The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-12

Even so. I thought you knew yes, my my
uncle has decided to allow Veronica TO MAJ
for love- since she has already money a -
to spare" Philip spoke bitterly ana lol 1,'a, .n
moment he forgot to be amused at madame
'chagrn Yes, Geoffrey Davenant is d luchy
fellow in more ways than one
Madame Werner scarcely seemed TO near
his last words.
Her large dark eyes cleaned luridly and
her lips were compressed into thln cruei
line. =.
'I suppose you have seen very IL lttle ee,,1d 81
Davenant latey?" he went on, cor he wouid
have been sure to have told you OF ms
ngagement. He is over head and ears IN
love with Madeline. She is pretty-do you
not think so?"
"I-I-yes; no doubt she would be con-
sidered So" said madame, furling and unfurl-
ing her fan nervously. Il have not seen MI
Davenant since Easter, when he was IN towie VIZ
for few weeks pending the publlcatlon OF
his last book. He was with me then con,
stantly; but he made no mention of this girl
IL beg your pardon-of your cousin POSI-
! bly, he was not engaged then"
ooh yes: he has been engaged nearly
twelve month! Jove! it disgusts me to think
1of Dayenant being master of Cumnor Towers.
Yeu the the estate is 4nentaaled ana my
| Madame Werner looked up at him suddenly
and their eyes met
Philip Haldane shifted his position un-
leaSily-there was something a1l-compellng
in her glance.
yes; and supposing Miss Haldane never
married, or died without issue, then sup
pose you would ccme in for the property?
"Of course; but either contingency would
be very remote. The wedding is arranged
for the latter end of july.
"Ah! SO soon?" Madame's face grew
shade paler. "We it is hard for you, Mr..
Haldane, to be defrauded of your rights, for
one can but agree that you have stronger
claim to the ancestral acres than has Mr.
Davenant. I assure you. you have my warm
est sympathy!
Their conversation was INTERRUPTED by the
rising of the curtain upon the second act
Once more Philip Haldane's whole soul was
= absorbed in the lovely and gifted artist, whlle
Madame Werner, who cared but little for
music, followed out an involved and complex
E train of thought that seemed to harden the
e lines of care about her introspectlve eyes
? Meanwhile the occupants of the box that
had attracted Madame Werner's attention
a were listening and enjoying with keen ap-
probation, but when again the curtain fel
and the lights in the house were turned up
: the girl remarked:
a "See Geoff, I am sure that is my Cousin
Philip in the stalls-the third row back, DOM
you see? He is talking to that handsome
r woman with the sequins on her dress.
n wonder who she 1S?''
Her companion leant on the front of the
5, box and leveled his glass in the direction
e indicated.
5 Eyes, see your cousin, and the lady is {
Madame Werner She lives in sort of Bo
s hemian atmosphere, which I rather affected
i few years ago. One meets all sorts o.
/ celebrities at her snug little house in Maids
s Vale, but there is a certain mystery connect
ed with madame.
IS "She is sort of priestess Of Fate, tell
: fortunes and all that. I remember she toll
$. me once that I was destined to have
IS chequered life-as if 1 couldn't have told he
e that-and to sustain a severe love disap
pointment Godfrey laughed again as hi
10 fingers tightened round Madeline's whit
s arm THAT random shot and one no
w very likely to come true, eh, my darling?"
e "Oh, Geoff, do not talk so! 1 hate tha
er woman! How dare she pressage evil fo
l. you! I wish you had never seen her."
re Madeline's father, Sir John Haldane was
is confirmed invalid, who had been to all tn
spas and health resorts on the continen
lie without materially benefting his condition
j. He had come up to town for few week
1t that he might see his physician daily, Will
in Geoffrey Davenant took Madeline the roun
of the London theaters.
IS When. the play was over and Godfrey an
Madeline were passing through the vestibul,
he Madame Werner, who was just in advance {
id them, turned and bestowed upon Geoffre
one of her most radiant smiles, to which b
IN responded with a bow.
ssYou are quite a stranger, Mr.. Davenan
ur Come and see me before you leave town; yo
will meet many of your old acquaintance,