Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-06-10
CHAPTER II.


The inside of the castle gave every
evidence OF enormous wealth and
every imaginable luxury was provided.
After q little interchange of pleas
antrieS in the spacious hall our black
haired friend raised her voice in
stentorian shout, in answer to which
brisk, elderly lady. came down the
mahogany stairs and welcomed un
cordially She was introduced as "oNr
aunt and chaperon, Mrs. Armistead,"
amid pealg Of laughter from the girls,
although we couldn't see any joke. We
then went to our rooms, which con.
taineds everything we could possibly
have desired, and when we came down
to dinner the footman told us that
Mrs. Armistead and the young ladies
were awaiting us in the drawing room.
We crossed the hall, and when the
heavy curtains that separated 1t from
the huge drawing room were lifted to
admit us, we saw at least 20 girls
ranging in age from IS to %, standing
or sitting around the room in attitudes
OF expectancy. / found out later that
there were really only six of them, but,
at the time, there locked to be 20.
They were all pretty all wore evening
dress, and all were talking mt once;
but as Vincent and | entered they
stopped and Mrs Arnlietead came for
ward and presentea US 10 the three
girls we had not vet seen
$50
The first of the new three, Agatha
Fourth, as Vincent and called her
later, was tall and very fair, with won
derful blue eyes and a beautiful figure.
That our bewilderment and astonish-
ment increased when she also was pre-
sented to us as the Honorable Agatha
Wyckhoff may be easily understood.
The next one had light-brown hair
with gold lights in 1t and her eyes
were a golden hazel. AS she, too, was
introduced as the Honorable WyckhoR
bowed mechanically, as did Vincent,
mot daring to trust myself to utter q
word or repeat the name. Then, turn
ing from Agatha Fifth, we met the
Honorable Agatha Sixth and last, and
thought she was the prettiest Of all.
Delicate and small she was, but every
inch an aristocYat from her small
charming head to her dainty little feet
Her eyes were dark brown, her com.
plexion clear olive, and her hair
straight and soft and jet black. took
to her at once, though thought she
looked rather sarcastic. NJ ii. 81
The introductions over, we went in
to dinner, and such meal as that
was! At one end Of the table sat
Mrs Armistead, while sat at the 9th
or. Agatha First sat on Mrs. Armi-
stead's right, next to her sat Vincent,
and next to him, Agatha Fourth-the
tall, fair-haired beauty. have de-
scribed them at length 50 that 1t 10
not diflcult to keep them apart. Next
to her, on my left, sat the plump little
girl with the blue eyes, Agatha Third.
Then on my right-oh, fortunate me!
sat my little lady aristocrat, Agatha
Sixth, and next to her Agatha Second,
her unruly brown curls somewhat
subdued, and looking very fetching in
q costume Of pink and white. l should
have thought that these girls we're
American had not had reason to be-
lieve that they were English; there
was that breezy simplicity and hecom-
ingness about their gowns which
seems to be distinctly American.
But have omitted from my cate
CORY Agatha Fifth, the Agatha Of the
hazel eyes. ! will not now take time
to do justice to her many charms, but
shall do so later for reasons which win |
soon appear. Mrs. Armistead's sec
retary, who came in late and slipped |
into the seat At Mrs. Armistead's left, !
completed the number Of persons at
the table. She was quiet young woman I
In . severely simple gown Of
gray. and her hair, which was done
very plainly, was distinctly red In
BolOr. Mrs Armistead introduced her
to us Is her secretary. Miss Marsh.
The meal Was well cooked and beau
tifully served, and BY the time the
IaIad course arrived Vincent and + had
Iost much OF our conatraint and self
oonselOunness and were talking and
laughing with the best Of them. The
levitY ana freedom from the conven-
IicnalItiog usually observed ata din
ner party, in which those girls in
dnlged. was . bit shocking to me. Al
though It did not seem to disconcert
Vincent IN the least
After dinner our adventure de-
vel0ped its most astonishing feature.
At the close Of the meal the ladies
lrcse, and We we're invited to remain