The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-26


That's the second woman who's refused
me-. he muttered grimly That's about
enough, l think. 1t will be a long time,
anyway before l try my luck again"
But II Sir Basil could only have looked into
Noras secret heart at that moment, he might
have seen how true is the old coupet which
declares that
Between womans yes and no,
There isn't room for a pin to 60
CHAPTER VI.
Lady Tudor.
Isobel, Lady Tudor, was said to be the
most beautiful woman in England, and
tainly it seemed scarcely possible to imagine
more beautiful one than she who had been
the wife, and was the widow, of Sir
Robert Tudor.
she sat in her own room, one pleasant af
ternoon in early autumn, wrapped in a pale
pink dressing gown, with her lovely light
Drown hair falling in ripping masses far be-
low her waist; and it easy to see she
was deep IN thought, and that her thoughts
were not all pleasant ones.
1t is were not SO fatally true that there is
a skeleton in everybody's cupboard, would
have found it impossible to conceive that
there could be SO much as one crumpled rose
leaf in my lady's life.
She was young we'll as beautiful; and
those who knew her best, declared she had
cause for JOY, rather than grief, when the
mlddie-aged husband, whom she had married
Tor the sake OF his fortune, met his death in
a boating accident, eighteen months ago.
His will had made her one of the richest
widows in England; for, although he had
been twice married, he had no children, and
only one near relation, in the person of a
little orphan mecca child of seven or eight.
A superbly beautiful woman was Lady
Tudor.
In figure, she was tall and magnfcently
formed, with lovely white arms and shoulders,
and neck and throat which famous sculp-
tor had declared were the most perfect he
had ever seen.
She was very proud Of her milk white skin,
and usually dressed to show it to the best
advantage.
She had a fair rose-leaf complexion, large
lustrous blue eyes, perfect teeth lips like
Cupid's bow, wildly crimson and velvety
soft, and a smooth white brow on which
Time, as yet, had planted no tell-tale line.
Often and often did my lady consult her
mirror to assure herself of this; for she was
approaching an age when the charms of
many women are on the Wane.
In another year she would be thirty.
An unpleasant thought this, to Lady Tu-
dor
On this September afternoon she glanced
again and again at the tiny jeweed clock on
the mantel-piece. DIS though she were waiting
impatiently for something.
You may begin to dress me-" she said
languidly, though there was a look of
suppressed excitement in her large, lustrous
eyes, which contradicted the languor of her
tone.
What shall I put out my lady?"
Il have no choice Oh, -the-by"-speak-
ing as though the idea had just occurred to
her-I haven't worn my new violet velvet
yet. Perhaps L may as we'll wear that
The maid was not imposed upon in the
very least.
Maids seldom are.
She knew perfectly well that her mistress
was especially anxious about her toilet this
evening, and she thought she knew the rea-
son why.
The Sir Basil Brooke who was coming to
dine with my lady was a young man, and an
unmarried one.
It for his sake-so decided Anne
jennings the maid-that the new violet vel
vet to be worn.
When my lady was dressed, she certainly
repaid all the pains that had been taken.
The velvet robe was of the loveliest, purest
shade Of violet possible to be conceived.
By contrast with it, the milky fairness of
Lady Tudor's skin looked almost dazzling
There were pearls in her lovely light brown
hair.
Her cheeks were delicatey flushed and her
blue eyes bright as stars.
She looked at her own fair image in the
glass, and seemed we'll content with what she
there; then she swept down the grand
staircase, and, moment later, was in the
drawing
The room had no other occupant as vet
My ladys companion, and ostensible
chaperon, elderly person of very
mild and timid nature; and in some subtle
way, she had been given to understand that
Lady Tudor would be quite as we'll pleased
if she did not make her appearance very
early in the drawing that evening.
More than once did my lady look at the
tiny jeweled watch on her wrist and her fair
white brows contracted in a little froWn as
she did so.
will he never Gomez" she murnured. "I
thought he would be sure to be here by now -
At length footman entered to announce
R9Sll Brooke and
have been seen that she flushed like young
girl as she rose and slightly advanced across