Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-09
CHAPTER w.

CHAPTER ~.
The measure of Mr.. Winstanleys Curl
osty was. however, not to be satisfied on
this occasion; since almost Immediately,
the colloquy with his daughter over the
"Baltc's' rail was destined to interruption
by Lord Clandonald in person, who came
I'D to ask If Miss Winstanley were ready
for their walk.
Since the first evening of their meeting
he had fallen into the habit of seeking her
out in a half-shy, wholly Unconditional man
ner, and of spending a half hour or so IN
her company listening to her merry chat
ter and insensibly tightening and brighten
ing out of the heavy lassitude that had
possessed his soul for so many weary
months. With returning animation the real
beauty and high distinction of his face re-
vealed itself. Posey, who had thought OF
his title merely as pleasing toy, who had
as yet acquired none of the prevalent wor-
ship of her average countrymen for the
glamor of a place among the hereditary no
bility of the lands they affect to surpass In
achievement, liked to be with him because
of three things-viz, the great strength and
beauty of his body, his gift of beautiful
diction and the melodious speech that rang
upon her ear like chime of perfect bells.
She also enjoyed his way of brushing his
hair and putting his clothes, and not
caring in the least what anybody on board
thought of him or said of him. At least,
that is what, had she possessed conhdante
of her own sex. Miss Winstanley would
have admitted concerning her Indifferent
admirer.
He had come to her as a man who at
thirty considers himself to have done with
life, and consents to take up incidental d.
version by the way. He had never met a
girl so ignorant of the world, so mex
haustiby interested in things and people,
so fresh and healthy, yet innately rehned,
SO daring, yet so sure of herself that no
man might take a liberty with her In
speech or action; and above all, so pretty.
So deiciously pretty, The woman whom
he had ruined his life by marrying, hve
years before, had been accounted beauty,
and was q gentlewoman by tradition and
association. AS he had seen Ruby Darien
last, in the divorce court, she seemed a
mere made-up creature VINO would go &c
pieces at night in her maids hands, a
thing of artifce and stimulant, OF base
passions and shallow emOtionality, already
a has-been, although barely his own age.
she had made his pulses thrill with her
loneliness? Could he have ever considered
Ruby the peer In looks OF this stray
maiden come upon by chance. to be soon
parted with. and meyer seen again? He hated
to think he had believed himself Ruby s
lover during the time before he had found
her out. He loathed the days before he put
her away, when, for his boys sake. ne
After his child died, and he had taker
his opportunity to be free man. he
often thanked God, that following tina
voyage of his wifes to South Africa
he had never thought of her as beautiful
But except for the somewhat languid ad-
miration excited in him, the young Ameri-
can had not yet stirred the deeper foun-
tains Of Clandonalds feeling. Mariol OBJ
serving the progress Of affairs was quietly
content He really considered the acquaint.
ance with Posey species of mild cure. like
visit to German health place, where
one eats brown bread and baked apples
In had a n h ~
been Miss Carstairs. now, upon whom these
desultory attentions of his lordship had
been bestowed, Mariol, having ascertaine6
this lady to be the daughter of the world.
famous fnancier. would have been much
more actively concerned in forecasting fol
her place among the white peacocks al
Beaumanoir.
1t was about Beaumanoir that ClandonalG
now found himself obliged to talk with
Miss Winstanley. With the lightning like
rapidity of growth in steamer intimacies
they had all come to discourse of one an
others domiciles and surroundings, ant
Mariol, whose estheticism rejoiced in hi.
friends noble old forsaken home had
shown the girl a photograph of 1t. Posey
like every southerner, had an instructive
love and reverence for the historic element
moated dwelling in whose grounds mon
archs had taken their pleasure appealed
keenly to her otherwise concrete and con
temporaneous view of things. To~see Il
was SttplHS out OF a modern RAILWAY
e. station into an old-world garden Of ripe
delights. And to be actually walking uI
and down decks with the owner, albeit h,
looked lige other men and had his hand,
thrust In the pockets Of an Indifferent!
shabby ulster, was a FLIP her imagina
ton had not previously known.
A little leased. little fiattered by he
queries on the subject, Clandonald yet fel
assured that her interest was impersona
and genuine. When he remembered hov
fuby had hated to say at Beaumanoir, pre-
ferring any small stuffy hotel in Paris o.
Rome, or on the Riviera, Miss Winstan
leys real enthusiasm was refreshing. /
almost made him want to go back himself
TO that spot haunted by the ghosts of dea,
beliefs. near which the poor little boy slept
under tiny mound in the churchyard tina
he was always trying to forget.
Strange. now II always came to him whel
alone In balmy wood, with birds singing
and sun filtering through the branches; O
on Sundays when a church bell rang; or
he awoke suddenly in the middle of tn
night; or in looking at q field of haymaker
and distant grazing sheep! 1t was not
keen pain any longer. but only q SOLDERING
tender thought, and the man was better 70
hands deeper In his pockets and strobe u
and down beside the girl, lodging othe
walking pairs. and wishing there were nc
80 many people In the world who wanted I
do what he did, the image of the little gree
mound arose across the waste of wide Al
lantic. Was IL Posey who inspired his on
sacred remembrance? He could not tel
but went on letting her draw him out abor
his lovely Impoverished Beaumanoir, unit
she was touched and astonished at the fec
ing he revealed concerning 1t.
'Oh! am sure you will have II all ono
more. and be able to enjoy everything as c
old" she exclaimed. impulsively.
Perhaps you don't know why this Is i'm
possible" he answered, eulping down tn
bitter fact. 1T is quite hopeless for me
live decently there. on all I am ever likel
TO have in the way OF income"
And i. like a goose. keep always ignorin
the money question In connection Wit
those beautiful enhancing "a Englis
places. I've read about them 50 often in
book we have of Dwellings of the Aristo,
racy and Gentry and also In 'Countr
Life They seem to have been created
80 on for ages by themselves, In a state
suspended animation, like the Sleepir
Bsauty's palace. II you won't think n