The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-08-31
The Bond Between Them.
She was forty.

| She was forty.
She looked at herself with critical eye
IN the large mirror before her. 1t was
daring thing, perhaps. to wear whit
chiffon velvet. But the color in her fac
was still as pure as the color in a pinl
rose, and the yellow hair was still {
crown of gold to the small, shapely head
And after some moments of close scru
tiny she was quite satisfied that shs
looked her best
For twenty years she had ranked
among the notably beautiful women ir
London. Her face had hardened trihe
in that time, the exquisite profile had
lost the softness Of girlhood and had be
come a little more finely chiseled Yet
her youth seemed eternal.
She gave last glance at herself, and
was about to turn away from the mirror
when a sudden thought struck her. She
took from a small, well-worn jewel case
a glittering star of diamonds and emer.
aids, of no great value, perhaps, yet pref
ty and distinctive in its design. With a
little laugh that was half sigh, she
placed it in the meshes of the lace which
lay like a cobweb in its fueness upon her
breast
She drew in a tremulous breath; new
sparkle came into her eyes; dimples
showed in the rounded checks
1t was twenty years since she had last
seen him, and they were to meet again
that night. Would he be changed? She
wondered. She had heard men say that
he was altered and hard He had be-
come rich, had left poverty far behind,
and held foremost place among mod
ern inanciers. Yes, such a career would
mean hardening process.
A few moments later she was greeting
her hostess, who stood, an imperial fig-
ure, at the top of the staircase.
She saw him at once, and knew that
her face had crimsoned and that her
words had become mere sound, chatter
without sense.
He had altered. Yes; the dark hair
was gray, and the face was aged by more
than twenty years. He had been little
more than lad in those past DAYS, as
passionate and as daring as Romeo, a
boy who had loved with the strength of
n man. Merely to see him, to know that
it was he, this one man she had ever
loved, moved her like an unexpected
strain of perfect music.
Presently her hand was in Edward
Vernon's, and they were greeting each
other in conventional voices that dis
guised whatever memories were dis
turbed by this meeting again with the
gulf of twenty years yawning between
them.
"How little time has changed you!' he
said to her gently.
at has changed you great DEAL" she
answered, with smile that concealed a
pang. His voice was deeper, but it was
mouth was locked in firm lines
"Will you lunch with me ?" she asked
Il shall be charmed" he replied.
May l expect you the day after to-
morrow, then, at ?"
81 shall be very pleased"
His eyes rested on the ornament she
wore at her breast.
"You recognize it ?" she asked ct
it was the wedding present you sent
me!'
'Of course! l wrote to you at the
time, offering you my congratulations. l
hope you received the letter ?''
ooh. yes. And had also one other
letter from you-the only two you ever
wrote-a letter of coincidence upon my
husbands death"
"Ycu have got over it, trust ?'
She looked up quickly, suspecting sat
ire. But his face was quite impassive,
his tone quite casual.
eyes" she replied "My-my husband
and were-excellent friends We shared
a number of tastes in common, that is
allw
They were once more interrupted, and
stream of people parted them. Lady
Arlington turned away with an absurd
feeling of disappointment. However
alive in her the old tender feeling might
be, in him it was dead. She would have
taken up the melody at The point where
it was broken off. But to him it was
stale-like the song of yesterday.
A drift of conversation reached her
from two cid dowagers.
81 suppose he will marry herr one of
them remarked But the other answered
that she did not think Edward Vernon a
marrying man.
Besides" she added, who was the
girl? From where did she come? Why
was she living at hotel, without So
ciety, in solitude? Brilliantly handsome
she might be; but it seemed doubtful
that so wise and sober man as Vernon
would marry girl so young. who sug-
gested a beautiful rebel, child of ma.
ture"
Lady Arlington turned toward them
as Mr.. Vernon engaged ?" she in
quired, lightly.
81 can't say, Lady Arlington" replied
gossip No. 2. But there is wonder
fully handsome girl staying at the Savoy
whom he takes about with him great
deal. None of us know nything about
her. She isn't in society. But seem tc
racolIaot Some one telling me that she /.