The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-06-08
CHRIs'S LOVER


the absorption of a creamy chiffon
frock in a dark blue serge embrace,
the juxtaposition of two pretty heads,
one copper-red and the other soft
brown, made up in Lord Tregenna's
memory the general effect of the meet
ing between Lady Christine MainWar-
ing and her daughter Christabel. Aft
er a moment the copper hair and the
chiffon frock reassunled a separate
existence, and Lady Christine Main
warning, Il little flushed and disturbed
from her usual serenity. turned to the
privileged witness Of the scene.
"Lol1 Tregenna, you must forgive
me, but l have not seen my daughter
for a very long time" She took the
young girls long, slender fingers i'll
her own small, white hand.
"Let me present to you my little
girl"
Miss Christabel Mainwaring deigned
his lordship the slightest and shyest
of bows, then turned to her pretty
mother, and, holding her at arms
length, cried: Little girl! Why, dear,
Pm head and shoulders taller than you
are, and you're so lovely and so wee
you make me feel quite old"
Lady Christine raised her fingers
and patted her daughters cheek.
"Nonsense, you foolish child. Now,
run upstairs. Henriette will show
YOU your room and unpack for you.
1 will come to you directly" 49,.
From her slender height the girl
dropped a kiss upon her mothers
brow, then left the room.
"Nhat do you think of herr were
Lady Christmas first words as the
door closed.
Lord Tregenna picked up his hat and
gloves before he answered.: "She is
very lovely"
''She is not like me, eh!"
He let his eyes-big, gray, rather
cold eyes-wander over the mlgnonne
form before him. During all her NJ
teen years %undisputed position as a
leading beauty, Lady Christine u
never looked so lovely as at that mo
ment. with her bosom throbbins be-
meath her perfumed Lures, her sweet
red lips apart, her sapphire eyes aslow
with excitement and curiosity.
Lord Tregenna looked a second m
"No. Miss Wainwaring is not like you.
But | must be going. You Will want
to go to your daughter"
eau revoir, then, until this u
You will come to the opera!,
eff you will grant me hospltailty iol
the second act of Romeo L snail NC
delighted"
She waived him an airy acquires
cence and moved to the door ny ms
side. Yet, after Lord Iregenna la9
left the house, Lady Christine seemed
in no. hurry to join her daugnter. sue
sank into a low chair II drew hef
penciled brows together In an uhac-
customed effort of serious
From her twentieth birthday, Wneh
Marmaduke MainM airing had lett hef
a widow, the whole world had on
spired to take all need of hought OF
care from her baby-dimpled hands ana
curly auburn hair. Relatives quickly
decided that her only child Il We'll
be educated in a foreign convent; ana
society. finding her beautiful, sweet
natured and very wealthy, ~ once
cast her for the role of beauty ana
caressed and feted her accordingly.
Life ran on very wel!-greasea Wheels
for Lady Christine Mainwaring, ana
she did not permit even her lovers TO
trouble her. Scores Of men burned in
cense at her dainty shrine, n sWorc
ardent vows at her arched feet. Some
loved her for her beauty, others de,
sired her for her wealth. But she q
neither taste nor sympathy Q either
one of them. A thousand times she
had eagerly protested that neither
her position nor fortune could be bet
tered by a second marriage, and, UNI
like most women under identical cir
cumstances, she rad really meant
what she had said.
But lately, after fifteen years of ad-
ulation and conquest, when a seven
t~een-year-old daughter was looming on
the horizon of her career, little Lady
Christine sometimes caught herself
watching for a certain handsome face
at the opera, waiting for a particular
tall. suuare-shouldered figure on the
park, longing for the tones of a deep
voice at routs and balls. She grew as
capricious as a spoilt baby, ridiculous
ly CHEEKY n hour, absurdly depressed
the next. She would laugh at moth
ing. and twice within the week that
preceded her daughters return, she
oh, fe that such a confession should
have to be made-she had caught her
self in tears.
A vague fear, an uniformed appre-
tension. was driving q tiny lump into
her white throat now rs she sat nus
ing over Lord Tregenna's words: ''She
IS very lovely. She is. not like you"
what did he mean? Christabel was
young and slender, and had great
doye-like eyes. II wonder which Of
us he will prefer" Then she laid her
cool hands against her burning cheeks.
s'What q fool I am to even dream Of
such things. I've been spoilt. I think
that every man must be in love with
me if he carries my prayer book two
Sundays running at. church parade,
or comes to my opera box once a week.
Chris must have her chance, and If
he"
Then her thoughts trailed away into
vague imaginings, till a low voice muir
mured: "Mother, may l come in?"
"Of course, dear. Ring for tea. Now
sit down here and tell me all about
everything till it's time to dress for
dinner"
When Lord Tregenna went round to
Lady Christine Mainwaring's opera
box that evening he found it crowded
with q fiuttering mob of moths, all
dying to SINCE their wings in the rays
of the new star.
"By Jove; Lady Chris! Introduce
please. Your daughter is charm
ing" drawled Lord Sloshire in a stage
whisper.
."The prince has. already asked VINO
is with you, Lady Chris"
"And says he won't believe she. is
your daughter"