Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-12-20

that seemed to look you through. SO
l. piercing was his gaze.
Courtly and polished in manner, and
yet always giving one the idea that
one had to do with a volcano Of man,
who might blaze, out at any moment
las no doubt he had done when he sur
prised Nora in his room), I Judged
him to be*over forty, but though pas
sion had left some lines on his face,
his glossy black hair showed never a
trace of grey. .., ..' - =. .oss.
He greeted, me. pleasantly, and.
choosing for his topic of conversation
a subject in which was particularly
!, interested, he Impressed me most,
favorably, for he gave me the oppor-
tunity OF airing my views, and confined
himself to remarks that served to
draw me. out. farther and farther.
There are many. Iiknow. who would,
have found too much of the French
man in him to please them: but to
my mind, he seemed to have taken the
better part of his nature from his
mother-that:isj,s so far. as, one regarded
him specifically, .,Ejss manner may
have. been nothing more than a ,yaneer,.
but how much better this than that
he, or anyone else for that matter,
.wbo,'lra an ugly exterior should BE
FOR ever showing IT, i like plain,
straightforward folk; but if man has
a temper-.I think all the better OF him
if he does not show it on any and.
every occasion d. :. -
had. very little chance of speaking
to Nora alone. and indeed we eXchang-
ed but a few commonplace remarks
of
could not help feeling that this legiti-
mate. method of seeing my late pupil
might be all that propriety allowed,
but that it was not half so pleasant
as when we two We're together, away
y;onder i'll the woods. =.
Still, I must take the good the gods
sent me. and SO ]. planned a little
dinner party fora day in the following
week and I dispatched Graves with
invitations to Mr.. and Miss Courtney
and friends, and to the rector ana MS
good lady, who had been kind enough
to look me up several times and was
delighted when the Irish party accept
ed Ell masse, and felt that should
get over the nom acceptance OF the
Church PARTY, who pleaded previous
engagement.
Then I found that Mrs. Graves and
I had very different views with regard
to dinners in general, and this one IN
particular, and she must have such
and such help i'll the cooking depart
nlent. and someone to wait at table be-
sides Graves, and I don't know What
in the kitchen to- get
through her culinary efforts in a. cred
liable manner. didn't stint her in any
way, and as the day dreW:nigh she be-
CAME AS autocratic ass If the whole
place belonged TO her,.and. as though
the lives of all in it We're at her dis
posal.
Then came my first disappointment
E:ith regsard to what intended to be
a recherche repast that should linger
lp9g, IT, thssIminds OF those who par
- Ma guire had a letter from firm in
Edinburgh. who seemed to be nibbling
.atshis. book; and who offered to pay his
'eNpeifses if he WOULD go to see them,
and as this was only the day before
the. great ;eyent, and as I could not
persiiade him to pitt off starting, even
for an hour, away went with him the
) fun land the witty conversation that 1
Had looked. to him to supply.
But still greater blow was in store
for me. Tt was four o'clock on the
afternoon of the eventful day. I had
gone over the wine list, and had wor-
ried Graves until disgust was writ
my large upon his face. I had arran-
ed anr re- arranged my guests at table,
and had laid my plans for their amuse-
ment afterwards. and finally had set
fn mi n a
smoke, when I, heard the bell announ-:
cling a visitor, ard. wondering What
, caller. had chosen this particular day
to look me up, awaited the appear
ance. of, f., GrayNes. with. some, curiosity.
. to you. She's in the drawing-room."
Nora! What could she want? had
to wait but very short time to know,
for even before had released her hand
she had entered into explanations.
(, I've. brought you letter, Mr.. Ire
mayne, from my cousin. He has had
! to leave us, in a great hurry. and he.
hadn't been out Of the. house five min
,utes before father went off to his club,
as he calls it,; could sit down. and cry
my eyes out, for I've. the. loveliest
dress you ever saw, and he's been
: bofhef1ng me all the week WIN MS
dress clothes getting them aired and
I that and now we sha'n't be able, to
come at ali: Read Maurices letter. Il
think he's done'it all to spite us. hate
his black: face and his evil eyes, and if
| It. wasn't that he's spoilt it all, I'd be
!glad, that he's. gone!,' =. ].
l,., ItslWas a.. most polite enishe~ with
which I had been favored. The writer
regretted tht..Hs mother had received
an urgent message calling. her to the
I North of Ireland. and as the. matter
| did not admit. of Of the slightest de-
lay, She was starting, at. once. and he
must needs accompany her, as she was
not strong enough to undertake Sc
long journey alone. Would I there
| fore accept their apologies, and believe
|. that the loss would be theirs, not mine?
They hoped at some future date to re-
new so pleasant an acquaintance, and
/ he was etc., etc.
"But why can't you and Mr.. Court
ney Gomez" asked.
Her face flushed as she answered me.
sI've told you, '.she said, where he's
gone to. Maurice has driven him there
1 ,sryc