Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-11
XVII.

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1t was O'Clock on morning four years
after the wedding at Carrigmore; the season
was late spring: the scene was ltaiy' ana
Florence-the city OF tranquility Ihaoe
manifest-lay at rest under It's coveriet Oh
sun and roses. In the soft, early hght the
nassed buildings of the town seemeo u
blend together until. to the dazzieo eyes,
The Arno looked a mere ribbon of silver as
n wound under its bridges. and the spienolo
proportions of the Duomo became lost IN
the blue haze that presaged the not DAY 10
come.
The scene was vaguely beautiful, viewed
from any of the hills that guard the city;
hut from no point was its soft picturesque
ness more remarkable than from the ter
races and windows of villa that nestled In
a curve of the narrow, winding road be
tween San Domenico and FfesoA This
villa unlike It's neighbors, was long and
low in structure; and In addition to the
stone urns, luxurious Towering plants ana
wide painted jalousies common 10 ltalan
houses 1t boosted other and more lnd1vid-
ual attractions-to be found In a night OF
singularly old and picturesque marble steps
that led from one level of its garden 10 an
other and in the unusual magnificence or
the expresses that grew in an imposing
semi circle upon the upper terrace
II was under the shade of these somber
trees that a breakfast table stood, awaiting
occupation, on this particular morning at
the hour of o. The table In itself formed
picture for in the warm shafts of sun that
slipped between the cypress trees, silver
and glass cleaned invitingly while In their
midst an immense Venetian bowl niied with
roses made patch OF burning coior.
Everything was attractive. refined, appe-
. tizing; and yet, for some undiscernible rea-
son. the inmates of the villa appeared In no
haste to enjoy the meal that awaited them.
For fully ten minutes after the coffee had
lot he table the Italian man.
servant whose duty II was to wait at
breakfast. stood immovably attentive, MS
back stiff his glance resting expectantly
upon the veranda; then his natural interest
IN the meal caused him to alter his position
and cast a sympathetic eye upon the coffee
I'm imminent danger of growing cold
Five more minutes passed. He looked
again at the villa. sighed. and gracefully
Kicked a fly from the basket OF crisp rolls.
Then suddenly he stood newly erect ana
attentive as his quick ear caught the swish
of a skirt and the sound OF a light step. A
moment later Clodagh emerged upon the
sunny terrace. followed by her dog MICK.
At any period of existence four years Is
a span of time to be reckoned with But
when four years serves to bridge the gun
between childhood and womanhood its pow
err is well-nigh limitless. AS Ciodagh MIL
banke stepped through the long window
of her room and came slowly out into the
morning light il would have been a close
observer indeed who would, at first
glance have recognized the uniformed girl
of four years ago in the graceful, we'll
dressed woman moving so sedately through
Italian sunshine. On second glance, or a
third one would undoubtedly have seen
traces of the long, undeveloped limbs In
the tall, supple figure: caught suggestion
of the rough. luxurious plat In the golden
brown hair coiled about the well-shaped
head; and have been fascinated by numer-
Gus undeniable and haunting suggestions in
contour and coloring. But there memory
would have hesitated. The Clodagh who had
secured the woods. scrambled over the
rocks and galloped across the lands of
Orristown was no longer visible Another
being, infinitely more distinguished. infn-
ifely more attractive-and yet vaguely de-
prived OF some essential quality-had taken
her place. In the four years that had
passed since she left Ireland she had. from
being a child become a woman, and below