cyricism whicl
he had been Cultivating for the pass
saved him from this fate. He had one,
loved Il beautiful girl with all til,
strength and fcrvor of his soul, had be