The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-04-15
CHAPTER u.
At o PiccadiHy.

Lpiiuth was to"a lhS cdoitih ~
Of Piccadilly, facing the Green park.
Every Londoner knew the large plain
front, with its lnnumerable windows
and absence of anything remarkable
In decoration. Standing between two
fashionable clubs, both rather ornate
and decorative In style, its very sim
plicity added to its size and marked
1t as n of the great houses of the
Metropolis. The interior of this ia
nous mansion was, 1t was generally
known, at the entire variance with
its plain exterior. Within, there were
rooms which were historic, art treas
ures for which the museums and
millionaire collectors of the world
sighed in vain, a pomp and stateli-
ness which made it one of the great
show houses of town.
A few minutes before eight on the
same afternoon when he had received
the note from the duchess In the
Cocoa Tree club, Michael Grants cab
drove up TO No. 100a, Piccadilly. 1t
was hardly yet dark, though the lamps
down the long vista OF the street were
already twinkling below a western
sky In which still fingered the last
flush Of one Of those marvellous Lon
don sunsets which some painters
have said are ~unequaled.
Grant entered the hall. It was a
magnificent marble place, surrounded
by double columns OF pure Carrara on
a high, continuous basement. The
roof was painted with armorial de-
vices and floral wreaths In blue, Grim
son, green and gold. while there was
a frieze round 1t of green and Grim
son, with a FURNISHED metal chain
work hanging over all. Four great
lamps of shining metal hung from the
roof, shedding down soft rays of light
upon the huge purple carpet, the
cleaning s%tatuary, the palms and the
broad staircase which went up to the
high gallery above.
Two footmen hurried up as the but
Ter gently closed the door, and re-
lieved Grant of bis light coat and op-
era hat.
D. Her Grace is In the small blue
ROOM said the butler, and motloned
to a footman. "Ah." he continued,
here is her Grace"
AS the man spoke the duchess came
into the hall through a marble arch
way on the left. She was dressed en-
tirely in black, a narrow ribbon of
black velvet ran round the tall col
umn of her throat, and a single orna-
ment of diamonds hung from 1t.
She came up to the young man, a
radiant vision with white arms and
neck, a vision of tall suppleness, a
vision with a perfect face. crowned
with its glorious coronal of Furnished
hair in which q single wax.white
cameloa nestled.
"Ah. here you are, Michael" she
said. Il was so afraid you would not
get my note. Fitzroy and | have been
to the party at Marlborough house
this afternoon, and the poor little fell
low has been so excited ever since
we returned that nobody could get
him TO go to sleep until half an hour
ago. We are going to dine in the
small dining room. as there will only
be three OF us. Come and say How
d'you dor TO Aunt Augusta"
They walked together to the other
Hi6A nf tho han No fnaAnuiAn.ahIn Al.
lance; and as they did so the second
footman looked at the first footman,
and the first footman. a privileged per-
son., looked at the butler. The same
thought was In the minds Of all three
men. the same thought and the same
wonder-"Is this the man her Grace
has chosen, or is II not?"
Another tall fellow. with his white
silk stockings and powdered hair. was
standing by the door of the blue
drawing room. He opened 1t, and the
duchess and the young mar went in
together-a couple 20 straight and
tall. so gracious and SO fine, that the
pomp and splendor around them
seemed but a fit and proper environ
ment for two people such as they.
Miss Decies was a sister Of Sir Mon
tague Decies, the father OF the Ouch
ess. She had spent much OF her life
abroad. but upon the death of the
late duke had come to live with her
niece. and to perform the treble func-
tons OF relative. companion, and cha
peron.
Miss Decies was standing by a small
gilt table as Michael and the duchess
entered. She was a tall woman, with
scanty. dead-white hair covered by a
lace cap. Her face was very long
and thin. lined and marked with the
passage of time; and were 1t not for
the keen black yes and the rigidity
of the thin-lipped mouth she would
seemed an old woman. AS 1t
was. people forgot her age in her
readiness and upright carriage. and
the sensation she gave Of being invul-
.erable to the attack of the passing
Nobody was very fond Of Miss De-
There was something repressed
md restrained about her. The thin lips