The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-01-26

ously? It's monstrous! preposterous!
inhuman!"
Il hoped you would at least have
undertaken to protect the girl"
who is coming here?"
THE Burts, the Langfords, Colonel
Wicks, Lord Nashville and one or two
other men,"
TT would certainly be charity to
any woman to protect her from Lord
Nashville"
$50 thought. Although not to help
Bob to a wife, who might very proba-
bly, prove his salvation, you are yet
willing to throw yourself chivalrously
into the breach, to protect a strange
girl from Lord Rashville?"
Yes, l acknowledge that the 'Quix-
ote' In me is reused by the very name
of Nashville. 1t tempts me even to
valiant deeds. BY Jove!" He made
sudden movement.
Lady Hardcastle's attention was
caught by some unusual tone in his
voice. She saw his eyes stray past
the flowers that danced as though
beating time to the breeze, and rest
on the figure of girl to whom he
pointed an indicating finger. She
was exceedingly well dressed and
wore a garden-hat of strongly twisted
straw, in which nestled violets that
ranged from timid lilac to the imperial
purple in tone. One hand. delicate,
somewhat heavily jewel-laden, held a
parasol which, from time to time, she
spun. She had an abundance of very
lovely hair, soft as smoke and black
in shadow, though, where the light
touched it, even smoke-tinged in col
or. Her eyes were gray, deep, lumin-
Gus, as gray eyes only can be, and the
lids of them were tinged with the col
or that is on the sheath of the iris
flower before its birth. There was
about the girl, altogether, look Of
holiness that put Christopher in mind
of Sunday in the country, when the
worlds traffic stilled, it's cares are laid
aside in honor of the day.
There was something in her mere
presence that made the sordid discus
sion of money in connection with her
seem proclamation.
He wondered if her mental equip
ment were in harmony with the beauty
of her exterior. He turned to Lady
Hardcastle.
Il withdraw all my objections" said
he. 1T strikes me that it will be a
real pleasure to make her acquaint.
ance. A weeks uninterrupted tete-a-
tete with so pretty 'Dulcinea' doesn't
seem as disturbing q task as 1t did.
will make love to her-by proxy, OF
course-talk to her on ali subjects. ]
viii make her my confidante; pour out
my raptures into her presumably pref
ty ear and extract sympathy from her
presumably tender heart.
A fortnight later, the same two PEG.
pie, in exactly the same surroundings,
were again discussing tea.
Yet in the attitude of both there was
q change. Urbanity beamed upon the
face of Lady Hardcastle. The ease
the assurance properly belonging to
Christopher, woven to a mantle OF
content, seemed to have fallen upon
her shoulders; whilst a shamefaced
ness rested upon the countenance OF
Christopher. His Il am afraid you'll
think I've spoiled 1t, LYDIA" was alb
solutely self-conscious.
ION the contrary, you have been
wonderful, Christopher; you have
Swallowed the girl SO that nobody could
get near her. I am excessively crate
full to you. And now" continued the
trustful woman, how glad you must
be that your task is over. for Bob ar
rives tonight"
Does he?"
Il fear you have been very much
bored"
Not at all. Even at the first, wher
thought 'Dulcinea' merely a brilliant
abstraction, and l fiuttered round al
elegantly as my advancing years
would permit, was interested. Then
keeping well in mind your instructions
to talk to her on all subjects-extract
ing sympathy from her assuredly ten
der heart-pouring raptures into hel
assuredly pretty ear! in a word. max
ing love to her by proxy, as you urged
upon me-
I-urged upon you" she inter
ruptingly faltered.
Il should think So" Christopher af
firmed. We'll, one day-or, to hi
more circumstantial, this particular
day-she and / got upon the subjec,
of American literature-or, at least
she talked of American literature
and l talked of Bob He broke on
why didn't you tell me she was sc
well up in it?" he asked.
$50 well up in American literaturer
asked Lady Hardcastle.
Ives, Longfellow! He's an Ameri
can, isn't he?"
opOfollows Voc cunncso -. .