The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-01-20
TWO JUNE NIGHTS.

TWO JUNE NIGHTS.
The words echoed idly in Brunton's
mind as, escaping by favor of French
easement from the crowded reception
room, he found himself i'll the pleasanco.
Softly the thrill of the distant music rose
and fell upon the still air. Less tunefully
sounded the nearer hum Of conversation
and laughter CHANGING back toward tho
lighted windows, the Vague ycarning for
sympathy that had lain like a cord round
his heart all day grippcd him Close. Then
an affected laugh stung his car, and Brun-
ton turned afrcsh toward solitude. I'm
der his feet lay The smooth grass of tho
trim lawn. Overhead was tho blue black
summer sky, star fecked and cloudless.
Lower the fairy lights. rcd, green and
geld, twinkled like jewels among the dark
foliage About him hung the fragrance
of heliotrope.
Brunton was Young His soul, now
lcdgsd, was immature, nebulous, and his
emotions still of the crudest. Yet as he
looked skyward his spirit sank at tho
thought Of leaving SO much beauty and
sweetness for-ko knew not what. To-
morrow lie would leave England to join
his regiment, and few seenCd to know or
care For tho first tine lie felt constrained
to mourn the lacH Of near relatives to fuss
and weep over his departure. His coming
to Mrs Derrick's Sat home" had been u
mistake too. Having few hours to fill
in, he had come with the idea that it
would pass the time pleasantly. Now he
felt annoyed at his folly in go doing.
Taking out cigar, he lit q match,
which u sportive zephyr playfully extin-
guishcd. Among the shadows hid rustic
arbor, and, stepping inside the shelter of
its doorway, he struck II fresh CLEAN.
Flaring up brightly, it revealed huddled
up close to the back wall of the arbor
shrinking girlish form.
Fer one startled moment his keen gray
eyes locked Arrangement into frightened
blue ones.
"why, by Jovo! Oh, say!'' he ejaou-
lated incoEsequently.
The childish face, set in an aurcole of
golden hair, raised appealiEgly to his.
"Oh, please, please, don't tell anybody
only came out here to get away from the
people"
Did you? Well, say, that should be
bond of union between US, for 50 did l. :"
Tho dying flicker uf the Wax match saw
fuce "And you won't tell anybody about
my coming out here? 1t would seem SO
rude to Mrs Derrick, you know"
mot "a soul, honor bright. But surely
you didn't leave tho house to crouch up
hero in the dark"
"Oh, no! 1t was lovely among the
stars and flow crs ard things; then heard
some Cno coming and ran in here till he
should go past, and SO you caught me-"
He could tell that she was smiling lit
tie now, though there was still little hes
itating catch in her voice.
Went you come out and walk again?"
He was longing to SEQ her. The darkness
of the summer house was tantaliZing, and
chival;y rebcl!cd ut the rudeness of strik
ing another light.
And you will sl0kc:" she asked, ris-
ing. III reply to his query and walking to
the door.
"No, thanks. 1 don't care to now.
| Suppose We stroll round
L he starlight that revealed to Sylvia
| soldicrly form with short cropped dark
hair ard Il quite rclc, EtiElc mustache
| showed Brunton Il petite figure, whose
robe of shimmorirg white satin draped
| loosely from the old laco that outlined its
| square cut bodice, "a string of pearls round
| For IL moment convention triumphad,
| and they were bashful together. There
after the influence OF tho Juno night pre-
| vailed, and they inclined to confidence.
| Before they had completely encircled tie
lawn Sylvia knew that Brunton wCs u sol
| der; that tomorrow he would sail fer In
| dia to join his regiment. And ere they
| emerged from the long archway of roses
| Brunton knew that this was Sylvia's first
| party; that she was an orphan and lived
| with her grandmarEna; tha5 at that mo-
| ment her grandnamma was playing whist
! in Mrs DelTick's withdrawing room; that
| Sylvia herself passed endless evenings
| playing whist with grandmamma, Mrs.
Dawson, the companion, and dummy;
also that a look i'll grandnamma's eye
which seemed to Sylvia to hold a sugges-
| ton that in the event of no better partner
being forthcoming Sylvia might be called
| upon to make up set had led to Sylvia
taking refuge i'll the garden, thus showing
that out of her narrower life the woman
had the more to tell.
| "And you have never been anywhero?"
This pityipgly from the height Of his ex-
| periences which were yet to como.
mo, never. We always go to Torquay
in winter, but that's nearly just the same
1 l
never, never once been out of doors at
night beforel'
mot even to theatcr?"
"No."
Poor little girl 1 say"-struck by a
sudden idea-'your guardian will BIO some
time over whist, won't she?"
"Why, yes. The game has just begun,
and they won't finish under rubber
"Well, suppose 1 take you somewhere
| for half an hour or Soto a theater or mu-
sic hall My cab is waiting
"Ohr A gasp of delight followed by
the inevitable "But would it not DO
wrong:" and 81 can't go dressed like
this
Manlikc, Brunton rode roughshod over
both scruples.
"Oh, nobody will know! Wait hero u
moment while run to the house and for
ago for wraps.
Leaving Sylvia in the safe scclusion of
the arbor, he vanished, returning speedily
clad in light topcoat and crush hat and
bearing il heavy cloak of velvet and furs.
"rhatr' breathed Sylvia i'll Mortified
whisper when he showed his spoil. why,
you've brought grandmamma's sable
mantle!"
.'Oh, that's all right, so long as it's big
| IL,
mans easy Indifference to aught but
utility.
And as to the encompassng capacity Of
the matter there could he no doubt. Swal-
lowed up therein, all that was visible OF
Sylvia wero pair of wonderful blue eyes
and fluff of golden hair at one end and
two tiny white slippers at the other.
TO Sylvia tho hanson was chariot
sent direct from fairyland for her convey
anco to some enchanted world. The gay
ETY. and glitter of the London night de-
lighted and amazed her. At Piccadilly
Circus Sylvia was entranced in Leicester
SQUARE she was in ccstasics and when, hav-
ing reached the snug seclusion of cur
tanned box, she could gaze across valley
OF DIM smoke wreathed figures, which the
moving marvel of form and color defined
as a ballet, she acted and moved as though
in n dream world.
What they witnessed need not be detail
ed is it not written in the asslr raaN';ss