The Dickinson press., 1894-02-10
DAWN

DAWN.
What nonsense" she said to herself,
Il will teach him that other faces are
not all blanks. My face shall not be a
blank to him. So that is the chitd's
lover. Well, he is q gallant one, tall
and handsome-sfmple, too, If he thinks
hers the only face on earth worth look
ing at"
b was a womal' of Unsuitable vani-
ty. She had been SO much w%orshipred
all her life for her marvellous beauty
that she considered the heart of every
man she met her lawful prey.
She had but little trouble in winning
them. A CLEAN from her splendid eyes
a touch of her white jeweled hand
q whisper from her musical vOice-a
smile from her beautiful lips-and the
weak hearts of men went out to her.
no matter what bound them. She had
never had the least trouble in making
q conquest. The strongest and wisest
men had fallen before her like the
leaves from the trees.
She was cruel. 1t was play to her
to take a mans heart in her soft white
hand, and after toying with 1t for a
time, crush it as she would have
crushed a r%ose-leaf. Her vanity was in
satiable-nothing ever daunted her. If
she liked any one, or thought the con-
quest Of any particular person would
add TO her reputation as q beauty anC
winner Of hearts, she pursued that per-
son to the bitter end. The gentle heart
OF a loving wife misht break, the love
OF a fair fiancee might all be turned to
gall and bitterness-Lady Fraser mere
ly laughed. All that her victims won
In return was Il few smiles, 4 few tete-
a-tetes, a weeks fidelity, and then they
had to make room for another.
1t was dull, according to her notions,
at Dene; there were several men, but
none whom she cared to win. The
handsome young squire, however, took
her fancy, and she smiled as she said
to herself. that she would win him.
"Such boy-and-girl love-such nom
sense-only m face in the world for
him! 1t is high time he saw two. 1t
will do him s~ood-educate him. A fir
tation with Il woman like myself Is the
best possible education for one like him.
1t will do the girl good, too, If he talks
to her in that way. She will begin to
think herself an angel" She had
nothing particular to occupy her during
the next few weeks, and 1t would not
do to get out Of practice. If there had
been u handsOmer or weather. man at
Dene hall, She would not have troubled
Alan; but he looked so handsome and
80 gallant, added to which there was
the irresistible fact that he belonged
to some n else, that it would be a lit
tie amusement fer her, relieve the te-
diousness of her visit, to captivate him.
1t would be amusing, because at first he
would doubtless rebel. After all, IL
she chose to educate him and show him
that life held more for him than he
knew at present, 1t concerned no one.
When she had had her fair share of
amusement, she would be leaving Dene,
and perhaps should not see him again.
She would not wish to see hiM-a few
weeks were quite enough for any poor
moth.
She laughed softly to herself as she
thought how the fair-haired girl would
be lost in a maze of wonder and doubt,
aud how rejoiced she would be to win
her lover again.
She walked back leisurely to the
house.
"Yes," she said to herself, II have
nothing better to do. 1 will try II I
can win him."
And she dressed with unusual care,
smiling as she did so to think how easy
her conquest would be.
CHAPTER K.
HE is worth winning"-that was
Lady Fraser's verdict after she had
passed an evening in Alan's society.
True, he had devoted himself to Hya-
c;nth; but she had had time to note
the beauty of his face. the grace of his
manner; and Lady Rosedene had told
her that he was wealthy beyond the
ordinary run of sQuires-s0 wealthy, In
fact, that Miss Vane was the envy OF
all the young ladies in the county.
Lady Fraser opened. her beautiful
eyes. Surely she could desire no better
husband than this handsome young
squire, who was wealthy enough to,
crafty every whim? Still marriage
was IN affair of the future. She had
not that to think about yet.
Very soon she had attracted his at
tentiOn, Oh she felt sure she should.
She had startled him out Of his calm
ness. He had looked into the depths of
her splendid eyes, and for n half mo-
mcnt lad lost himself. He had adj
mitted to himself that her beauty was
Fwonderful; and then he had turned
with redoubled love to Hyacinth. 1t
was like rest in the sweet moonlight
after the overpowering light Of day.
HE will not forget me-" said Lady
Fraser to herself. HE knows now that
there is another fair face in the world,
and he will be puzzled o o Of to which
is the fairer."
When the hour of retiring came, Alan
wished her good night. Once more
those wonderful eyes of hers were
raised to his, and seemed to pour q
flood Of electric light into them. Sweet
Hyacinth, standing near, saw the look,
and shrank from 1t.
Lady Fraser went to her room we'll
content.
HE will think Of me-" she said to
herself; land tomorrow he will be
anxious to sec me again. He will have
more to dream of tonight than O baby
face and golden hair"
Size lay back in the easy chair In her
dressing-room while. her maid brushed
out the long silken dusky hair. She
looked over an album filled with pho
tographs, and smiled, as she thought
that she should in all probability add
Alan's to the number.
The first she glanced at with q light
laugh-the original had simply ruined
himself for her sake-belteved In her,
asked her to marry him; then, when
she had laughed Mt him, had thrown up
his commission and gone to the bad.
"How lie loved me-" she said to her
self: "but how foolish. he wasm,
The next portrait was that of o fair
haired clergyman. She laughed again
as she remembered the tragedy Of his
despair They told her that he died
cursing her. 1t mattered little to her
whether he did so or not. Then came
the sad face Of a young Frenchman,
whose eyes seemed to look at her with
the WEAKNESS Of passion and despair.
Il liked him." she thought; II
should have cared to know him:
but that whitehead little countesa nro.