The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-04-13
CHAPTER III.
An UnwelcOme Arrival.

CHAPTER II.
An Unwelcome Arrival.
Everard was not a man who took
much pleasure in social gathering gs. or
was greatly in request among those
who held them; for he was neither rich
enough, nor clever enough, nor pushing
enough to be remembered by the ladies
who give balls and dinner parties. At
musical afternoons, however, the hum
blest contribution in the shape of a
bachelor is always thankfully received,
and when he heard that Miss Denham
was in the habit Of frequenting these,
he sought and obtained as many invi-
tations to them as he wished. Everard
soon neglected the interests of his bust
ness in a manner which would have
been highly culpable had he not had
an experienced partner who could get
on very well without him. He saw
Miss Denham, either at her own house
or elsewhere, every day; and every day
he fell more deeply in love. The fit
fulneSS of her moods which, as she
herself was wont to say, were of all
shades and colors," onty made her the
more winning in his eyes. He, at all
events, knew what he wanted, if she
did not, and sometimes he hoped that
he would get it in the long run. 1t
was something that he had no rival.
The men whom Miss Denham was in
the habit of meeting We're not, for the
most part, young men, nor were their
attentions to her of kind that the
most jealous Of lovers could have OBJ
jected to- She knew how to mike
herself agreeable to them; but Eyerard
saw. or thought he saw, that she re-
garded them as nonentities. Her man
ner always changed little when she
addressed him She often asked his
advice about small matters, and nearly
always took it.
Laura leans good deal upon YOU
Mrs. Patterson said to him casually,
and he was pleased with the phrase.
He did not, of course take advantage
of the general invitation to dinner
which had been given him; but when
he was asked for a particular evening
he accepted gladly, and on entering the
drawing room he found his friend,
Fellowes, already seated there, listen
ing with much interest to one Of Mrs.
Patterson's blood-curdling anecdotes.
The evening proved very pleasant
one, for Laura was in unusually high
spirits. She would not play to them,
saying that she was more inclined for
than music. and after din
ler she talked cleverly and amusingly,
rs she was well able to do when in the
lumor. Her Impressions of her fellow
conntrymen and countrywomen, Of
whom she had seen next to nothing
until recently, diverted her hearers
greatly. She had a talent for mimicry
which had no ill-nature about it, and
which indeed seemed to be half uncon-
'cious They were all laughing at her
description of lady. who, having tax
N her for a professional, and inquired
what she charged for her lessons, and
her with abject and al |
most fearful apologies on discovering
hat she was the cousin Of viscount, |
when the door opened, and the tall |
igure of a man, whom neither Eyerard |
lor Fellowes had ever seen before, ad- |
-anced with noiseless steps into the
Oom
He had omitted to give his name, or
he servant had failed to catch it; for |
le was not announced, and he was
standing close to the little group before
1rs Patterson looked up and saw him.
When she did so she uttered faint |
ry, which seemed to betoken dismay /
luite as much as surprise Eyerard
danced quickly at Laura, who did not
lppear to be either surprised or dis
mayed. Her expression had not chang !
d, she was still smiling, but she re-
NAMED motionless, and she was look
ng at the new conner with curious
ntentness, rs though fascinated or par
lyzed by his sudden appearance.
Everard following the direction Of her
.aze, took stock Of the stranger. He
vas tall, powerfully built man, eyi-
lentiy not an Englishman, although
here was nothing about him that gave
II immediate cleW to his nationality.
lis age seemed to be about thirty. He
vore his light brown hair closely cut.
is features were regular and strongly
marked, and he was perfectly clean
haven; so that anybody who had not
to glance first at his ewes
would have been struck by the massive.
less Of his jaw. Evcrard did glance
Y his eyes first and stopped there.
rhey were certainly peculiar eyes. AT