The times., 1900-12-30


earlier in the evening, that information
not being mine to impart.
Come, come, my boy he said, while
walking with me through the hail. nov
is chance to lose your heart to one of
our famed beauties. We've no wallfowers
here. Yonder is my little Lefty dancing
in the rosebud gown, but wait until you
see Marshall Truxall's daughter. A
queen, boy. q very queen, but willful as a
thorny rose. I'll warrant Marshall rides
over after her before morning, for Lefty
tells me she has come without his knowl-
edge. Marshall rs of fiery temper snd
strong will. and treats the girl as If she
were a child, which her spirit resents. /
myself think him too much given over to
money-making and slavebuying. Many a
time in her childhood. when our lands
Joined, has she run TO me to escape a
whipping. But Lefty tells me that she
has run away now from that which she
deems worse" (the old gentleman smiled,
evidently pleased with the interest in my
face) "a bridegroom selected by Marshall,
some English blade or other. Well, we'll, -
he laid his hand upon my arm, here and
there in the worlds garden there blooms
rare flower. Look well, my boy. at little
JULIA Truxall"
And at that moment did see her, as
have often seen her in thought. descend
ing the stairs, a slim, sweet shape in
white satin, with her bright hair caught
high, and her white arms and throat bare.
Our eyes met as we advanced, and hers
did not hold the surprise I had expected;
ii was rather as though they had met be-
fore and now spoke in silent greeting.
Mistress Truxall," said the host, ''al-
low me to present Sir Cecil Eversham,
whose uncle. Sir Richard Cecil Eversham,
was a friend of my youth"
1t is not my habit to be tongpe-.ied,
yet as / walked through the hall with
Mistress Truxall that night 1t overcame
me all at once, and she, with her wo-
mans seer-like vision, detected 1t, and
began to talk of light things of no mo-
ment, while I, amid the glamour and rer-
fume and music and brushing of satins
and plumes, felt it had indeed been an
audacious thing to have done-the lifting
OF this stately lady to the coach without
her leave. Presently there was a throng
around her claiming dances, and as one
is no soldier at all If the mere scent Of
powder disarms him, l said: Mistress
Truxall, / pray you not to overlook the
two which are for me-" NAY, one, l
think. Sir Cecil" she said. And with that
| had to be content. and after dancing
with Mistress Lefty Ferris. l claimed it..
When the dance was over. we walked TO
one of the ante-rooms. lighted with can
dies and hung with holly, where Mistress
Truxall sat to rest, while l stood holding
her fan.
Then she said gravely, "Do gentlemen in
England undergo long training before they
declare themselves as protectors to stray
ing damsels in wayside inns, Sir Cecil?"
81 have tried it but once" / answered.
land that experience inAites me to adopt
II ha hal of n
try is such as will afford me sufficient en-
ployment"
81 think you presumed in carrying me
TO the coach without permission" she said,
in low voice.
"Then / humbly crave your pardon for
not having waited for that which / had
reason to know you would never give, and
If the son of my father should find any
thing belonging TO your father astray and
unprotected, i fear that he would again
deem It his duty to protect it,"
Her head lifted higher. Let US go
back: l would dance" she said.
First, Mistress Truxall. l ask moment
OF your time" I ventured. Perhaps the
earnestness of the request puzzled her, for
she waited enquiringly.
81 heard you speak OF one Richard Dag
CART, whom have known in London" and
again eagerness leaped uncontrolled into
ing how be may have acquired your dis
pleasure rather than your Indifference"
"You are bold Sir Cecili" said she. Il
cannot see how it can affect you"
Perhaps seeming boldness may but
spring from clear thinking and plain
dealing" l replied. at is for your own
sake, Mistress Truxall, that / ask"
"oh. it Is no secret; or will not be one
soon" she said, with touch of weari-
suppose why ! should not tell you, Sir
Cecil. Many years ago, while in London,
my father was staying with friend to
whom he was deeply devoted. Before he
returned TO A-'erica, this gentleman asked
my hand in marriage for his son when !
should come of age. This so delighted my
father that he made what he deemed a
binding contract, which he has held I'M
ceasingly before me. namely, my future
marriage with Mr.. Richard Daggart. But
/ refused to consider IL binding I was
not made for bondage" .She lifted her
face, and back of its youth and beauty
there was that which savored of her ia
Tiers spirit and which stirred me
strangely. ''It was difficult for me to CO.
cree my father, but the continual fore
telling OF this marriage has caused mo
to detest the very name Of man. Yester-
day my father had gone to superintend
the shipping of some tobacco when he re-
ceived a letter stating that this Mr.. Dag
CART was already in Maryland on his way