The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-17

fectly frigid scrutiny, and, TO her sur
prise, became aware that the survey
was followed by an infinitesimal nod in
her direction.
When the carriages had passed each
other. the groom. leaning back. said. in
rather too jocular fashion for Felicias
sense of prorriety:
That's her. That's the madame
goin' out for her drive"
Felicia, answering him with q cold
look. asked no questions.
The incident, occurring upon Il
threshold of her new experience. struck
her unpleasantly. With her simple,
hearty, southern ideas, she could not
imagine arrival in a strange house with
out some sort OF "A personal welcome
from the hostess; and the quality OF
that investigating gaze was TO her to-
tally unknown. But, taking heart, she
noted with delight the exquisite beauty
of the verdant lawns and radiant
flower beds on either side the well-kept
driveway leading up TO such a house rs
surpassed her fondest dream of impos-
ing completeness. The striped yellow
awnings over all the windows on the
front, shading flower boxes that over
flowed with bloom; the verandas yield
ing glimpses of chairs and couches and
tall palms; and above all the flowers
and plants massed in every angle whece
they could be placed in exterior decora-
ton-seemed to Felicia incredibly en-
chanting. AS she sprang out of the
trap and looked around her, catching n
distant vista of blue sea at the end of
reach OF velvet sward, she was dazed
with excitement. She forgot that she
had been left standing there alone; and
her first fall from the clouds was caused
by the too easy manner and language of
a lady's maid who came to escort her 10
her room.
Felicia had nothing to complain of in
externals, certainly. The room that
was assigned TO her, all white-and-rose
and green-stained furniture, with
window looking upon the sea, was de-
lightfully cool and tempting. Tea was
served TO her there, her little trunk was
brought in and unstrapped, and upon
the table she found book or two,
should she wish to pass her time other
wise than by looking out of the flower
framed shaded window. But by and by
n sense of loneliness set in, and To ban
il she stole out for walk about the
grounds.
Gazing from a shaded bench upon
the cliff over the sea an infinite peace
fell upon her spirit. How long she had
sat there she did not know, until she be-
came conscious that a young man in
summer nannels had come along the
path leading to her eyrie, and was
searching for something he had lost.
81 beg your pardon" he said, taking
off his hat; Il did not know anyone had
succeeded me in my favorite haunts."
"You are looking for this?" she said,
holding out a little compass of gold and
crystal she had picked up, then for
gotten.
"Yes, thank you. II represents the
economies of my small sister who sent
IL to me for n birthday gift to-day" he
said, taking the trifle from her finger
tips. 81 suppose you have just come,
and have not yet seen our hostess"
Cheered by his cordial tone, Felicia
answered as girls of her race and
bringing up are wont to do, easily, fear
lessly. smiles playing around her rosy
lips and in her friendly eyes; and at
once they were launched upon con-
versation that proved, apparently, as
satisfactory to Duncan Moore as 1t GER