The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-29

/ him to know that HE wife was not onl,
we'll received. but WIS herself one o.
Z fashions leaders-pieased him. that Is
as long as he was not asked to take am
I part IN gayetiss- Thus he knew but liftl,
OF the many incidents and strange com
plications that we're crowded into the nfs
OF the courted Lady Vane. Among then
might evidently be counted an episode il
connection Eiss4 Eyre Lestrsuge, Whose
reasons fSf leaving the buster arena ol
the metropolis and apparently settling
down AZ Grandtown size perchance knew
as well as he did himself, though they
puzzled not a few % his intinates al
the swagger club 10 which he belonged
In London.
he seemed altogether 20 be a man SO
! totally unified 10 deal with the social
htiieness Of a provincial town that nc
one could understand Why ne wished to
contend with IL. although that he would
make nrSt-rate stipendiary was not
doubted. He was clear-headei. strong
willed. and. where public Justice was con-
cerned. stern. such was the verdict pass
ed on hin by his men friends only Lady
Nane wondered whether he had a suffi-
Gent amount of daring.
If she had been asked TO explain her
meaning, she would have been silent she
was not going 10 speak until she felt
quite sure what she intended to say. and
that depended on Eyre Lestrange him
self. That he possessed more daring than
she had given him credit for she began
10 suspect when she saw him looking
into Muriers eyes until the girl blushed
and quailed beneath his impassioned
giances.
That there should be no "fooling" with
AGFlel Lady Fane was resolved, though
II would be difficult to induce the squire
10 mark this man as dangerous, He was
OF good old family. was a first-rate
paru and charming fellow. and the
squire and ne were old friends. but he did
not know all that Lady Vane knew. Her
tongue however, was temporarily tied
She must bide her time, and that irri-
tdted her, especially as she saw that the
hist lesson in love had been given TO
sweet MurieL
once or twice during the evening I.e-
strange's eyes had Wandered away from
the FEAST with which the sight of Muriel
was regaling them, to Iinger for a mo-
ineht on Lady Nane's face. and I'm those
occasional glances bestowed on her she
could not decide whether she perceived
defiance or fear.
After ne and The other guests who had
Deeh invited 10 meet him were gone. Sir
feIcy ana the squire were loud in their
encomiums on the new stipenSiary. Dut
Lady Nane spoke never a word, only won
dered silently whether ne would ;urn
coward and take to flight. or whether he
would brazen out the situation with man
~ impudence
II uld not add to the philosophy with
which she sought to regard the new mage
mat mad been turned in their lives when
she saw Muriel go off to bed, saving
that she was tired, and without coming
into her room for the usual hair brush
ing talk while Sir Percy and the squire
were smoking down in the billiard room.
On this particular night Lady Vane pass
ed the time in writing a letter, which
she desired her maid TO have posted by
the early morning mail, and while she
was writing II there was frown on her
brow which it We're we'll for her beauty's
sake should not be allowed 10 finger
there
Several days passed and there was a
lull. Could it be- she wondered,
the proverbial lull before the storm?
Muriel still maintained profound
sHeIlce ABOUT her new acquaintance, and
Lady Nane did not make any attempt TO
break it. for as Eyre Lestrange did not
put in an appearance il was perhaps as
well not TO allude to him, especially as
she had received no answer to the letter
she had written. She suspected that the
friend who might have given her some
she required had either gone
abroad or judged it expedi9nt to be ST.
lent
After five days there was a garden par
ty at Weldon Castle, the last of a series
Of very festive gatherings. All the neigh |
oorhoCd was there. and among the first
who came forward to greet The party
rom Crsett Hall was Eyre Lestrange.
He did not look as if conscience or any
)tner mental trouble was depressing him /
His eagle eyes We're ahame-nis whole |
was instinct with light-the |
'adiance in his face becoming almost daz-
,ling when he approached Muriel.