People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-12-20
Lady Latimer'S Escape.
BY CHARLOTTE VI. BRAEME
CHAPTER III-CoNTNUED.

"4ou might be tempted some day."
she said. You are beautiful enough.
and you have charm all YOUR own
Remember my words: rather die a
hundred deaths than make a miser-
able marriage. Now come and let us
see the house,
We went over that vast mansion
together, and the more | saw of Lady
Latimer, the more l loved her. When
we had gone together some time. |
forgot that she was anything but
girl like myself.
We Lovels had always been famous
for two things; one was a light
hearted love of laughter, the other
was the keenness with which we saw
the humorous side of everything. We
may have been deficient in some finer
qualities but we certainly made I'D
for 1t in these. We saw subjects for
fun and laughter where other people
were solemn as judges. 1t was this
particular quality which made the
vlcarage the very home of merri-
ment, and which made us popular
wherever we went.
! When Lady Latimer and I had been
together a few hours, she laughed
heartily and naturally as | did. We
went over the whole house. and its
extent, IT'S magnifcence, completely
astonished me. 1t was like unravei-
ing fairy tale; but l saw that this
alone would not make any one happy.
remember that in the library there
was very beautiful picture; it was of
young man, quite young, not more
than twenty years Of age, wearing the
picturesque uniform of the Life Guards.
A face that attracted and charmed
me- Tor it had the dark, chivalrous
beauty OF the knights of Old-dark.
luminous eyes full of fire and COURAGE
dark, level brows that nearly met. a
proud, firm mouth, half covered with
a dark mustache, such face as one
sees IN the pictures of Spanish knights
ana princes, yet with a CLEAN
of human tenderness IN the eyes that
arrested you, and made you stand still
before it.
''Who is that, Lady Latimergn 7
asked. lis it the portrait of person
living, or"
But | could not utter the word
"'dead" in conjunction with that beau
tiful, noble face.
Living" she replied. Nov. Au-
drey, who is that? Try to guess
lcOuld not for l knew nothing of
the Latimers, except that they
existed, and told her so. She was
looking at the picture with smiling
eyes.
That is Lionel Fleming" she said.
their at law and next of kin to Lord
L&timer.n
knew as little of the laws of entail
as did of Greek. Hooked up at her
quite puzzled.
He isnot Lord Latimer's son" 1
said.
She laughed.
mo- he is but very distantly related
to him, . she answered; but, for all
that, when the present Lord Latimer
lies, Lionel Fleming will succeed him.
and become Baron Latimer, of Lor-
toms Cray"
"Do you know him well?" | asked.
mo. l have only seen him once or
twice. He is quartered at Windsor.
He will be here in September for the
shooting. You seem to admire his
face, Audrey"
81 do" was my almost breathless
ceply. Il have seen nothing so beau !
tiful in my life" I
He is the most popular man in
London, " she said, ''and certainly one
Of the best matches in England. You
can form no idea how he is courted .
and Aattered.n
And spOiled?" l interrupted. !
"No; not spoiled she answered. +
"He is as noble in character as he is
beautiful in face"
"A wonder among men," l com
mented.
"He is wonder she answered.
1reamilv, "ss men 60"
Wherever l went during the re-
mainder Of that day | saw that face.
the name sounded ever in my ears.
"Lionei Fleming" | wondered
# l sheuid ever see the orig
nal. He vas coming in Sep
TENDER, and doubtless we should be
invited to Lorton's Cray. Then took
myself to task for WASTING time in