Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-01-25

knew In some vague way that her 81
lence told him more than words could
have done.
He was quite content to stand there
and drink In the beauty OF that mar
velous face, to watch the play Of those
exquisite features, the light and shade,
the sweet girllsh shrinking, the pretty
shy Understandable would have
been quite content TO watch that pic
ture and forget everything else.
But he bethought himself at last; he
must speak; II seemed hardly courteous
to stand in silent, mute admiration be-
fore u lady for whose least word mon
contended as for prize.
81 think the waltz Is over" she said,
"We must go; am engaged for the
next. Yet she would have given the
world to remain.
"Your kindness makes me bold, Lady
Charnleigh, he said; 81 refuse to go
until you have granted me favor"
What is it?" she asked.
"Will you give me a daphne-nay,
not one of those growing there, but
one from your bouquet? They have
been in your hand, you have sighed
over them, and that makes them more
precious, Will you give me one?"
She hesitated for minute, and then
took the flower he asked for and gave
it TO him. He kissed it reverently.
81 shall keep that until | die" he
said, "and then it shall be buried with
me-"
There was the sound Of approaching
footsteps, with the rustic of sillsen
robes, and the next moment her grace
Of Rockhampton had joined them.
'My dear Lady Charnleigh, | am
glad you have found time to rest" and
then her quick eyes noted the flower in
Sir Bertram's hand, and frowp dis
turbed the calm serenity of her face.
81 am sorry you are tired, she con-
tinued, laying one hand caressingly on
the young girls shoulder, but cannot
allow my ballroom to lose its fairest or
nament. | have had several inquiries
put to me about you.
Sir Bertram saw that he was de trop.
Lord Falcon came aud stood by his
mothers side; there was no further OPP
portunity for the baronet to speak.
"You promised me one quadrille,
Lady Charnleigh, said Sir Bertram,
as he went away-and it seemed to her
that the light and fragrance went with
him.
She tried to forget him while she
listened to Lord Falcon, but her heart
was still beating with that new-found
happiness for which she knew no name.
The remainder of the evening passed
like a dream; the homage offered to
her, the countless compliments that
she received, the music, the light, the
flowers, were all part of a confused
dream, from which she did not awaken
until Sir Bertram came to claim her
hand for the promised quadrille, She
saw the white daphne in his coat, and
she kept her eyes averted from him.
He fingered by her side until the
carriage was called, and then Lord
Falcon joined them. There was
a slight contention without words be-
tween the two gentlemen as to who
should conduct Lady Charnleigh toher
carriage, but Sir Bertram won; her
last word, her last smile was for him,
and she drove away with the memory
of his face haunting her.
An hour later and Lady Charnleigh
was seated before her sumptuous tot
let-table, her wealth of golden hair, all
unbound, falling around him. She had
laid aside her magnificent dress and
costly Jewels, the white daphnes had
been carefully placed in a vase of
water, and, dressed in u white negli-
gee, she looked even more beautiful
than in full dress.
She must have been tired, but no
sleep came to her. She opened her
window and locked out at the stars
cleaning in the blue sky; the night
wind was whispering in the trees; it
was heavy with the dewy fragrance Of
mignonette.
IF we lived in days of magic, I
should say he had cast spell upon me"
she said to herself; 81 cannot forget
him."
Never once during that long reverie
did she think of Lord Falcon. Right
we'll she loved rank, position and wealth
had ducal coronet no charm for her?
She only remembered Sir Bertram,
his looks, his words. She kissed the
fair white daphnes for his sake, and
then blushed at what she had done.
The last words which she remembered
that night were those she had used
herself what can marriage give
me?"