Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-11-19
A PEERLESS PIANIST.

II i Err lIElOO L n LIN 10 Il.
Il dislike her" said Roland Keith.
Il dislike her and distrust her."
Il wish" said his wife. you would
get me some more tea. Who is il you
dislike and distrust, desr2'
Mrs. Lorraine answered Keith. as
ne took her cup obediently. She's
she's-never mind what she is. wish
10 heaven Archie had never seen her.
That's ALL"
hillicent Keith's eyes wandered over
The room and its occupants till they
rested on a womsn's face A face like
a painters day-dream;, fair and pale
and clear as a cameo: beautiful beyond
words. with the artistic beauty Of dead
sold hair. and the marble regularity of
ahiselled features, and the dreamy
glamour of aImond-snaped eyes. Ahi
those eyes-dark as night and soft "a
velvet beneath the long sweeping lash
as that overshadowed them. To gaze
inte their lustrous depths was good
for no mans peace of mind
She has a lovely face" said MILL
cent, with little sigh and she seems
rest OF it. hut il you say she isn't
good enough for Capt. Lennox. why. of
course. she isn't. You must know"
Fhe Keiths had been married for two
years. but Millicent still looked up to
her husband as the best and wisest be-
ing in all the world. Which shows
that she was 4 wonderful woman-or
that he was wonderful man.
Keith looked at her and smiled.
Good girl" he said. indulgently,
'you deserve some more tea"
AS he sauntered across the room to-
ward the teatable everybody looked at
him. not only because he was a very
weil~known and even famous man. and
worthy as such TO be looked at on
every occasion. but also because ne had
a curious faculty or drawing all eyes
to himself and becoming instantly the
central figure of any group that he
might join. Yet there was nothing
very remarkable about him. A dark.
clean-shaven face. keen. watchful gray
eyes, a quiet, reserved manner. a gem
eral air OF suppressed power--that was
All.
Mrs. Lorraine's chair gave way at his
approach. and maze room for him to
enter the circle.
Come and join the discussion.
Keith" one OF them called out. Were
talking about palmistry"
A slight smile crossed Keith's i'm
passive face.
'Palmistry2" he repeated while his
keen eyes wandered from one to an
other. Does anybody believe in it,"
Mrs. Lorraine does" answered the
man who had spoken before. At least
she says she does
Again that slight smi@e fitted over
Keith's face.
rs that the weak spot in your armor
Of proof Mrs. Lorraine?" he asked. in
his cool. level tones. Il hardly fancied
vow had one. thought" He broke
Oh abruptly
The wOmaR whom he addressed
raised her eyes and flashed him a
Sarious look from beneath her dark
lashes. Was it fear. or defiance, OF a
strange mingling OF both?
What did you thiRkg" she asked.
His eyes hardened as ne looked
Gown at her Hplifted face, thrown into
brilliant RELIEF by the sombre back
groHnd OF the dark plush pillow on
which her head rested. He hated her
as she sat there-hated the indoIent
grace OF her perfectly poised figure.
aGd the haunting beauty OF her
OameO-Iike face, aud the name
less charm that attached itself
to her iightest word or action
and was as much a part OF her being
as its scent is part of the rose. With
all his heart and soul he hated the
woman who had won his best friends
love, and whom he felt instinctiveIy to
be unworthy OF that love
He answered her question with an
other.
DO you believe in palmistrye'' he
asked.
Again that e~al0as look flashed in
20 her eyes, bet In a noAent # was
gone and shs was laughing lightly
How can tell you what believes?
she answered. Sometimes / believe
ODe thing and sometimes another.
have no fxed creeds. Am I not q
woman"
The men standing round laughed
face sterner.
You do believe in it," he said. will
quiet insistence. II am rather good a
reading between the lines, and l car