The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-02-20

E Scarlet FortuD2. ;
= b. HENRY HERMAN. *
2 *
y *


thing about Mr.. MIClaur which Lady
Z ENeiyne had lever really liked he
WIS good Hooking enough. a. far a.
"a sort Of ayage coIulinDSS went. aud
the young ladies Of fashion thought
his quaint Western dialect fresh and
amusing: but now and then there came
an expression into Mr.. Maclanc.~ fac
which haTmouizcd but iudiIcrrutly
with his usual ~gentl"lnanly and kindly
domeaDOr and which once very nearly
frightened his attiauced bride.
The result Of the young lIdy'S self
cCmmunings was that she duwdled
about her toilet. that she took an uu-
cousci"nlbly long rimC in dressing,
that she lowered over her lunch. ami
persisted afferwJrd IN maintaining an
animated discussion with Lord Gwen
dale. who was pleased TO lind his
daughter interested in a subject which
interested him and for which she had
uot shown any previous SYMPATHY.
Lady Evelyne. reSOTtpd. il fact. 10 a
dozen little schemes. ana AZ many u
III" recognized privileges Of her sex.
for the purpose Of avoiding the duch-
css garden party. where she knew she
would meet Mr.. Maclauo. Not that
she had taken a sudden dislike to the
young man, or had resolved upon a
breach Of their engagement: but her
volatile mind had discovered II novel
and pleasant INDIGESTION. whir.. is thu
cream of excitement in til" life OF a
young lady Of fashion. II was nearly
as entiCing as the tasting Of some for
hidden fruit. Lady EyeIyne knew that
her duty bound her 10 Mr.. M~aclanr.
and that no image but his should OBJ
trude itself on her waking thoughts.
There was something Spicily charming
about feeling a kind Of stolen affection
for II a while. in promise. bound
TO another, which pleased Lady
Evelyne. and made her fingers Jingle
with nearly vOluptuOls sensation.
The marchiOneSS was already waiting
in the drawing DOM. dressed for the
garden party. when her daughter was
still in the dining room. converSing
with her father about matters for
which, AT any other time. she would
have evinced not III" slightest interest.
and the details and particulars Of which
she now seemed most anxious 70 ac-
quire. Lady Gwendale was a Datirnt
lady. and well accustomed 70 her daUgh-
ter's fOibles. When she found that
Lady Evelyne had made no prppara-
tions whatever for the functions Of the
afternoon, she ordered her carriage and
drove away alone.
Evelyne was happy when she found
that her strategy was successful. She
skipped up stairs 10 her own room. and
threw herself into an arm chair. where
she could look out upon the lawn and
he green trees beyond. and lose her
self in IA delightful S~evcrie. while her
maid brushed and kept on brushing her
luXuriant hair. II seemed enhancing
10 her 10 abandon herself 10 this day
dream. and a full hour or more passed
before the young lady was aware OF the
effiuXion Of time. Even her it was
only a message from Lord Gwendale
which brought her 10 a sense Of the
everyday commonplace. Ny lord. being
for the once particularly pleased with
his daughter, sent up TO know if she
would accompany him in Il walk
through the park. 1t had been so long
since the marquis had thus hOnOred her
that she accepted the invitation with
alacrity. and the balmy summer after
noon saw the pair among the crowd Of
prOmenaderS by the side Of the Row.
Lord Gwendal" had never been "A very
prominent parsonage. either in politics
or the world Of fashion. His inclina-
tiOnS were purely scientific. and his
habits modest and retiring; therefore.
he was not as well known a. his rank
might have warranted. Yet. many a
hat was lifted in respectful ceremony.
and many Il courteous acknowledge
ment greeted my lord and his daughter
as they passed along.
The shady gravel walk was not as
full of its habitual ariStoCratic thrOng
as il would have bee had not the big
garden party, and an equally attractive
fancy fair. claimed the attention Of
many yotaries of fashion Unlike her
father. Lady Eyclyne bOaStcd Of a large
circle Of acquaintanceS. and. though she
had hoped TO find time during the walk
to indulge in the musings which had
proved 80 pleasant to her earlier In the
day, her attention was now fully Occu-
pied in Saluting and returning SalutcS.
She stopped TO exchange a few words
with my Lady This, or TO ask a queS-
ton or two of my Lady That; or, again.
to talk banalities with the young Lord
SO-and- SO, while Il continuous smile
played around her pretty lips. Under
the influence of this airy occupation
her previous purpose vanished into
thin haze, and was momentarily forgot
ten, when, on a sudden, at the sight Of
a young gentleman who was leaning
against the ratings, Lady Evelyne's
face turned pale, and her heart went
pit-a-pat in al alarum which, whether
it was painful OIL pleasant, the young
lady knew not.
1t was a handsome face, bronzed by
the sun, and two or three scars gave It
a peculiar charm without disfiguring Ii.
The bright, dark eyes, flashed I'm ami
mated conversation with a gentleman
whom Lady Eyelyne did no know,
while the brown, nervous hand twirled
a small, dark mustache with uncon-