The Democratic advocate., 1897-12-18

representative no wonder the Prince lost
his head. but gained his courage and made
her his by that revivifying kiss
So thinks Dugdale, as, compelled by
his part-but Il very willing servant-he
bends over her How sweet she looks /!
How kind Yet if she knew all would
she not spurn him? Al-yet how little !
How delicately the lashes lie upon that
perfect cheek Oh that the curtain
might stay up forever Oh that he
dared, as did that Old-World lover, to
stoop and kiss and wake her into a new
life-a life of love for him
The curtain, however, ike time, takes
heed of no man. Down it comes with a
little bang; so suddenly that Dugdale, lost
in his trance of admiration, forgets all
about it. 1t is only when the large dark
eyes open and look straight up into his
impassioned ones that the fact of its descent
dawns upon him. That fact, and another
too. With little sharp exclamation,
Miss Englethorpe springs to her feet, filings
back the crimson coverings that had par
TALLY covered her, and for a moment stands
pale, defiant, horror stricken before him.
What is she thinking of? What? 1t
seems to him in the midst of his conster-
nation that he knows Again he sees
himself in that blue chamber looking down
upon the sleeping girl. Again she wakes
again her eyes uplift themselves to his
as they do now.
Miss Englethorpe has taken step
nearer to him. she has lifted her hand as
though she would have spoken to him.
There is in the strange deep glance of her
eyes something of absolute agony. Her
lips part
All at once she turns aside, her hand
falls to her side and abruptly, nay brusquely,
she passes him by, and disappears by the
amateur wing.
Dugdale, who has grown little pale,
is the only one left to receive the plaudits
Of the assembled county.
= !: :: :: = !;
She put in no appearance at breakfast
next morning, and Dugdale's heart sinks
lower within him (if that be possible).
Late in the afternoon, at the ) o clock
tea, that seems to delight everybody, but
at which she (really he has begun to re-
gard her, so far as name is concerned,
almost as the heroine of Mr.. Haggards 5
novel, } is also absent and strolling leis-
urely into the library where this mild dis
sipation is, as a rule, carried out to its bit
ter end, Dugdale becomes aware of that
crushing fact. He has hardly had his
own cup, however, which neither cheers
nor inebriates him, when door opening
on his left causes him to turn.
Yes, it is she. But very pale and
nervous she \ ''she, too, fighting evi-
IDENTITY against odds that are Of a spiritual
nature and not open to the public. Dug
dale looking at her feels puzzled.
His ignorance, however, is Of short con-
tinuance. Miss EngIethorpe has not been
two minutes in the room when somebod y
Lady Rattleton, of course-says loudly:
Whose watch is this p AS she speaks
she lifts Il gold watch from small table
at her elbow, with chain attached, and
holds it up as if for auction to those around.
Dugdales heart grows still. That it is
his watch goes without telling. That, she,
unable longer to endure the suspense
unable too, to retain so valuable an ar
ticle-has at last decided on Drawing the
worst is clear TO him. She had come in,
had laid that vile timepiece upon the table
unseen by any one, and now, when all the
guests are assembled, is waiting to learn
the truth.
Well. she shan hear it from him at all
events.
"a fine thing!--a very fine thing!
| And who is the owner Of this fine thing?
cries Lady Rattleton in her shrill tones,
dangling the watch to and fro, and chal-
longing all the men present, ''Yours,
Oswald? No? Yours, Mr.. Lightwood?
Yours, Sir George?' to her host. "No,
really? 1t looks like an heirloom. Well,
come it must be yours, Captain Dugdale.
For Il moment Dugdale hesitates; it is
hesitation so slight as to be almost un-
felt-but in the most infnitesimal space Of
time quite train Of thoughts can present
themselves. IF he repudates the watch
now he can never claim it again; and it is
an old friend, the companion Of many
year, and dear to him. as inanimate things
sometimes will be. But not to deny all
knowledge of it, with those large searching
eyes gazing at him from the other end Of
the room, waiting breathlessly as it seems
for his answer, is imI ssible to him.
Mine? No, says he shaking his
head with a smile.
"Must belong to some Of the other fel-
lows. They'll claim it when they come
in, says Oswald, indifferently, as Lady
Rattleton puts back the watch on the table
where she had found it. Dugdale breathes
more freely and let his glance turn to
where Lillian has but just now been stand
ing. She has gone into the embrasure Of
the window, however, and is sitting there
On pile Of cushions chatting with appar-
ent gayety with young man, who is hold
ing teacup for her. She has not dis
believed him then? Once again he has
escaped detection. Surely she could not
laugh like that if she doubted. Yet
strange perversity-he almost wishes she
| had doubted, that she know, that it was
all over, and she had forgiven him. A
growing dislike to the young man to whom
she is making herself 50 agreeable, mingled
with sort of discomfort, hardly to be
placed, induces him to leave the gay party
round the tea table and wander somewhat
aimlessly into the music room, a charming
apartment hung with pale pink cretonne
and with a huge bow window facing south.
At this hour of the day it is sure to be
deserted and free from fear of chance Wis
itors Glad in this thought, Dugdale
stands moodily in the window chewing the
cud of several bitter thoughts, when
light but hurried step behind causes him
to turn. Who can be coming now?
1t seems to him that he hardly knows
her, as she stops short before him, her lips