Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-06-26

hay, like worm In the cnfyx of a
Flower, beneath the surface of her APP
8parent perfection? Not I--not 1: nor.
jim that preoccupied moment, did
David Spencer, bethink himself of Il.
We were both so absolutely SPELL
hound by the rare loneliness of the ap-
partition, Of which dear Madam in her
blindness was wholly unconscious,
that we had no thought to spare for
Considerations of far greater moment.
SO gentle had been the football of the
wasted and sadly-attenuated form that
had settled like bit OF thistle down
In our very midst, almost before we
had had premonition OF its coming.
that 1t had made no impression even
3Hpon Madam's uncommoniy alert hear
Hng; and we might so easily have avert
fed the catastrophe that followed, but
for the weak yielding TO our charmed
possibilities. An instant later, how
bitterly and unavailingly did we both
repent our fatal hesitancy; for in that
<instant the girl bounded forward and
&threw herself at Madam's side.
"Ah-ah! Here you are, dear Mad
am!' she cried exultingly, in a soft
s little minor key, quite like the sign
s ing of the breeze amid tense wires.
Here you are at last! I've looked so
: long for you. But l can't find Gerald
s anywhere! Where is hep
The unexpectedness of the encount-
er, added to the painful memories
q aroused bv the girls speech and tone,
forced sharp cry from my dear
zlady's usually guarded lips. NShe
zclutched DIR. Spencer's arm nervously,
: meanwhile drawing shrinkingly away
from the crouching bit of beautiful,
! mindless matter at her feet.
David, Davidr' she cried, in sharp.
squavering accerts, "who is that?"
4 And her stately form shook with n
weak submission of mighty forces OF
emotion which wrung my very soul;
B L had so long regarded her as strong
tower of endurance, built staunchly
upon bed of rock.
The witless girl heard the question,
I and burst into strange, but not uu-
musical, laugh.
"Why, Madam she exclaimed, be-
fore we could interpose to divert her
and coax her away, Indeed, that's
an old question now! Who am 1, d.
you ask? I'll tell you who 1 am. I'M
Alice Mayberry, daughter of the
Shousekeeper at The Ivies." She smil.
ed and nodded gaily, as IL pleased
with her own intelligence; then sud
denly checked herself, as If another
recollection had given the lie to her
assertion. "No-no!' she said en-
lphatically; 81 am wrong. Don't you
remember Alice, that girl married
IDarracott Chester? That's who | am
Mrs. Darracott Chester, a lady of
rank and position; my mother said
Il would be. a good match for
Who are you, and what right have
you to interrupt Mrs. Darracott Ches-
terF" She turned upon me quite
Hereby, with an assumption of dig
nifty that would have been absurd
had 1t not been so unutterably sad.
L was trying to interrupt the flow
of her reminiscent eloquence; but.
fearing to arouse that latent rebellionI
and ugliness which ever underlies inn
.hecility, 1 was obliged to desist, and
Ishe rambled on.
Perhaps you did not know 1 was
Mrs. DarracottT she suggested, some
what more gently. 'Well, you're
right, you know: I'm not, any more.
I'm Mrs. Gerald, think-I think Il
'am-am I not, MADAME" She paused.
ito await reply that did not come.
Madam had buried her face in her,
hands, and was shaking like a strong,
,oak in the grasp or a tempest. The
girl regarded her a moment in evil
dent curiosity; then her meaningless
laugh again rang out.
do you want to play peep-a-bo Poi
she asked, as one would speak to Al
little child. well, in a minute. First
j must find out who l am, you know.
Alice Mayberry-Mrs. Darracott-Mrs.
Geraldi Obi which is it?-can't you'
tell, any of you? Well, there's one
person knows-the girls mother. She
says I'm a lost SOUL" She smiled
as If pleased with the title. "a lost
soul. Don't you think that's a good
name for meT'-glancing around at
Ius-"a lost SOUR
There was such terrible pathos I'M
he poor creatures smiling appropria-
ion of that phrase of dire import.
md her apparent unconsciousness and
disregard OF the unreasonable wrong
she had done the woman she address.
ed was so indicative OF her derangec
mentality, that David Spencer, stronJ
man and injured lover though he was.
was obliged to turn aside to conceal
his emotion, while 1 felt my own tears
rolling down my cheeks.
Suddenly Madam rose to her feet
and SO abrupt and violent was the
movement that 1t cast PROSTATE up-
had sought to lean upon her lap.
Alice gave a surprised little cry, and
remained as she had fallen, gazing up
at the agitated face of the womanl
she had so bitterly injured with eyesI
wide-stretched and wondering.
"Oh, this is intolerable beyond en-
1urancePs Madam. cried out. "Win no
one take her away?"
L had never before realized how
terribly sad is the supplication Of,
strength in its moment of weakness
Madam's despairing plea would have
neryed me to greater tasks than this.
and while DIR. Spencer, bound help
less and impotent by the same cnain|
OF memories that was strangling Mad
ans soul, stood pale and irresolute|
beside the chair from which he had
risen upon Alice's advent, 1 raised theI
poor girl from the floor and searched
my mind for means of relieving
Madam of her presence My eyes fell
upon the flowers at her waist, and
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