The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03
FOLLOWED.

rustled and glistened every time she
I moved / tore myself from Davids arms
/ and faced her. There was flush on my
/ cheeks. and my eyes, l am sure, were
! suspiciously bright. She called me 10 her
| side and began to talk in a gentle and
pleasant way.
Suddenly she broke off.
Dinner is late" she said. Ring the
bell, David
Dayid's summons was answered by n
black servant: a man with the most pecu-
liar and | must add, forbidding face had
ever seen.
mistress.
1T is on the table, missis," he replied,
in excellent English.
Lady Sarah got up.
David - she said, will you take Flower
TO her place at the dinner table?
David led the way with me; Lady Sarah
followed. David took the foot of the taDle
his mother the head. / sat at Lady Sa-
rah : left hand.
, During the meal which followed she
seemed to forget all about me. She talked
| necessarily. on matters relating 10 the es-
tate TO her son. / perceived that she was
first-rate business woman. ana noticeu
| that David listened to her with respect
and interest Her eyes never raised thenl-
selves to meet his without soiteheu anu
extraordinary expression hlllns theH' II
WIS a look of devouring and overmaster-
ing love His ewes as he looked into hers'
had very much the same expression Even
at me he had never looked quite IKE ms ms
II was as if two kindred Souls, apsolIIelS
kindred in all particulars. were holdihg
converse one with the other. and as II l,
David's afiianced wife, only held the post
of interloper.
Sanbo. the black servant, stood behind
LADY Sarah's chair. He made a striking
figure. He was dressed in the long. soft,
full trousers which Easterns wear L
learnt afterward that Sambo was an alb
origine from Australia but Lady Sarah
IN,
hailed from the Far East. The color OIL
his silken garments was rich, deep yer
low. His short jacket was much embrol-
dered in silver, and he had a yellow eur-
han twisted around his swarthy head.
His waiting was the perfection OF me
art He attended to your slightest wants;
and never made any SOUND as ne s h;r,
about the apartment. l did not IKE MN,
however: ! felt nearly as uncomtortapie
in his presence as / did in that OF Lazy
Sarah. u..,o .;,,a when
the meal was over; then Lady Sarah rose
Come. Flower" she said.
she took my hands in ore of hers.
you will Join us. David. when you nave ,
laid her shapely hand across her sons
broad forehead.
He smiled at her ~,
An right. madre," he said, Il shall
NJ His black eyes fell from his mothers
face 10 mine. and he smiled at me-a
smile of such whole heart devotion thiit
my monentary depression vanisheu.
Lady Sarah took me into the urWahs
room There she made me seat myseh IN
a low chair by her side. and began 10 Ialh
s.Has David never told you OF my peeu-
liar tastes, my peculiar recreatIoiiS9. .ot5
No" / replied: ''all he has really toid
me about you, his mother. is that you
love him with very great love, ana tnal
he feared our marriage would PAIN YOU
Tut she replied ~, DO you n nn n,5t q
woman like me out? But We won taiR
personal things tonight. i want you 10 see
The great charm of my present Ire You
must know that have ior severaI ,s 800
with his kind, but ! have stayed at nome
with mn faithful sambo and-my pets.
your pets" I said; dogs, horses.
cats. then. and perhaps birds?"
~ ,ietest cats and always poison any
stray animals of that breed that CONF 70
Longmore. It is true ] keep few pig,
cons but they are for a special use
also keen rabbits for the same purpose
'''Then what kind of pets have your l
asked. ,,r,-.,,
YOU like to see then?"
i Ionged to say to Lady Sarah that
nothing would induce me to look at her
horrible pets, but ! was afraid. She gazed
face was white, and her lips had taken
on once more that hard. straight line
which terrified me.
She rose from her seat. took my hand,
and led me across the drawing-room into |
the hall. We crossed the hall TO the left. |
Here she opened n baiZe door and mos
toned me to follow her. We went down |
some stairs-they were narrow and wind
Ing At the bottom of the stairs was |
door Lady Sarah took a key from her (
pocket, fitted it into the lock, and opened |
the door.
rad f4x2rfKF a
wetted my feet
81 forge. about the snow" she said. |
The reptile house is only Just across the
yard II is warm there: but II you are
afraid of wetting your feet say so.
Il am not afraid l replied.
THAT is good Then come with me.
She held up her ruby-colored silk dress,
and | caught glimpse OF her neat ankles
and shapely feet.
At the other side of the stone yard was
building standing by itself and completely
with high fence of closely
neshed wire netting. Lady Sarah opened |
, door in the fence with another key then
he locked II carefully behind her. With a
bird key she unfastened the door of the
,uilding itself When she opened this door
he air from within. hot and moist, struck
IN my face.
She pushed me in before her. and I stood
ust within the entrance. while she lit !
antern. AS the candle caught the flame ]
Uttered n sudden cry, for against my arm.
With only the glass between, | saw huge |
notified snake. which. startled by the sud
len light. was coiling to and fro It's
lack forked tongue fiickered about It's lips
IS II 1t were angry at being disturbed in
Is siumbers.
/ drew back from the glass quickly and
.aught Lady Sarah's eyes fixed upon me
With a strange smile.
my pets are here she said. and this
3 one. I was a great traveller in my
'outh. as was my father before me. After
ny husband died / again went abroad
Tsaa -Tas Rfgf- bod
vent with me. / inherit my fathers taste
or snakes ard reptiles. ! have lived for
ny pets for many long years now. and 7
ancy | possess the most superb private !
objection In the kingdom. Look for your
elf Flower. This is the Viperc Nasci- |
oTnis. or in our English language the At
lean nosc-horned snake. Pray notice his
lat head. He is fine specimen Just nine
Get Long. ! caught MIN myself on the
iold Coast, with my friend Jane Ashley"
is he-venornoDs2' l asked. My lips !
rembied So that could scarcely get out
he words.
eply. We count the degree of poison Of
snake by the time a man lives after he !
5 bitten. This fellow is. therefore com
arativeiy harmless. But see. here is the
'seudechis Porphyriacus-the black snake
4 Tasmania and Australia. His time II
tx minutes Wake up, Darkyn" and she |
apped the glass with her knuckles.
An enormous glistenlng coll, polished az
bony. moved. reared IT'S head. and disaD- |
cared into the shadow of the wall.
/ gave visible shudder. Lady Sarah |
ook no notice. She walked slowly be- |
ween the cases. explaining various attri-
utes and particulars with regard to her
avorites.
Here are pun adders," she said: here
re ring snakes; in this cage are whip
makes. All, here Is the dreaded moccasin |
rom fIorida-here are black vipers from !
he South African mountains and "copper"
eads from the Peruvian swamps I have |