Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-10

"Are, all English gentlemen like
that?" queried the princess. "And yet
correcting herself-"how foolish to
ask such question, when / know SC
much better. Who, indeed, knows so
well as ! the charm Of the English
character? Was not my own dear
mother an Englishwoman?"
They are adorable said the baron.
with fervor. "Who that knows them
would not love them?--for the sake Of
onc!" he added, in a low voice, those
velvety eyes looking into Idas with the
love and softncss, the passion and the
prayer he knew so well to throw into
them-''for the sake of one, loving ALL
Had we not better go and get
ready?' said Mrs. Brand, with the fear
of Gerald Frobisher before her eyes.
eyes, let US CO." said Ida, in a half
relieved half-embarrassed kind OF
way.
And again mother and son exchanged
glances, and the smile that just lifted
the corner of each well-shaped but
over-1eshy mouth meant Good SC
far" Winged ifnot yet baggcd" would
have been an glishman's formula.
The morning had passed into the
early afternoon without untoward &C
cident Of any l1iad-unless Gerald Fro
bisher's temper might be called unto
ward. Never re markable for amiabili
ty, to-day II was Of the vilcet kind 10 b.
found. His rough life and ad7enturou.
experiences seemed TO have hardened
him to 50 much gr2pite-granite
abraded at all four corners and full o5
jagged edges and wounding spikes. II
served, however, to bring out into
greater relief the sweet courtesies and
graceful piasticitic5 Of the baron,
whose whole energies seemed devoted
to the one desire to please and enter.
tain the signorina, to do as she de
sired - To anticipate her unspokef
wishes and make her feel that she was
the main object of his thoughts anc
the-as yet Observation-Disclosures of his
heart and life. His gcntleness, his un
failing good humor, the skill with
which he parted Gerald's rCugher on
slaughts-but i'll the parrying iuflam
ing the EngliShman's anger still more
thus putting him Tor ever more and
more in the wrong-his caressing eyes
and musical voice, his subtle tender
ness. all stole over Ida as some irresist
ible charm. some powerful spell spoken
by potent magician. For one of the
few times in her Young life she coz.
templated her wealth with a glow Of
pride and delight. ana rejoiced that
She was free. rich and the mistress Of
her own destiny.
All this Gerald saw and understood.
And the feelings which this knowledge
reused in him were akin to those with
which he had defcd savage chief at
the head Of his tribe. stallsed a rogue
elephant, circumvented man-eating
tiger, fought single-handcd with
cobra, or looked for whipsnakcs in the
grass that he might crush them before
they had power to sting. In the baron
he recognized his enemy, whom yet he
despised; and forthwith set himself to
destroy him with the same feelings if
not by the same methods as those with
which he had destroyed those others in
the junglcs and the wilds.
The object e the expedition had
been accomplished. They had seen the
Schloss and heard tae legends: peered
into the dungeons and admired the
view from the battlcmcnts; eaten their
luncheon spread on the trestled tables
of the courtyard; talked platitudes
with an air o. rrofundity sl,rted by
intense feelings with an air Of indiffer.
ence; and done al that people in their
circumstances are wont to do. And
now il was time to return, Ida always
between the two men who were bat
Ting together FOR her possession with
as much ferccness, and to the same
purpose, as if they had been fighting
with clash Of steel. not mere fire of
words. Fortune hunters both Of them,
they were the Scylla and Charbydis OF
the girls pcrilous voyage. Into whose
hands socver she might fall she would
fall to her enduring sorrow.