The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-06-16

interrupted my observations with
respectful greeting.
Dinner will be served at z o'clock,
sir" he said. will you take any re-
freshments now-brandy or soda, or
sherry and bitters. sir? There is tea
in the drawing-room STILL" Then, as
l declined all his hospitable sugges-
tions, he added, Il will show you to
your room, then, If you please, sir.
The Colonel is sleeping; the doctors
are most anxious he should not be
disturbed. We had Sir Alfred Cox
down from London tits morning.
was to say that the Colonel might not
be able to see you for some little time.
He has had no sleep before this for
eight-and-forty hours-he has had
such violent pains-and now that the
sleeping-draught has taken effect the
medical gentlemen make a great point
Of"
"Oh, certainly quite understand!
We must hope that this sleep will be
a turning point in the Illness" l said
cheerfully. "Of course it is of vital
importance that the Colonel should
not be aroused Sleep is often the
best medicine
The Colonel has been counting the
hours until you could be here. sir" the
man went on, as he unpacked my
portmanteau and laid out my apparel.
He sent for the Bradshaw as soon as
your telegram came, and ordered the
dog-cart himself. Ec only dropped off
as you turned into the avenue. Is that
all can do for you, sir? You will find
the morning papers i'll the library
There was a suppressed interest and
excitement in the manner of the man,
who was evidently an old and conf
Dental retainer. My arrival and mis-
sion were, as l could see, matters Of
supreme Importance and curiosity to
that anxious household.
The butler was waiting for me again
in the hall as l descended the stairs.
He threw open the door of the room
on the right, and ushered me in with
the announcement:
MIR. Fort"
1t was with momentary and I'M
comfortable thought of my morning
dress that l found myself in the pres
ence OF a lady-a fair slim girl whose
white gown made her at once a con-
spicuous point in the sombre, heavily
furnished room. She was seated in a
large leather chair at the table in the
center Of the apartment, her hands
folded over the closed volume in her
lap, and her eyes fixed upon the door,
Large limpid blue-gray eyes they were,
l saw as l came nearer, searching mine
with an anxious questioning gaze.
This then was the Mona" of whom
my fellow passengers had spoken-the
ideal about which had woven so many
imaginings. A very fair maiden, the
fairest, sweetest decided on the in
stant-whom it had ever been my lot
to meet, although the lovely eyes were
ringed with dark shadows as from
watching and weeping. and the white
gown had been put on without the ad-
dition Of a single flower or ornament
She rose as l advanced towards her
and bowed gravely. Once, l thought
her hand stole out with a hesitating
gesture-as IL she would have offered
it to me. But it was withdrawn almost
instantly, and rested on the table be-
side her, as she stood, a graceful droop-
ing figure, with that indescribable and
exquisite grace of delicate refinement
which is nherited-never acquired. A
very gracious chatelaine, thought, If
the sleeping colonel upstairs should so
will. And with the thought there came
a strange dumb thrill of pain, as IL
the fair vision were floating away
from me into the dim shadowy dis
lance.
Some conventional remark as to the
weather was the only thing which oc-
Cured to me, and seemed for its COM
monplaceness terribly out of harmony
with the spirit of the occasion, es-
pecially as it was met by another long,
troubled, almost trembling look into
my face.
ITO be continuedl