The Van Buren press., 1895-08-24

some one slightly fairer," added her
ladyship. "You see have great ex.
perience in such matters"
1t might have been suggested that
Lady Grissell was unselfish In not
iavishing the results of her expert
ence upon herself; her visitor certain
y gave rather critical glance toward
her.
But is there nothing that YOU would
IKE to say to me-" said Lady Grissell.
Il ought to say at once, by the way,
how pleased | am that you do not talk
like an American at alb
1t was an unfortunate suggestion,
for 1t evidently made Miss Loftinia
McNease nervous, and produced in the
next sentence that she uttered nas-
atty that was quite alarming It was
only an inquiry about the time at
which the meals Of the household took
place, and 1t was the only question
that She asked during the whole inter-
view; but whether the look of horror
that passed into Lady Grissell's eyes as
she answered froze her blood-which it
was quite calculated to door not, at
that precise moment Miss Loftinia Nc
Nease tainted.
1t was not a dead faint; there was
nothing undignifed or unpleasant
about it; it could hardly be said that
her features were invaded by an unbe-
coming pallor; but her expressive dark
eyes closed, she held perfumed lace
handkerchief to her rosy lips, and
with low moan sank back in her
chair. One of her ladyship's own
daughters would not have succumbed
to indisposition in a more becoming
manner than this unsophisticated
daughter of q Yankee mill-owner; it
really was one Of the most winning in
cidents of the whole interview, and
Lady Grissel Grey back bent over her
with the tenderness of mother and
her own smelling bottle in her hand.
MAY I lay DOWN." she murmured
family.
"You shall lie upon the sofa,' whis-
pered Lady Grissell, slightly accentuat-
ing the lie"
"But some OF your swell friends will
come in murmured the graceful be-
ing, dropping in the armchair
81 will conduct you to my bedroom,
and order the carriage to take you
home," said Lady Grissell. "My maid
shall help you upstairs
'If may be quiet for quarter Of
an hour shall be all right. think l
can get there by myself; please don't
ring, your ladyship-Lady Grissell."
So she herself accompanied her up
stairs, and with her own hand drew
down the blind, while Miss Loftinia, in
spite of the gold-topped smelling-bot-
tie in her hand, apparently tainted
again, with her head on the lace Dor.
dered pillow, and her ladyship returned
to the drawing-room to send message
to her coachman.
Ten minutes later Mr.. Lotus Black.
acre called, and was duly concerned to
learn of what had occurred.
'She is SO charming l am so sorry
! for her; she looks delicate" said Lady
Grissell.
"Does she?" said her nephew. "Well
!
''She is wonderful" said his aunt.
''If she did not call my friends swells
and If she always talked with as little
accent as she did when she was at her
ease, I should hardly know that she
was not English"
women are so wonderfully adapta.
ble," said her nephew. f
Excuse me-" said his aunt; II told
them to bring in any letters that
came. am expecting an answer to an
invitation only sent out last night.
And she took couple of letters from a
silver salver. I'D. fqt.s,trfg
81 don't understand" she said.
"'Dear Lady Greyban I am sorry
not to call on you to-day, but some
friends of mine who are going back to
America right away insist on my going
with them to see the Tower of London.
Yours sincerely, 3,i IA
| "LoFTINIA MCNEAsE.
"But she's here" said her ladvship
IT suppose she changed her mind,
said Mr.. Blackacre.
"Some women do sometimes. By the
way, who was the pretty girl met on
| the stairsp know her face, some
how"
"You met no one on the stairs" said
his aunt mo one has been here but
Miss McNease." y..
"a lovely girl with light blue rib
| bons all over her hat. Miss McNease
has one rather like it," said Mr.. Black
acre
"But that was Miss McNease," said
Lady Grissell.
"Skittles," said her nephew. 1T was
not unlike her maid, who is one of the
best-looling-" -s et tr
But his aunt had rushed past him
and was displaying an activity in as
cending stairs unsupported in so digni
fed lady. ttffst ~ fsf tst
Five minutes later he was ringing
her bell for her maid, while she lay
weeping on her bed with an empty
Jewel case in her hand.
Five days later he feared that the
anxiety over the failure Of the police
to recover the Greybank diamonds
was unhinging her mind %
But her maid thought differently. Ii
the privacy of the housekeeper's rooms
| she confided to the butler: "1t amt the
! fear of not getting them back that's
keeping the old lady awake at nights
it's the fear that II they are got bach
folks IL find out she sold them long
ago, and they're all paste" And the
police declared that, called in so late
and supplied with such indefinite in
formation, pursuit was useless. And
- "a 80. ord tho Misses Grey hank