The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16


sic, for one Of her famous masquerades
was proceeding. and all gay London that
had money in pocket and cared 10 spend
II In masking and dancing was enjoying
itself noisiiy in her rooms Of gold and red.
The square was crowded with chairs and
coaches: many guests kept arriving, Few
departed. 1t was one of Mistress Oldcas-
ties gala nights. and the tickets cost :
guineas. But for the moment the busy
mind Of Mistress Oldcastle was not occu-
pied with the crowd outside her doors or
the crowd inside them. Her undivided at
I tention was given TO a lady who seemed
young. who seemed elegant. who suggested
beauty beneath her mask and her plum
colored domino
The two women weEe alone in a hand
somely furnished parlor we'll apart from
the public rooms-a room that displayed
comfort, that aped luxury, that invited a
kind of solitude. 1t vas a room that Mis-
uess Oldcastle reserved for favored Wis
itors who knew the secret of it, who were
willing to pay the price for it, who appre-
ciated the pleasures Of intervals Of tran
quility from the heat and tumult of merry
making. For the exclusive use Of this
room for the whole of that nights revel
the masked lady was bargaining with Mis-
ITeSS OIuCcSlles anu TIE tApitSSlOl Ou liz
OIdcastIe's wicked old face showed that
she was contented with the way the bust
ness was going. y number of bright gum
cas- passed from the lady's white hand into
Mistress Oldeastle's dingy one. and Mis-
tress OIdcastle nodded satisfaction as her
fingers closed over the coins. Then the
lady produced from the cover of her DOM
inc two letters sealed with purple wax and
bound with Dlum-colored ribbon. These
she handed to the woman with certain
whispered instructions as to their delivery.
and in another moment the masked lady
was left alone. Through the double doors
that had opened for the departure Of Mis-
tress Oldcastle came the distant sound Of
dance music that died away as the doors
closed again.
AS soon as the masked lady was left
alone she clapped her hands gleefully.
Then she plucked off her mask. slipped out
of her plum-coIored domino and revealed
TO the great mirror that adorned one OF
the walls the. face and shape of a very
beautiful woman who was little more than
a very beautiful girl, daintily dressed in
the reigning mode Of that present year of
England's grace and glory in her second
George. 1871. The beautiful child seemed
to be vastly diverted by her situation, for
she ran about the room blithely, examin-
ing everything with eager curiosity. from
the heavily-curtained windows that looked
out on a silent garden to the quaint harpsi-
chord and the great Chinese screen, gaudy
with dragons and mandarins, and the fam
tastic gilded table that offered a collation.
of wine and sweetmeats. She took up a
little cake and nibbled at 1t as she con-
tinued her inspection, peeping shyly into
the small room that opened out of the par
Tor and finally ending as she had begun
with the big mirror, in which she surveyed
herself anew and with renewed satisfac-
ton. Illuminating herself for the purpose
by holding above her head one Of the great
silver candelabra that stood on side tables.
She might very well be pleased with the
picture that the mirror smiled back at her,
for the Lady Diana Spencer was one of
the ~loveliest ladies of her day. and men
raved holly OF her charms. Lady Dye, as
she was called by those who knew her,
/ and. knowing her. loved her, set down the
candelabra and moved lazily before the
mirror. turning her head this way and that
way, poising her pretty person in different
attitudes and admiring very honestly her
fair features and the suave lines of her
slim figure. But her thoughts were not
y WnClIy given 10 aQmlFdIlOn Oh neT own rare
and delicate personality; they were mainly
bestowed on the many who gave it uncon-
ceaIed. rapturous admiration. For Lady
Dye had a tale Of lovers as long as a comet,
and the comet was Janus-headed. and one
of the faces was Of John Russell, Duke of
Bedford. and the other was the face of
Frederick William. Prince Of Wales
Lady Dye dropped into a chair and med
4s-&.1 .-@- L.- 800 49, ,,-1or &ha ii
lemma that had vexed her through all tbs
early summer Should she say the word
which would make her Duchess of Bed
ford or the word which would make heI
the Princess of Wales? Such, no less, was
her illustrous alternative and her bright
| face clouded as she unused. Honest John
was devoted, but so was his Royal High
ness, who would one day be King Of Eng
land. and the prince was as eager TO marry
her as any simple swain in her service
and she knew in her heart that the crown
OF England. France and Ireland would sit
hugely well upon her impertinent forehead
Her people were hot for the royal match
There was a whole court conspiracy &c
favor 1t AID it would vex a vast number
OF persons in high p~laces-all close and CO.
gent reasons to spur her decision. Eying
herself obviously in the glittering space
OF glass she recalled the 1utte~ed pride
with which she had at first received the
princes attentions. lattered at his ad
} vances, teased him into uncompromisins
declaration and laughed at him for hi:
pans. Honest John was a man of few
words; the prince had a Iimitless vocabu
larry of fine phrases. John was sober anC
Tlany called him sulIen; Frederick William
was a brilliant creature-a bird Of prey
with the colors Of the bird of paradise
She knew that she liked the simple country
gentleman. but she knew that he did no
greatly amuse her. She knew that thu
prince amused her. but she did not know i
she liked him or the flaming name that h,
carried.
She was a high-spirited, romantic bag
gage and she had told herself a THOUSAND
times that she would marry no man whom
she did not love. and love no man who di(
not deserve her homage.
So. in her high-spirited, romantic way
she had thought OF a plan 10 test her low.
ers. Both OF them had. IN their different
ways. NOwel 3 changeless fidelity, not to b,
. ~ararraI 60 ~ a..~f-- $500 g. l..