The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-12-13

dress lay on the bed. 1t was a gauzy,
delicate dress OF silver tissue, trim
med with roses of the palest pink,
and was one OF La Ferriere's most
artistic effects.
Lady Gertrude was surveying it
with an expression that was half
pathetic, half pleasurable. She was
thinking of Clement Dunraven and of
the ball that night, where she
expected Is meet him.
Lady Gertrude was the proud
daughter of a proud race, but not
withstanding her reputed haughti-
ness, she had her weak spot. She
loved Clement Dunraven, loved him
passionately, madly, as strong nat
ures only know how to love, and yet
she knew full well that he had but
e mediocre affection for her, ever
if his feelings towards her amounted
to anything beyond mere liking fol
a girl who had been a companion ant
neighbor from childhood.
Let the world say what it would OF
her, there was no hardness on her
face; as she stood gazing at the lovely
ball dress its expression was intensely
womanly.
And very sweet Lady Gertrude
looked, her dark eyes filled with
tears as her whole being was stirred
by the emotions hat filled her soul.
Her little we'll shaped head, on which
the fair hair was deity curled, was
poised a little or one side As though
the weig.hc of her feelings was very
heavy to bear.
But certainly she vas absolutely
absorbed by them, for she did not
hear a light tread on the stairs, nor
was she sensible of another pair of
dark, sparkling eyes that were peep
ing in at her through the half open
door.
After a second or two the new
conner, who was exceedingly vivacions
by nature, could stand there quietly
waiting no longer, pretty though the
picture was that she was contemplate
ing.
"~Gertrude,' she cried, ''what is
the matter with hat dress that you
are looking at it SO sadly? One
would think it was your shroud.'
Lady Gertrude shivered, for the
word Jared horribly, although she
tried to look as though she did not
mind.
"My shroud,r she said, bringing
herself to smile. "What an ill-om-
ened allusion, when | was looking
forward to to-night's Dall."
The girl who had Just come in and
who was Lady Gertrude's dearest
friend, was sorry, as she often was,
that she had said a tactless thing;
but gay, dashing Elvira Delane had
an evil habit of allowing her tongue
to run away with her. Anxious. if
possible, to eXpiate her carelessness
she threw her arms around Lady
Gertrude and kissed her affection
ately.
No one knew better than Elvira
what Lady Gertrude was thinking
of as she gazed ON the ball dress,
and strange to relate, Elvira was the
only person interested in Gertrude,
who regretted that there was a
chance of her fortunes being linked
with those of Clement Dunraven.
ga shroud,'' she thought, as she
fondled her friend, Say, that dress
may prove a shroud in more senses
of the word than one, if my poor
darling Gertie marries Clement Dun
raven.n
But she knew BY experience that
it was useless to eXpostulate. Lady
Gertrude was far too much enam-
CURED of the handsome Clement to
listen to a word of reason, even
when Elvira Delane dropped her
usually bantering manner, and dip.
ped her phrases in the cooling stream
of wisdom.
"Elvie, dear, do you think he will
be there?"
Certainly neither this question nor
its tone encouraged any attempt at
discussion, 50 Elvira answered ambi-
guously: ''If he has any sense he
will come-that is, if he is not afraid
of succumbing utterly to the fascina-
tions of this bewitching garment and
it's wearer."
"Oh Elvie you are always chatting.
do not believe that Clement loves
me as do him."
"My goodness! if he loves you as
much as you love him, you would
set fire to the house between you"
laughed Elvira Delane.
sob Elvie, how can you joke when
am 30 miserable!"
"My poor dear, | know it is a SER
ious matter, but cannot forego my
fun. And you know you will never
believe that | care for Mr.. Pierce
Vaughan and yet devoutly wish that
both the cousins were drowned"
"You don't care for him; not you.
II you did you could not talk like
that"
"You do not know me-; not even