The record-union., 1893-06-17

men OF lnUeScrlDaDle nlgnl, WnOm IL
would be incorrect to describe as tall, and
who yet are unquestionably not short.
So long as the prospective husband was
not distinctly assigned to one of her
charges she could not feel as though the
campaign were opened.
But the first evening passed without
betraying to Miss Wilkins anything be-
yond the fact of Count Kestler being a
lady's man in the fullest sense of the
word. When he was talking to Anna.
the watchtul Englishwoman felt ready to
stake her soul that he had succumbed to
that lady's massive charms, and yet the
moment he approached Helene he ap-
peared to have eyes for nothing but her
tairy-like grace. As for the poor over
conscientious Baron, he spent not only
the evening, but most of the night,
upon thorns, tossing about from side to
side, and passing in review before his
minds eye all the symptoms of l0Ve-sick-
ness which he was convinced OF having
noted in both his daughters. Had not
Anna forgotten to hand round the sugar,
and Helene twice dropped her handker-
chief in the course Of the evening?
The author OF all these cruel anXieties
was meanwhile enjoying perfectly un-
broken nights rest. Owing to a belated
butterfly which came sailing in by the
open window, having slept through the
proper butterfly season and being con-
QcEllbd ~ Aildh6 iIl6 DGSi vi AoGpLSIllDOI
weather, Count kestler's morning slum-
bers came TO a somewhat premature con-
clusion. Had it not been for this tardy
butterfly much might have happened
differently; also, whenever in future days
his thoughts travelled back to the little
yellow winged creature, Conrad Kestier
saw in it a direct instrument of fate, or,
at any rate, much more than an ordinary
! butterfly.
At the moment, however, it must be
admitted that the instrument Of fate was
not greeted by him with all the delight
that would have been becoming. Hav-
ing opened his eyes to see what it was
that was tickling his nose, his lips first
formed themselves to a mutter-about
and then to yawn. In the very act of
turning over for another snooze his eye
was caught by the flash of light upon
water, and he rose on his elbow to see the
very first sunbeam sliding between two
pine-clad mountain TANKS and striking
rose-colored fire from the surface of a
good-sized lake.
Unquestionably it was pretty pros
pect, and yet it was not so much the pros
pect itself as the meaning which it bore
to him that caused Conrad Kestler to re-
linquish his idea of another snooze.
81 didn't know they had water here"
shot through his mind. THAT means
wild ducks"
And half an hour later the newly ar
rived gnest might have been observed
sallying forth from the still sleeping
| house, with the intention of having a
closer look at that sheet OF water which,
seen from a distance, seemed to contain
such delicious promises of sport. This
thought had been the motor of his action,
but, once having reached the open air, he
was in danger of forgetting his object, 50
surprised and pleased was he with what
he saw on all sides. Not that the trees
at DOrnenburg were older or finer than
those at his own home, or the fiOwer-beds
| better kept, or the lawns better tended
but because for years past he had not seen
any of those with the first veil of morn
ing still beautifying them, for which rea-
son he appeared to himself to be discover
| ing them over again. There was something
distinctly soothing about this conscious
ness of being the only member awake of
| a household; why, the chances were that
not even the kitchen fire was yet lit, nor
was either rake or spade being piled any
where within eyesight. No privacy could
/ have been more perfect, no promenade
more ideally planned Tor the purpose OF a
quiet meditation. So irresistible in fact,
were the accessories, that Conrad had
scarcely reached the middle OF the lime
tree avenue, which led from the door
of the house, when he found himself
! drifting into course of serious rehec-
tions.
MY father had an object in sending
me here beyond that OF shooting wild
ducks" thus ran the current Of his
thoughts. - know he thinks it time for
me to settle, and nothing would please
him better than for me TO marry one of
the daughters of his old comrade. Dear
old Water! l would please him ii l could,
| but nothing would ever make me con-
tent with either giantess or pigmy.
And it is pity, too" he continued, for
/ like golden hair, and both the big and
/ the little face are very pleasantly pink
and white, and | suppose it is about time
/ for me to be getting settled"
! When he had paced down another bit of
/ the avenue, he seemed to remember that
| his father had spoken about three Dor
nenburg girls.
And L have only seen two, as yet," he
reflected, (which means, | suppose. that
| the third is in the nursery"
| So deep was he in his meditations that
when, at the end of the avenue, he stepped
out on the very shore of the lake, he stood
still in as much establishment as though
this had not been the object of his walk
At the same moment he became aware
| that he was, after all, not the only mem
! Der of the household on his legs. In a
| boat chained to a pole ~ the edge of the
water there stood girl with a straw hat
! shading her face, and her back turned to
| him, while she busted herself with the
| fastening.
! Conrad's first impression was one of an
/ noyance at the interruption of his priva-
/ cy, his second was the question, "Who
can this be?" Both the hair and what he
| could see of the curve of the cheek seemed
1 to be of the right color, and vet it did not
appear to him to be either quite the bic
or quite the little DQrnenburg girl.
| At this moment she Strengthened herself
] Il 1
| of the chain. Perhaps it was owing to
! his thoughts having been occupied with
! the question of feminine stature that Con-
/ rad was now aware of a distinct feeling of
/ satisfaction, for there can be no doubt
about this apparition being of the fright
| hight just as there could be no doubt
about its being the youngest Dornenburg
girl.
LET me help you with that chain. -
said Conrad, stepping forward, much re-
/ lieved by the discovery that the young
/ boatwOman's skirts were not quite regu-
lation length, which was enough, with
one blow, to Danish etiquette from the
scene. Il fancy know that sort of fast
entng. But first let me introduce myself.
l am
II know who you are quite as well as
you know yourself" she briskly inter-
rupted him. "Why, the house mas been
positively alive with your name since
this time last week. l never thought
could get so tired of any person before
seeing him.
You don't say sol 1 really was not
prepared" stammered Conrad, whose
habit it was not to be easily taken aback,
| but who, nevertheless, felt rather at a
/ loss for words wherewith to answer this
unexpected address. II was not aware
of having cast so huge a shadow before
me. There, the chain Is undone: and
now, unless you have irrevocably
| made up your mind TO solitude. perhans