Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-07-06

can appreciate the historical interest OF
your beautiful prints" Mrs. vimpany
bowed gracefully, aud dumLly. Mount
Joy tried again. zone doesn't often see
the famous actresses Of past days, " he pro-
ceeded. $50 well represented on tho walls
of an English house."
This time he had spoken to better pur-
pose. Mrs. Vimpany answered him In
words.
Il rave many pleasant associations with
the theatre" she said, first formed ia the
time u my ~girlhood."
Mountioy. waited to hear something
more. Nothing more was said. Perhaps
this reticent lady disliked looking back
through a long interval OF years, or per-
haps she had her reasons for leaving
Mountjoy's guess at the truth still lost in
doubt. In either case. she deliberately
dropped the subject. Iris took IL up. Sit
ting by the only table In the room, she
was In a position which placed her exactly
opposite to one OF the prints-the magnifi.
cent portrait of Mrs. Siddons as The Trag.
ic Muse.
III wonder IL Mrs. Siddons WIS really M
beautiful as THAR" she said, pointing
to the print. "Sir Joshua Reynolds is re-
ported TO have sometimes fiattered his sit
ters."
Mrs. Vimpsny's solemn self-possessed
eyes suddenly frightened: the name of the
great actress seemed to interest her. Gu
the point, apparently. OF speaking, she
dropped the subject Of Mrs. Siddons MS
she had dropped the subjecto of the theatre.
Mountjoy left to answer Iris.
"We are mons OF US old %enough." he re-
minded her, ITO decide whether Sir Josh
ua's brush has been guilty Of fiattery or
not" He turned to Mrs. Vimpany, and
attempted to look into her life from a new
point OF view. when Miss Henley was
so fortunate as to make your acquaint
auce," he said, you were travelling in Ire.
land. Was IL your first visit To that I'm
happy country"
"a have been more than once in Ire.
land"
Having again deliberately disappointed
Mountjoy, she VAS assisted i'm keeping
clear OF the subject of Ireland by "a for
tunate interruption. Ii was the hour OF
delivery by the afternoon post. The ser
want came in with "a small e.'ed packet,
and "A slip of printed paper Ia her hand.
ITS registered, ma'am,' the woman an
nounced. "The postman says you are tc
please sign this. And he seems to be in o
hurry"
She placed the packet and the slip of on.
per on the table, near the inkstand. Hav.
Ing signed the receipt, Mrs. Vimpany took
up the packet, and examined the address.
She instantly looked at Iris, and looked
away again. "Will YOU excuse me for p
lnomentY" saying this she left the room,
VII u opening Tue packer.
The moment that the door closed on
her, Iris started up, aud hurried TO Mount.
JOY.
"Oh, Hugh" she said, 'T saw the ad.
dress or that packet when the servant put
It on the table"
my dear. what is there to excite you In
the address,
Don't speak 50 loudl She may be lis
teniug outside the door"
Not only the words. but the tone in
which they were spoken, amazed Mount.
JOY. Your friend, Mrs. Vimpanyl" he
exclaimed.
Mrs. Vimpany was afraid to open the
packet in our presence" Iris went on
You must have seen that. The hand.
writing is familiar to me: ! I'm certain OF
the person who wrot the address"
"Welll And who is the ~person?'
Size whispered IN his car:
Lord Harry"