Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-01-11
CHAPTER VII.

down their life for the kindly young
countess.
CHAPTER VIII.
Four hours later Leonie, Lady Charm
leigh, was seated in the sumptuous
drawing-room at Crown Leighton. She
had in some measure recovered from
the fierce, wild excitement OF finding
herself mistress OF that magnificent
home.
A recherche dinner had been served
In the dining-room; the gold and silver
plate-the pride Of the Oharnleighs for
many generations-had been used, and
looked at In wonder. Before she took
her seat as head of the table, she went
to Lady Fanshawe with o sweet hui
mility that would have touched any
one.
81 know nothing" she said, "of the
little ceremonies and the etiquette
needful to be understood by the lady
of such house as this. viii you teach
me?"
Lady Fanshawe looked earnestly at
her, to see whether the humility was
real or feigned; then she fell to admir-
ing her young relative when she found
that the wealthy heiress, the mis-
tress Of all the grandeur around, was
anxious and willing to be taught as a
child.
The result of Lady Fanshawe's les
son was that, when the young Countess
of Charnleigh afterward took her seat,
she made no mistakes, but went
through the ordeal as though she had
been head of the establishment for
twenty years. Even Mr.. Clements,
who gave her credit for being one Of
the most gifted of girls, could not UNI
derstand how she had so quickly fallen
into the ways and manners Of the elite
Of society.
Women so soon adapt themselves to
new circumstances, he thought. "In
her place should have been awkward
and i'll at ease."
That ordeal was over. No young
lady born to be a duchess could have
gohe through it with greater dignity
and grace; and now the ladies had re-
tired to the drawing-room, while Mr..
Clements fingered overa bottle of claret
of choice vintage.
The sun was still shining, and the
odor of flowers came in through the
open windows. Lady Charnleigh was
seated with a book in her hands, but
she had neither read a line nor turned
q page; her beautiful violet eyes were
turned on the glorious and well-kept
lawns.
you found everything in order, 1
hope, Lady Charnleigh?" said Lady
Fanshawe. "The young person l en-
gagged as your maid has been in the
Duchess of Moretoun's service; she
will suit you, / think.
"She seems to understand her duties"
was the reply, and the faintest shadow
of a smile rippled over the lovely lips.
Only two short weeks ago she had as
sisted in dressing others; now the maid
Of duchess was hardly thought good
enough for her.
"The evening is still so bright, and
will be so long, said Miss Templeton,
I'VE might go round tho house If Lady
Charnleigh is not too tired"
There Is nothing l should like SO
much, responded the young Countess,
rising from her seat.
Mrs. Fearon was summoned, and Mr..
Clements, hearing what was proposed,
offered to join the expedition.
Presently the party went to the IL
brary, which was said to contain some
of the choicest literary gems in En-
gland, and afterward visited the sunny
rooms that looked toward the west
the suite Of apartments set aside for
the use Of visitors.
Here Mr.. Clements left them to hold
o long conversation on business matters
with Mr.. Dunscombe, and the ladies
went to examine what was perhaps one
of the greatest curiosities of Crown
Leighton - the enormous wardrobe,
containing the treasures in silks, satins,
velvets, and priceless lace that had be-
longed to former Ladies Charnleigh.
There were jewel-cases filed with pre-
cious stones, old-fashioned in setting,
and almost priceless in value. Miss
Templeton looked until she declared
her eyes ached, and she could look no
longer,
This, sai3 the housekeeper, OPEN
ing the door of small room, was the
late Earls favorite apartment; he pre-
ferred it to any other"
Lady Charnleigh wondered why. 1t
was not very cheerful, nor was 1t lux
urious. Just at that moment the west
ern sunbeams filed it, and they fell on
a picture Of such grave and vivid
beauty that she was startled by it.
1t was the portrait Of young man;
but the face struck her as no other face
had ever done. She could have mag
ined Sir Lancelot had such one, or
any Of her favorite heroes; 1t was
dark, grand, passionate, and noble,
with melancholy, patrician beauty
words could never paint; the eyes were
dark and dreamy, with fire and passion
In their depths; the brow was a square,
Grecian one, with clustering hair
brushed from it; the lips we're firmly
closed and grave, yet with lines round
them that spoke of smiles sweet and
gracious as woman's; the whole face
gave the idea of yelled passion and
sleeping strength, or magnificent man
hood not yet fully developed.
Leonie, Lady Charnleigh, stood al
most motionless before this picture; its
dark, passionate beauty enchanted her.
There was nothing about it to denote