The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-11-19

her Image showed nothing en- mal-not
a tress of hair disarranged, not a rib
hcn awry, no trace of disorder in
feature or dress-the image, indeed. of
very beautiful woman, clothed with
the perfection of simplicity tnar made
her seem scarce more than young
glrl still. Half-smiling with a salts.
ned consciousness of this fact, she. sat
down again as the servant. entered the.
room and handed her card on tho
salver.
Lady Featherstone glanced at the
card, and suddenly her face turned
pale. She looked at the servant in.
terrogatively.
:" A gentleman, YOU say-to see me?"
Yes, your Ladyship"
1t was not customary for Lady
Eeatherstone to Question herfservants
on the subject of a visitors appearance
but she could not at this instant for
bear; from asring, What kind of a
genueman?"
"A tall gentleman, your Ladyship,"
the servant answered; elderly, with
gray hairAa foreign. gentleman, I
think, Your LadyShip."
Lady Featherstone glanced again at
the card in her hand-"Paul GFesson-
ier."
Unconsciously her pulses qluckened,
the color returned to her cheeks, her
breath came oddly fast. What did
1t mean? What could it mean2 Paul
Gressonier! The man who had loved
her fifteen years ago and left her; the
man whose name but FIVE minutes
since had crossed her dhoughts-wh whose
race had risen so strangely vivid out Of
the miSts of long departed years, whose
voice had rung but now upon her
fancy with Kindergarten echoes of her
girlhood's days-Gressonier! 1t must
be some mistake, some singular IL
fusion, or else some curious coinci-
dence-lo mere.
Fhe servant coughed alphabetically
Il told the gentleman. your ady-
ship he went on, That your Lady
ship was not receiMhg and could not
see visitors. II this hour, but he
wouldn't take no refusal "'Take~up
my card said he. to Lady Feather
stone, and say | wish to see her par
ucular. Does your Ladyship lie
sire me to Bay that you are indis-
posed2' he inquired. grayely.
mol" said ady Featherstone.
speaking with sudden effort. SHOW
the gentleman up"
There was little time in which to
adjust her mental attitude to an ade-
quate conception Of the emotional pos.
sibilities that this quito unexpected in
cident seemed likely TO create. 1t had.
happened with so complete a sudden
ness that the effect of it upon Lady
Featferstone's mind was considerably
iessenod by the difficulty Of reducing
the utterly improbable to the prac-
tically existent, the abstract to the
actual, in the b ief space of two min
utes.
There was, in short. n strong sense
OF unreality still upon her whom the
door again opened and the visitor was
ushcred into her presence.
a gentleman, tall, with grizzIcd
mnstache, strong, aquiline features.
Keen earnest eyes and gray hair
brushed back from n high. wide fore
head entered, took step forward.
paused, then silently bowed.
sharp surprise, certain dis
appointment, troubled gladness.
singular ombarrassmeat-al these
sentiments were fused into the con
seriousness that before her stood. ut
last, after long years. the lover of her
youth; and Lady Feather. tones eyes
dropped before the gaze of NJ. Gresson-
Ter.
Fifteen years had changed him from
young to a middleaged mana man
handsome still, but in whose appear
ance seemed manifest the Bullets of
adverse fortune. His clothes were
shabby-sn shabby that. when he had
Invested himself in the hall below OF
MS rich fur coat, the foctman had
looked at him askanro. half doubting
inc propriety of conducting such an
addressed person into the presence OF
MS mistress, and marycling not n
mute at the strange discrc pancy bc.
tween the strangers costly, sable lined
oYercoat and the threadbarc garments
underneath IT, for they were thread
bare and ill fitting: his boots wero
even patched. his collar fraved his
nccktie a mere cheap ribbon Yet even
the disadvantages OF such attire were
unable to conceal i'm tho wearcr n cor
tain aspect of dignity. a nobility Of
bearing which seemed natural TO him
and independent of all extraneous aids
VI. GressOnicri" said Lady Feofb
erstone, after a brief awkward silence
and held out her hand.
Lady Fcatherstone-ah Madamo
permit me-" With q grave reverence
VI. Grossonler raised the out trc,cbod
hand to his lips.
Madame he murmured OF is
iong-so long since last time.'
Lady Fcathcrstone withdrew her
hand somewhat hastily. her cbcot
were suddenly crimson: what MAGIC
was there in "a voice thai could set
her heart beating so at the first must
cal vibration Of its tones? Yes f.
was the voice Of her girlhood's davs
the same low. tender. paseion9to
pleading voice that fifteen years 49,,
had thrilled her. stolen its way into
her heart fingered so long after in
her memory and now again was sou,J.
ing In her ears-tho voice Of the man
she had loved. ~
Then, Madame" went on Grease,
Ter, still with HIS eyes upon her face