Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-30

H. had hung dt her side the erening
 through.
 sible The way was plain and easy if Cleve's ardor did not frighten her. Mrs. Townley was right, though it would never do to leave him uninter- ruptedly in the girls presence Striding across the room, Hawkins said, with af- fect2tion of jocular terror:
 MT. Cleve, please don't shoot mo for saying tive really must be riding"
 Cleve started little, but said, with a light laugh:
 ''Oh, go away, Hawkins! You talk like q member of parliament I have only had five minutes with Miss Over ton. and you speak of leaving at half past S.
 Half past 10, you mean, with 15 miles to ride, " Hawkins said, showing his watch. The other frowned.
 ''You are an unmitigated nuisance, with your hours and distances. " But he got mp. looked lingeringly at Dare and made his adieu with what grace he might.
 Dare rose, too, and went up to her aunt. The girls checks were damask roses, her eyes starry in their dark dila- tion. She seemed to herself all one throbbing pulse of new sensation, not wholly pleasurable, but wildly strange Royal Cleve was unlike aught she had ever seen or dreamed of. Her favGrite heroes even were quite put out of court. His voice was music itself. He had a smile that glorified his face. Yet some how the girl shrank a little from the memory of him, shivered at the thought of those too persistent eyes.
 He had hung at her side the evening through, with eyes, ears, for naught else. She wondered vaguely if it were not because she was new species, some thing wholly different from any he had hitherto known. In all the story books she knew grand gentlemen had habit of amusing themselves with the country girls they chauCCd to meet and then riding away, leaving their victims to death or dcsolatcness. MT. Cleve should not do that; she was too wise in the ways of his kind. Besides she went no further even i'll her thought, though the quick red flushing over neck and brow pro- claimed some mighty postulate un- spoken
 Mrs. Townley saw the blush and mis- read it to suit her own desires. As she kissed her niece good night she said. lightly touching the smooth cheek:
 II think this face might charm even cruel fate. Do be careful of it, child III fortune has lain in wait for us so long that it really behooves you to try to change the family luck"
 Dare lifted her eyes and asked:
 Aunt Mel, am I really extraordi- narily pretty?'
 Judge for yourself, my child" Mrs Townley said, turning her to face the long pier glass, that surely had never reflected loveliness more winsome. For a minute both looked in silence at the fair image. Then Dare gave low cry, the elder woman screamed aloud, for there, faintly, from tho half lit depths behind her, mans face showed, white and set, in the mirror over her shoulder.
 Next minute it had vanished. Dare rubbed her eyea Mira Townley said, sharp tremor in her tone:
 Did you see anybody? Whose face was it7'
 Dare did not answer at once. When she did speak, it was to say:
 ''I thought I saw something. but no doubt VIC were both mistaken. We must have been. There is no one here but ourselves
 Mot a soul" said Mrs. Townley, shivering violently. ''It must have been the fiickering of the light"
 Dare said nothing Instead she walk ed away with tingling pulses She had no fear of, no belief in, ghosts or visions. Her eye was too true and keen for optio- al illusions She had seen face, face she knew we'll It WIS Allen Fauntle- roy who had looked at her from that clare obscure.
 A little later Hawkins reined up from their hand gallop to say to Royal Cleve:
 No need to ask if every prospect pleases 'Pon my life, man. you came near to making aspectacle of yourself "
 ClsYs Ehook the others hand ipea-