Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-17
CHAPTER VIII.

At Lady Tressidy's Mt home the next
day / had scarcely more than a glance
and a smile from Miss Cunningham,
and then l found myself Obliged to
converse with Simulated amiability to
semi-young woman, who was anxi-
Gus l should know how often she had
heard of me and my travels" and
that she had read the two or three
books / had beer idiot enough to
write. Half an hour passed. 1 had been
passed on to the other ladies, who
seemed in my prejudiced eyes to bear
an astonishing likeness bota in mind
and face - the first of the series.
Three or four people had gone. One
or two new ones had cone in, but
at last L had had the good fortune to
escape from the latest on my list Of
acquaintances.
l could still see Karine. She had got
rid of one of her adorers, but had a
couple yet in hand, and it appeared to
me that she would not be sorry to bid
them adieu.
At length. however, as / said, 1 had
contrived an escape, and was finding
my way toward Karine, when, before
had reached her, l saw her start,
staring past me with white frozen
look on her face that for the moment
blotted out much of its innocent youth
fullness and beauty.
She was gazing in the direction of
the door with dark, dilated eyes and
lips tightly closed in a line of scarlet
that faded to the palest pink.
1t was as though into the midst of
the gossip and laughter and brilliant
light had crept a spectre which she
alone could see. Some such look had
IN, fl,. a l.. n
been offered up as food for a constric-
tor. Involuntarily turned and glanced
behind me.
No name had been announced though
] had heard the opening and closing of
the door, and now, as faced round IN
that direction, / saw that Sir Walter
Tressidy and Carson Mildred had
come in together.
Evidently this was not Wildred's
first entrance, for, like Sir Walter, he
had neither hat nor stick. He moved
forward by his companions side with
the Enthusiastically assured air of the
friend of the house, and instinctively
understood that he had lunched with
the Tressidys, and since that time been
closeted on some business OF import
ance with his host
1 was determined that the former
should not approach her las he seemed
inclined to dol IL could prevent IL.
l hurried TO Karine accordingly and
| shut her away from the room, with a
pair OF broad shoulders, with an air
| of monopolizing her which / should
not have dared at any other time to
assume. But was 1 not her friend
Had i not the right to protect her, II ]
could, from all that l believed to be
| distasteful to herr
Presently the callow youths whose
claims / had hardly considered, seemed
to melt away, and / was left alone
with her. People were going and II
| was getting late, no doubt, but 1 did
not yet mean to follow their example
After all despite my dismal presages
lit did appear that was to have her
for at least moment or two to myself,
had kept my word, had outstayed
them all-all but Carson Wildred.
Have you quite recovered from
yesterdays accident?" / asked, glad to
share even so Insignificant a secret
with her
yes; oh, yesw She spoke hurriedly
| and her eyes had moved, under veil
OF lashes, to the distant group near the
tireside-Lady Tressidy, Carson and
| Sir Walter.