Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-09-04
Fub.R)SNDO@N.
CHAPTER v1I,-(Continuetl,)


was about mile and a half from the
castle. He wanted to see Clarice In the
bosom OF her family, to see whether her
surroundings were too terrible, the
father too suggestive Of the original bar
row. lie had seen very little Of the Dane.
brooks In his bOyhood. The passion for
Clarice was new craze Of her ladyship's.
The hall was everything which the cas-.
tie was not. II had been built FIVE and
twenty years before, In the midst Of q
level expansc Of meadow land. which
during that quarter Of century had been
In process Of education into a park. hut
a. there had been very few old trees to
begin with. the park was still barren. n
waste Of level turf with new plantations
dotted about Mt intervals. A fine carriage
drive went from the lodge gates to the
hall door, surely the most unintcrcsting
drive In the country.
Mrs. Danebrook had just come In from
her Conservatives. where she shipped on
the dead leaves and damaged u few OF
the plants every morning under the delu.
sion that she was helping the head gar.
dener. She was large. placid woman
with small, regular features. which mist
have once been like those Of Clarice. She
was very fair, with the lily.like fairness
Of her daughter, and she had Aaxen hair.
which her daughter had carried out In
richer and warmer tint Of golden brown.
The daughter seemed TO Lashmar TO be
o refinement upon the mother, but he
told himself that a. the mother was, the
daughter might be five and twenty years
hence.
While Lashmnr was dawdlins In the
morning room, turning over pile Of new
novels and discussing their contents with
Clarice, Mr.. Danebrook came In from his
model farm, fresh and breezy as the De-
tobcr morning itself and bringing with
him that compound odor Of pigsty and
stable which hovers nbout the person Of
amateur ngriculturists and In which they
apparently delight.
They went In to luncheon, and Lash.
mar, who had rather despised Clnrice for
her stay.at.home metropolitan habits, for.
gave her when he compared her pure and
delicate beauty with the bronxed and
weathcr.bcaten countcnance and rough.
cned hair Of the typical country.brcd
damscl.
After luncheon Lashmar proposed that
Clnricc should walk to the castle with
him. and although Mrs. Dancbrook would
hardly have seen the fitness Of such q
proposition from commOner, she was
willing TO stretch the proprIeties just a
little for the sake Of noble admirer and
to allow her daughter to stroll across the
fields unchaperoncd. 10 Lashmar and
Clarice went across those rich Middle.
shire pastures, AZ gaily ~ Phyllis and
Strephon, In the sweet half.consciousness
Of dawninR love, and were received most
graciousiy by her ladyship.
LashmMr and Clarice went OF to the
tennis ground and began set without
delay. They played two sets and then
went wandering OF towards the Italian
garden. which was ut the other end Of the
castle, Owt Of Lady Lashmar's ken. II
was upon the garden that the late Lord
Lashmar's rooms opened. Olarice loiter.
ed to look In at ono Of the windows Of
the library.
"Oh, what q noble roomw she cried
peering In at the spacious apartment, with
white marble b,sts which cleaned In the
shadowy Interior. The room seemed IN
half darkness 40 seen from the bright
clear light Of the garden. do you know
that have never seen the famous Lash
mar library?" she said, looking back at
Lashmnr. II should like to see IT,"
"Thcn you shall" he answered cheer
lily. "Strange that her ladyship should
never have taken you In to look ut thu
old Books Of Hours and such like valuable
rubbish. But the room has very sad ~
sOclati0ns for her, on account Of my
brother. He almost spent bis life In tina,
room."
Eyes, I know. I3ow very good and
sweet he was-such . lovely, mOurnfu
face. only saw him two or three times
but ! thought him 70 nice. He spoke x
kindly, lie had such u beautiful manner
What became Of that pretty little dark
eyed girl he adoptedf saw her with him
one day; such an interesting little thing.
''Oh, she 10 still here, ! believe, some
where In the hOusekeeper's quarters
Lashmar answered csrelessly.
They went In at the glass door, which
opened Into the late Lord I.ashmavs cit
ting-roon. Nothing In this or any Of hi,
rooms had been altered since bis death
Her ladyship meant to have u genera
turnout Of everything aud complete re
arrangement Of these rooms later ON
when the sharp, sad feeling OF recen
death should have worn away. She wa,
not altogether without feeling upon IN,
subject; though she had always wished
for Hubert's early death as the best posi-
bic arrangement Providence could max,
for everybody, dear Hubert himself In
cluded.
Clsrice looked at the room with
mournful air. Suddenly In the midst o.
her contemplation Of the room, she gave I
little start and touched Lashmar light,
on the wrist.
"What IL thatT" she whispered,
'"That" was a small fragile figure, +,
little girl In black frock, sitting at tn,
further end OF the room, perched higl
up on library ladder, reading a BIZ
volume which It was az. much as he
small hands and thin little arms coul,
do to hold In Its place. Rugged agains
her STOPPING chest.
by Jovew exclaimed Lashmar, ut 4
the very child you were talking Of, poo
Hubert's protege," and he went to tn,
other end OF the room, followed by Clar
Ice. and looked up with half-amused al
at the queer little figure on the step
ladder.
"What are you doing up there. Stella 2
he asked, not ill.naturedly.
The uncanny dark eyes looked down q
him, 90 large, 20 black, In comparison
with the small pale face; and then tn
thin black legs uncoiled themselves from
the steps, and the child came down AM
faced her new master, still hugging tn
Guarto In her lean arms. She stood AMI
faced his lordship and the lovely younl
lady, looking with those great solemn
eyes of hers from one to the other.
WyVhat kook In that ~ asked Laahmar