The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-10-29
CHAPTER XVI.

After that evening Lashmar yielded
himself tc the alluremcnts of Circe, in
the person of Lady Carminow, with less
reserven than he had hitherto shown, and
in proportion as his attentions grew more
marked, Clarice became more enchant-
ing.
BY this time Lashmar had decided that
destiny meant him to be Lady Carmi-
now's husband. He had escaped the
doom once, he had plucked himself out
of the web: but this time he felt that he
was caught.
He could account for his tepid emotions
by no other theory than that nature had
made him colder than other men. He
fancied that he had even an aversion for
women, and that he would have ended his
days n bachelor, were it not that self-in
terest and his mothers incessant prompt
ing urged him to marriage. He had had
everything to gain from union with
Lady Carminow, and it was sheer wan
tonness in him to hang back; and yet he
put off from day to day the utterance Of
those fatal words which would seal him
as a slave forever.
He had promised to drive to Brumm
with Clarice and Mrs. Mulciber that af-
lSlHoOu, w ~ OStI luc SIcul DdueDIOOh
iron works, of which Lady Carminow was
sole proprietor. Her name was on the
carts and wagons. "Clarice. Marchion-
ess of Carminow." Lashmar had never
been over these mighty works, and he hat
ed seeing works of any description-hated
the thud of the engines, the smell of the
furnaces, the CRIME and dust upon every
thing, and was not very fond even of the
insisted that he should adore them.
Brumm and the outskirts Of Brumm
looked IL little more detestable than usual
to Lord Lashmar that October afternoon,
although Lady Carminow was sitting op-
posite him. clad in ruddy brown velvet
and sable tails, with little sable bonnet
that harmonized deliciously with her rich
gold brown hair. If the beauty of
woman or the luxury of barouche could
have sutticed him, he might have been
happy; but on this particular afternoon
he behold e-cn Lady Carminow's perfec-
tion with n jaundiced eye.
The visit to the great Danebrook works
did not serve to change his mood, as the
workmcn were on the eve of striking and
received the visitors in rather surly
manner.
1t was between six and seven when
Lady Carminow and her companions re-
turned to the castle. Afternoon tea was
over, and the shooters had retired to the
bathrooms and dressing-rooms, and there
was the sound of a piano and very thin
soprano voice from the drawing-room,
whereby Lashmar opined that Mrs Vaya-
sour was indulging in a ballad alone or in
company. He went to the library, intend
ing to enjoy quiet half hour with the
newspapers before he dressed.
The roonl was only lighted by the burn
ing logs in one Of the two frepaces and
a single lamp on n reading table. The
curtains had not been drawn, and as
Lashmar crossed the room toward the
lamplight he saw two dark figures pacing
slowly past the windows.
He opened a easement and looked out
A man and woman were standing little
way off in earnest conversation. The
woman, black iobed, bare headed. tall and
straight and slim, was Stella. The man
was Nestorius.
He WAS bending to speak to her, until
it seemed to Lashmar that his lips must
almost touch her hair. His hand was on
her shoulder, as if he had been pleading
or arguing with intensest meaning. Sud-
denly Stella released herself from that de-
tanning grasp linelt for an instant at his
feet and clasped and kissed his hand
with quick, passionate gestures, then rose
as quickly as she had knelt, and rushed
away to the other end Of the terrace.
Only Southern blood would have shown
its feeling in such impassioned move
ments. Strange as the act was, it seemed
in no wise false or theatrical. All was
natural and spontaneous. To Lashmar,
who had seen the girl silent, statuesque
i'll her inlmobility, this new aspect of her
character was startling in the extreme.
"Has she gone suddenly out of her
wits!' he asked himself, angrily. HAS
Nestorius infected her with lunacy, or is
she playing a deep game? Yes, that is it,
no doubt. She means to hook our enthu-
siast. He is more impressionable than
Ulysses, and she is as crafty as Calypso.
Those silent women with lowered eyelids
are always shy"
he went out into the cleaning. Au-
tumnal mists were rising all over the
park. Night was coming up from the
valley and the river like palpable pres
ence, Il mighty winged monster, spread
ing wide pinions over the earth, curtain
ing and covering homestead and meadow,
man and beast, diffusing a false air Of
peace and silence and solemnity over all
things.
CHAPTER XVII.
There was no peace in Lashmar's