Evening star., 1907-07-14

had been she had already touched the
shelves with the magic of the bookover.
and the chairs longer lined themselves
helplessly against the wall, but stood In
inviting disorder.
None of these things. however, Interested
Col. Foxboro, who was concerned only with
people and their affairs. He had stopped
short at the sight of Mary Hadding talking
with animation to Lawrence Ryland. Both
were standing; she leaned easily on the
high back of old carved chair, and the
sunshine behind her gave a glow of beauty
to her hair and the soft outlines of her
pale face.
After some moments of unobserved con-
temptation Col Foxboro recOliected him
self and turFed sharply on his heel to come
as suddenly upon the ambassador. The
masklike appearance of POTtucarrerO's
white face and his heavy-ldded eyes had
always impressed the old man unpleasant
~, but at this moment he stood aghast at
something he in the cold features of
the diplomat; a resemblance subtle repe-
tition outline or expression that unden!-
ably suggest d the face Of Mary Haddng.
1t fully minute before he remem-
bered greet the ambassador and Portu
carrero, meanwhile, had observed his con-
fusion and attributed it to other and less
praiseworthy causes. In fact the diplomat
looked upon the fussy old colonel as an in
durable busybody and supposed that he had
been playing eavesdropper having fairly
caught him at the library door looking
through the half-draWn portieres. The
plunged at once into a hurried discussion
of a European situation that Portucarrero
chose to ignore for reasons that would have
been obvious even to Foxboro under ordi-
nary circumstances, but the old man was
still completely absorbed by his singular
impression. and he tried to prolong the con-
versation that he might have an opportu
nifty to discover the elusive likeness but
Portucarrero shook him off with the
of the skillful diplomatist, and he fell into
the wake of Christine Jerome. and was
forced to tell her who was this one and
that for a few years absence from Wash
ngton brings old resiuent back as a
stranger in the constantly shifting society
of the capital. The administration had
changed and many of the ambassadors and
ministers were new, and Christine was at
The groups in the drawing were
being constantly augmented now as the
hours advanced and more and more people
drifted in. Mrs. Whiting. anchored to her
post hostess in the first drawing roOm
was beginning to cast inquring glances in
every direction In search of her niece, for
whom every newcomer inquired, but Miss
Hadding Jailed to appear. She and Law
renee Ryland had found the half hour in
the library more entertaining than the
changing company in the other rooms. Ry-
land had been impressed at Harriet Cheev-
er's by the girls distinction and beauty
and now he was surprised to find her both
more intelligent and more interesting than
the young women who were forced upon his
acquaintance at every turn by anxious
mammas and judicious chaperons. That
she was totally unlike the average society
girl was patent at a glance, and that
she possessed other and stronger points of
variance became more and more apparent
as they talked.
Mary. her side, was weary of petty
deceits. and feeling secure in Ryland's ig-
norance of her antecedents and confident
that his reticence would be a sufficient
safeguard. she spoke with freedom and
without making any effort to keep up the
farce of May Hadding's traditions
Ryland had noticed at once. with some
secret amusement. the magic changes in
Mrs. Writings gilt-edged library. and he
suggested that her niece was fond Of sit
ting in this room.
I've rather taken possession Of It," re-
piled Mary: II think Mrs. Whiting is dis
gusted at the confusion | have introduced
into her immaculate order. / only wish I
found more of my old favorites here"
Ryland glanced along the shelves with a
smile. "These are standards at least" he
said "a visit to a secondhand bookstore
would give you some comfort. You should
see my disreputable shabbiness. But then
l have some few volumes that you would
care to know
II think 1 for ALL" she replied; Il
have starved for the companionship of
books, but one can have none in a convent
CELL"
Il should never have supposed you con-
DO l look the Bohemian" she asked
lightly: Il am transgressng Mrs. Whit
ng's instructions t, tell you that 1 have
known many artists and actors and musi
clans in Paris"
Il did not know that you had been there
SO long"
II was born there" said Mary truthfully;
the first thing l remember noticing as a
child was the circling flight of some purple
martins around the spires of Notre Dame