The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-01-17
and the lawns and-Luci11e Eliot and
eyes. l might have known"

and the lawns and-Lucille Eliot and
her friend!'
eyes, might have known"
ssBut it is good society. Comfortyour-
self with that. Miss Eliot is beautiful,
rich, rather serious in style. And her
friend, Hope Armadale'-
.sDoes language fail to describe her."
asked Forsyth with quiet irony as Craig
paused abruptly in his description.
eyes, it does-that is, any language
I can command. She is very fascinat-
ing"
.sAh, so? Alan Croig's hour has struck
then?''
.sYou and won't joke on the subject,
Victor. I-I-don't think I've a ghost
of a chance with Miss Armadale. Every
man at the beach is more or less in love
with her"
.eAnd she?'
"Wait until you see her. She is to
dine with Us this evening""
ga formal dinner" sighed Forsyth.
..Got up in your honor, my philos-
epher. But here is Craig cottage" :"
turning toward the spacious Queen Anne
villa that stood in dull red outlines
against the gray sky, with clumps Of
blue hydrangeas massed in the center Of
the smooth green lawn. "It is scarcely
five o'clock" he added, 'sand ! propose
to smuggle you into your quarters and
leave you alone until seven.
s.Thanks, said Forsyth, adding. II
little knew into what a vortex was
plunging. It is fortunate that have a
dress suit.
.sThe vortex will do you good, was
the reply. .sIn month those two sig
niicant lines between your eyebrows
Will have disappeared. No, no, Victor;
it is too soon for us to begin to grow old. !"
Forsyth found himself established in
a chamber overlooking the sea, with
dressing room attached. His cases had
been opened and toilet articles arranged,
his steamer trunk unpacked, the con-
tents placed in the wardrobe with sooth-
ing dexterity by an accomplished valet,
and an hour remained to him before he
must dress.
He had not taken this wearisome jour
ney for the sake Of studying dinner cards
and doing the agreeable to hisnext neigh
Dor. Hefelt bored in advance, and spent
the time wondering how he could con-
triye to cut short his visit. And as he
sat by the open window listening to the
beat Of the waves against the rocks he
could hear from time to time in the in-
tervening silence the thud Of tennis
racket, succession Of rapid soprano ex-
Carnations and baritone protests, and
finally the laughter of the chorus.
.sFor heavens SAKE" he muttered. sis
this same sort of thing going on stills
Has Alan kept at it steadily for the three
past years.?
By and by silence fell. The tennis
players had dispersed. It was half an
hour before dinner.
Promptly at seven Craig tapped at his
friends door, and they went together
through the winding corridors, down
the broad stairs. The fading summer
daylight mingled with the soft glow Of
shaded lamps, and the damp salt air
made the scent of burning pine knots
grateful.
"What are you going to do with me?'
Forsyth asked.
"You will see. My sister is only
waiting our appearance to give the sig
nal for dinner"
Mrs. Macy, y handsome blond, like
her brother Alan, held out cordial
hand sparkling with costly rings.
welcome home and to Craig cot
tage, Mr.. Forsyth.
Chow do? shall examine you later,
from Clare Craig, extending one finger
tip as she glanced with big black eyes
over her bare shoulders. and returned to
her companions story.
..Aaiss Eliot, permit me-Mr. Forsyth. $
Forsyth found himself bowling silently
for the third time, with the oppressive
sense Of the necessity Of pulling himself
together and doing the agreeable.
Miss Eliot ceased moving her fan.
She wore contented smile, as though
life on the whole was very pleasant af.
fair, while in her large. blue eyes was a
latent wonder as to whether there
might not be in existence some possibili.
ties not compassed by dinners and drives
and sails and calls.
The dinner signal was given, and For.
syth and Miss Eliot were drifting te
their places among the sixteen others
who assembled around the table with
the centerpiece of ferns, the branching
silver candlesticks, the thin stemmed
glasses, and over all the becoming rose
colored light.
OF course. as the soup in the royal