The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-19

the DeeuSirul arm ana then fell to won
dering what she should say next They
passed into the room where the child
lay sleeping. They went to his little
bed, and Lali stretched out her hand
gently. touching the curls of the child.
Running q finger through one delicate.
ly, she said, with still softer tone thar
before. "Wby should not one be happy?''
Marion looked up slowly into her
eyes, let hand fall on her shoulder
gently and replied, "Lali, do you neve,
wish Frank to Gomez
Lali's fingers came from the child,
the color mounted slowly to her fore.
head, and she drew the girl away again
into the other room. Then she turned
and faced Marion, deep fire in her
eyes, and said in whisper almost
hoarse in its intensity, "Yes, wish he
would come tonight"
She looked harder yet at Marion.
Then, with Q flash Of pride and her
hands clasping before her, she drew her
self up and added: "Am not worthy
to be his wife now? Am l not beautiful
for a savage?"
There was no common vanity in the
action. 1t had noble kind of wistful-
ness and serenity that entirely re-
deemed it. Marion dated her own hap
piness from the time when Lali met her
accident, for the evening of that disas-
trous day she issued to Captain Hume
Vidal a commission which he could
never. wished never to, resign. Since
then she had been at her best-we are
all more or less selfish creatures-and
had grown gentler, curbing the delicate
imperiousness of her nature and frank
ly and without the least pique taken a
secondary position of interest in the
household, occasioned by Lali's popu-
larity. She looked Lali up and down
with a glance in which many feelings
met, and then, catching her hands
warmly, she lifted them, put them on
her own shoulders and said, my dear.
beautiful savage, you are fit and worthy
to be queen OF England, and Frank,
when he comes
Hush" said the other dreamily, and
put finger on Marion's lips. Il know
what you are going to say, but l do not
wish to hear it, He did not love me
then. He used me- She shuddered,
put her hands to her eyes with panied,
trembling motion, then threw her head
back with quick sigh. But will not
speak Of it. Come, prepare for the
dance, Marion. 1t is the last tonight.
Tomorrow She paused, looking
straight before her, lost in thought.
Eyes, tomorrow, Lali?'
II do not know about tomorrow,
was the reply. "Strange things come to
me-"
Marion longed to tell her then and
there the great news, but she was afraid
10 do SO and was, moreover, withheld
BY the remembrance that it had been
agreed she should not be told. She said
AT IL o'clock the rooms were filed.
For the fag end of the season people
unusually brilliant The even
ng itself was not so hot as common,
md there was an extra array of distin-
yuished guests. Marion was. nervous all
he evening, though she showed little
II 1T, being most prettily employed III
making people pleased with themselves
drs. Armour also w,.s not free from ap-
In reply to inquiries concerning her
on she said, as she had often said dur
ng the season, that he might be back |
& any time now. Lali had answered al |
Ways in'the same fashion and had shown |
p sign that his continued absence was |
ingular. AS the evening wore ON the |
reliability of Franks appearance SEEM
d less, and the Armours began to !
moro freely.
Frank had, however, arrived. He had
riven straight from Euston to Caven-
ish square; but, seeing the house light
d up and guests arriving, he had a
ndden feeling of uncertainty. He or
cred the cabman TO take him TO his
lub. There he put himself in evening
ress and drove back again to the house.
Le entered quietly. At the moment the
all was almost deserted; people were
lostly in the ballroom and supper
'om. He paused a moment. biting his
lustaohe as If in perplexity. A strange
midity came on him. All his old dash
nd self possession seemed to have for
ken him. Presently, seeing a number
people entering the hall, he made for
le staircase and went hastily up. Me-
lanically he went TO his own room
Id found 1t lighted. Flowers were set
'out, and everything was made ready
for guest. He sat down, not think
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