Catoctin clarion., 1908-10-29
CHAPTER |.

IN( oness de Nantille"
lVl Monsieur Jacob bowed with
grave courtesy-the Baroness
de Nantille inclined her head without
raising her eyes, and the introduction
was complete. The introducer, Mrs.
Wright turned away with little sigh
of relief to continue her duties of hos
Tess. Monsieur Jacob and the baron
ess had never been to her house before,
and the astute little English woman
was not prepossessed in favor OF the
foreign lady. Monsieur Jacob, or
course, was irreproachabe. Every one
knew the name Of the new musician,
whose violin had insinuated him into
every circle in London where the fine
arts came under Improbable discus
sion.
The introduction took place in the
smaller drawing room. which was al
most deserted at the moment. Indeed,
there was only one other person pres
ent. This was man with hair and
pointed beard, mustache and overhanS'
ing eyebrows, as white as snow. The
head was that of an old man-such as
one pictures the ancient patriarchs TO
have been-but the body was stralgh'
and the movements, without being
1.-the, were far from denoting infirmity'
This was Laurance Lowe-a mossless
stone whose rollings days were done
People whispered to one another thai
in DAYS gone by Laurance Lowe would
fain have ceased his rolling ways, but
that providence had willed it other
wise, sending courageous and 1alri!
intelligent young soldier-one Leuten
ant Wright-to set the stone once more
a-going, and to gather for himself the
moss. Whatever MAJ have passed be-
tween the white-haired man and the
CHEEKY little matrOn-still comely and
hearty-n those forgotten days was
only known to themselves, and neither
ever referred to it. People wondered
why Mrs. Wright should trouble her
self with this silent old man, who con-
tributed in no way to the entertalA'
ment o. her guests. They considered
him an old bore, though he never dis.
played the least ankle y to be honored
with their attention - never yawned,
never confessed to fatigue. and never
partook in a general conversation.
1t was to him that Mrs. Wright
turned with her ready smile, which,
however, had something different in 1t
when her eyes met him.
Coffee" he said, interrogatively,
without moving mustache or beard,
and offered her his arm.
Thanks, Laurance, | WILL" replied
the little lady, with grateful smile.
During the last twenty years these two
had gone through that fttle ceremony
many hundreds of times.
They passed into another room ana
the Baroness was lef. acne with Mon
siCur Jacobi He had possessed him
self of her engagement card, and was
now studying it, pencil in hand. Every
curve of his body, the very manner III
which he held his pcncil, his eagerly
bowed head We're EXPIRE ,;iNe Of the ut-
most Difference and respect.
The Baroness had not yet raised her
eyes lIOll1 tHc IolISl - hooi' i'I'
strong white hands, beautifully shaped
and incasei only in open-work m!ttens,
lay idly uron her Jap. There was
something in her whole "tt.tuLe, in the
repose of her fair face, in her down
cast eyes, which was forced and unnat-
ural Hers was indeed Leautlful
lace, scu.,tured on latter smaller
scale than EnglishTeu admire. pale
and very calm, with red, level lips an |
close set eyes Her soft, colorless hair,
almost white in its exquisite fairness,
was arranged with extreme simplicity,
but she wore 1t parted upon he side
In accordance with 4 tashioi now ohso
lete in England. She could lot have
been more thar tweL,y.fve yctrs of
age, despite her repose of manner,
which was almost that Of matron.
When Monsieur J,.cCb lad made
sure that they were alone, the express
sion of his keen face underwent a re-
markab,e change, though his attitude
remained unaltered.
"Who?" he asked in lowpitched
voice, and with an unpleasant smile
"who is the old fossil who wears an
eyeglass in one eye and sees with the
other" The Baroness raised her calm
blue eyes. and met Jacobs sardonic
smile with a contemptuous stare.
"Your conscience must indeed be an
evil one, Jacobi," she said, slowly.
"You are forever suspecting the most
innocent and harmless Of treachPry
. aud double-dealing
"Nevcrthclcss, Baroness, who is that
man.
-.. THAT man. my friend, Is one Lau,
rance Lowe-an English radical. which
means nothing. He has by this time
completely forgotten the existence OF
both Of us. I should imagine that his
whole attention and time are given TO
the management Of his own affairs"
"You know him, them said Jacobl,
seating himself lightly and gracefully
near the Baroness
"By reputation only"
"You know come. one who knows
him welli' persisted the violiuist,
calmly.
II do"
"Ah! May .nquire-"
The Baroness suddenly cast down