The Yale expositor., 1894-12-21
Lady Latimer'S Escape.
BY CuARLorrE NJ. DRAEME.
CHAPTER III-CoNrNUED.


"You might bo tempted some day"
she said. "You are beautiful enough,
and you have a 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 moro saw of Lady
Latimer, the more loved her. When
we had gone together some time, |
forgot that she was anything but a
girl like myself.
We Lovels had always been famous
for two things; one was a light
hearted love of laughter, the other
was the keenncss with which we saw
the humorous side Of everything. We
may have been deficient in some finer
qualities. but we certainly made up
for it in these. We saw subjects for
fun and laughter where other people
were solemn as judges 1t was this
particular quality which made the
vicarage the very home of merri-
ment, and which made us popular
wherever we went.
When Lady Latimer and had been
together q few hours, she laughed
heartily and naturally as | did. We
went over the whole house, and its
extent, its magniicence, completely
astonished me. 1t was like unravel-
ing fairy tale; but / 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, for 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
dark mustache, such face as one
sees in the pictures of Spanish knights
and 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 Latimer?" !
asked. "Is it the portrait of a person
living, Or"
But l could not utter the word
"dead" in conjunction with that beau
tiful, noble face.
Living" she replied. Now, Au-
drey, who is that? Try to guess"
| could not for l knew nothing oil
the Latimers, except that they
existed, and told her so. She was
looking at the picture with smiling
eyes.
THAT is Lionel Fleming,s she said,
"heir at law and next of kin to Lord
Latimer."
/ knew as little of the laws of entail
as did of Greek. / looked up at her
quite puzzled.
"He is not Lord Latimer's son."
said.
She laughed.
"No; he is but very distantly related
to him." she answered. but, for al
tsat, when the present Lord Latimer
dies, Lionel Fleming will succeed him,
and become Baron Latimer, of Lor-
tons Cray"
"Do you know him well?" / asked
''No. have only seen him once OF
twice. He is quartered at Windsor.
He will be here in September for the
shooting. You seem to admire his
face, Audrey"
II do" was my almost breathles:
reply. al have seen nothing so beau
tiful in my life"
"He is the most popular man in
London" she said, "and certainly one
of the bost matches in England. You
can form no idea how he is courted
and hattered."
"And spoiledP" interrupted.
"No; not spoiled" she answered
"He is as noble in character as he i:
beautiful in face"
"a wonder among men," / com
mented.
"He is a wonder" she answered
dreamilv, "as men CO."
Wherever / went during the re
main1er of that day | saw that face
the name sounded ever in my ears.
"Lionel Fleming" / wondered
IL / should ever see the orig
inal. He was coming in Sep
TENDER, and doubtless we should b,
invited to LOTIONS Cray. Then | tool
myself to task for wasting time il
thinking of picture and name.