The Opelousas courier., 1902-05-17

SAN
image of remorse. did I? Did you
mean, oh, 1 hope ! didn't hurt you
very much"
ut was nothing, really nothing; ]
scarcely feel it now," he hastened to
asSure her for her eyebrows were
drawn together and her lips were
quivering, and altogether sheVooked
as if she were going to cry.
But I might haye put youS eye
Quit" SHE gaspei.
you might have done many thiNgs
with that deadly umbrella. But lpu
didnt-pleass s@n't think of it agai .
he pleaded. "
How good of you'll" she murmurek
gazing at him vita admiration.
May I ask" he resumed after a
moment, whether you were at shep-
herds some weeks ago with the Van
Duzers?"
YES" she said. "Mr. Van Duzer
is my uncle; I went up the Nile with
him and my aunt. Were you in Cairo?"
Unfortunately / reached there just
as your party vas leaving. / met Mr..
Van Duzer, whom I have often seen
at home. in-er-England, but I only
had a glimpse of the rest Of his party.
I was sure, though, that I remembered
you. I am-er-Sir Hugh Chester"
he added after a pause. 81 don't sup
pose Mr.. Van Duzer will have men,
toned me-"
But of curse he did" she cried.
He talked a lot about you, and was
SO sorry that we missed you as we
did. Isn't it odd that I should hap
pen on you in this way?"
It's uncommonly pleasant-for
me-"
But supposing I had put your eye
out with that wretched umbrella?
Uncle George would never have for
given me-"
Uncle George?'" he queried with
a quizzical expression, and they
Joined in a light hearted burst of
laugh
"You see he thinks so much of
you," she explained.
wen, then you ought to feel that
am properly presented, and you'll
let me take you out to get some lun-
cheon. Here's where we stop for
food-such as it is"
And you won't think I'm one of
those dreadful American girls who
keep 'mommem' and pepper in the
background and just STRAIN around
having a good time regardless? There
are a few specimens left, bit not
nearly SO many as your novelists
would lead you to suppose"
81 won't tell you what / think" he
declared, "but I shouldn't mind tell
ing Uncle George"
The long hours few by Id discus
sions of books and people-for they
found some acquaintance In common
and the exchange of what Beatrix
called views of life." Together they
laughed over the queer dishes of their
makeshift dinner, and when Sir Hugh
returned from a smoke at the next
stop, ne found Beatrix pensively
watching the rising moon.
Please, when you next discuss
Americans" said she-"you do dis
cuss us now, you know, the time has
gone by when you COMPOUNDED us with
the outer barbarians-do not say that
the American girl on her travels is in
the habit of talking a dozen hours on
a stretch with the companions Heav.
en- sends ner. They are not all SO
spoiled as I am; | confess l am apt
to do what I like"
Z don't think I shall Judge the
American girl by yoti," said Sir Hugh.
Then, after watching her a moment.
Since you are speaking of yourself,
don't you think you are rather q per.
verse little person? Even your dim
pie Is in a place where no one else
has dimples."
rs it?" said Beatrix. DO tell me
more about that delightful Political
Reform club; ] am SO interested in
it,"
It was amazing how much they
found to talk about; one stout oil
lady got out and another got in. but
as no tourists appeared to interrupt
their tete-a-tete, and as the night fell
and the train climbed the heights If
the S~emmering Pass they were left
alone. The full moon was flooding
the deep blue spaces of the sky and
filling the valleys with a mystery of
silvery light and deathlike shadow.
Sir Hugh drew the green silk curtain
over the impertfnence of the glimmer-
ing lamp, and lighted only by the soft
radiance they gazed into the shaIowy
Iepths that unrolled below them.
At one station they seemed to pause
high up in air. and from the platform
beneath bouquets of wild flowers were
lifted on poles to the level of the car
riage windows, accompanied by q
shrill announcement of the price. The
biggest and sweetest of these, a great
mass of white and purple rhododen-
drons, was selected by Sir Hugh, AMI
together he and Beatrix detached the
lowers from the spectral pole and
followed the tinkling sound of the
silver coin as it went dropping into
space until it struck the rocks below.
1T seems like a dream" said Bea-
trix, with a sigh, rousing herself from
the charmed silence in which they had
hung over the beauty of the sleeping
land, aand ] shall feel like an opera
singer en- voyage when / arrive in
Vienna with this" And she buried
her face in the great disk of dewy
petals. framed in a stiff rim of pierced
and scaIIoneI nanAr