St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-18

INVITES.
When the mind is inclined to an act, the
weakest arguments in its favor take on all
the force of an irresistible syllogism.
half-hour after having met Doctor Eller-
ton, Ralph Holmes, with his trunk strapped
on behind the buggy, was being whirled out
of San Francisco, and along the splendid road
leading down to Monterey by the sea.
1t was early April. In the East the hills
were still covered with snow and the valleys
filed with slush. But in this favored land
it seemed liked perpetual sunshine and con-
slant spring.
The hills Of the coast range swept away
from the opal shore in emerald pillows. The
orchards were in blossom, and bright winged
birds like animated blooms fitted between
the shimmering groups of live oak, and the
olive-hued foliage of the orange and lemon.
By the road side japonicas, callas, geraniums
and heliotrope grew into great wild bushes,
masses of dazzling bloom that panied the
sight with their gorgeous brilliancy and filed
the air with their ravishing odor. At times
the wheels of the buggy crushed through
banks of sweet violet whose delicious per-
fume seemed to follow as fast as the foaming
horses few.
Every ten miles the horses, all the Colonels,
were changed at quaint vine-covered inn,
that looked like a bit OF rural Kent trans
ported to the golden shores of the Pacific.
Doctor Ellerton was man of culture and
proved to be most charming companion.
He knew the owners of all the fine estates
passed on either hand, and he had stories of
their sudden fortunes, more wonderful to
Ralph than anything he had read in the
records OF the Arabian Nights.
"You will meet great many OF our best
people at Buena Vista to-day" he said, tand
on that account am particularly glad that
you can be with US on this occasion. By the
way and at the thought Doctor Ellerton
laughed in a quiet way, among the Colonel's
guests is q live English lord. 1 believe the
Colonel heard he was ON the coast and in
vited him. His name? Lord Pelham. He
looks to be about fifty, but he is a bachelor
and acts and dresses like beau of twenty
five. l have no particular liking for that
kind OF cattle, but Pelham, who came with MS
valet last night, appears TO be a decent sort
of fellow; democratic enough, indeed, to be
an American"
81 suppose he is out here hunting for an
heiress?" said Ralph and with a pang of
something like jealousy, he recalled all that
Judge Davidson had said about the beautiful
Dora.
Possibly 500 said the doctor, adding as
he tipped the ashes from his cigar, "but I
hardly think Miss Morton will be at all at
tracted by his title
1t was just twenty minutes to one when
Doctor Ellerton reined in before great gate,
one side OF the gate there was d snug porter's
lodge, and on the other q country store, be-
fore which there was a crowd of half-breed
Mexicans and italian fishermen all hangers
on Or retainerS.
AS the porter swung open the gate, tall,
black-eyed woman, with long black hair
strealed with gray, flowing over her brown,
half-5are shoulders, seized the horses heads
and called out:
"Where is your double? Tell me, quick
where is your doubie?"
'Take that woman awayr' cried the doctor,
his face purple with anger. Didn't the Col
onel tell you, Pedro, that if you let her loose
again, he would clear you out:''
THAT is all right, senor," said the porter,
with strong Mexican accent, 81 will take
her away. She heard of the fete and we
could not keep her in the cabin by the shore
Come, Suez, come, my sister; they will lock
you up if you act like this"
The porter fcrcbly released the woman's
hold on the brides, and tho next instant the
horses were flying over the winding road that
led up to the princely abode OF Buena Vista.
The name in Spanish means "a fine view,'
and never was it better applied. Away to
the west was the blue Pacific, calm as mir
ror, with not speck of cloud in the amethys-
tie vault bending over it. At the mouth of a
clear stream flowing down from the coast
range, there was c picturesque fishing ham
let, and moored on the placid bay was num-
Der of white-winged yachts.
With hundreds of acres OF carefully kept
park about it, the residence crowned an
emerald hill, where with its back ground of
conservatories, and its numberless windows,
it flashed in the sun like d glorious fire opal.
Ralph could hear the strains of band and
here and there from the many windings of
the road, he caught glmpses of happy crowds
OF young people rambling through the sylvan
arcades.
When the buggy stopped before the grand
entrance, half-dozen grooms appeared to
take charge of the horses and the young mans
trunk.
Colonel Morton, Mr.. Holmes; Mr Holmes,
Colonel Morton.
Ralph Holmes took the hand of the master
of Buena VISTA but weil-bred though he was,
he could not hide his surprise, for except that
the Colonel seemed to wear glasses constantly
and that his beard was longer, he looked more
like Doctor Ellerton than O. twin brother,
even their voices were alike.
Colonel Morton's greeting made Ralph feel
at home at once. He was led into the recep-
ton room and introduced to Mrs. Morton,
refined, sad-faced lady, with hair prema-
turely white. He had just paid his respects
to Mrs. Morton, when he heard his own name
called with the added words, "My daughter,
Dora," when he found himself bowling to one
of the most superbfy beautiful girls he had
ever beheld. She gave him her hand, and if
he retained it longer than the occasion war
ranted, it was due to the fact that, for the first
time in his life, he Was not the master Of his
Own acts or speech.
CHAPTER III,