The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-27

Whom ne liked Immensely, Lady Cal
warn. She had given him twenty
pounds for some of his poor. Lady
Caivarn had calm. kind face, and
Dan sat down beside her. well out of
the crush. and they talked amiably
throughout the violin solo.
think Of IT," she said, Lefty Lane
OF the Gaiety Is going to sing. I'd sit
through q great deal for that. Let
that man with the fiddle do his worst"
Blair laughed appreciatively. He
thought Lady Caiwarn would be a
good friend for Miss Lane. better than
the duchess herself. II wish Lily
could hear you talk about her violin
ist," he said. delighted: "she thinks
he's the whole show" And tentative.
ly. his ingenious eyes fixed on his
friend. he asked: II wonder how you
would like to meet Miss Lane. She's
perfectly ripping. and she's from my
state"
Meet her!" Lady Caiwarn ex.
claimed. but before she could finish,
through the room ran tho little anti.
cipatory rustic that comes before the
great. and which. when they have
gone. breaks into applause. The great
actress had appeared to give her mum.
Der. Dan and Lady Caiwarn. behind
the palms In little corner of their
own. watched her.
A clever understanding of the world
into which she was to como this day,
had made the girl dress like q charm.
She stood quietly by the piano. her
hands folded. Among the high ladies
Of the English world in their splendid
frocks. their Jewels and feathers, she
was q simple figure, her dress snow
white. high to her throat. unadorned
by any gay color, according to the
fashion Of the time. 1t was such a
dress as Romney might have painted,
and under her arms and from across
her breast there fell soft coral-col.
ored silken scarf. The costume was
daring In its simplicity. She might
have been Emma, Lady Harailton, be-
cause perfectly beautiful. perfectly tai
ented. she could risk sewers simple
ity. having In herself the frs and the
art and the seduction. Her hs.. wa.
golden crown and her eyes like stars
She was excited. and the scarlet had
run along her cheeks like wiae spilled
over ivory.
She looked around the room, failed
to see Blair. but saw the Duchess OF
Breakwater In her velvet and her Jew
els. Lefty Lane began to sing. Dan
and she had chosen Mandalay and she
began with II. Her dress only was
simple. All the complexity of her tai
ent. whatever she knew Of seduction
and charm. she put In the rendering OF
her song. Even the conventional au
dience. most of which knew her we'll
were enchanted over again, and they
went wild about her. She had never
been so charming. The men clapped
her until she began in self-defense an
other favorite OF the moment, and end.
ed In perfect huzzah OF applause.
She refused to sing again until, In
the distance. she saw Dan standing by
the column near his seat. Then indi,
eating to the pianist what she wanted
she sang The Earl Of Moray, such o
rendering Of the old ballad as had not
been heard In London. and coming. as
1t did. from the lips Of a DO pular sin.
ger whose character and whose vervs
were not supposed to be sympathetic
to piece OF music Of this kind, the
effect was startling. Lefty Lanes face
grew pale with the touching old trag
edy, the scarlet faded from her
cheeks, her eyes grew dark and MORT
she might indeed herself have been
the lady looking from the castle wal,
while they carried the body of he,
dead lover under those beautiful eyes
Dan felt his heart grow cold. l.
she had awakened him when he was o
little boy. she thrilled him now; he
could have wept. Lady Caiwarn die
wipe tears away. When the last poh
or the accompaniment had ended,
Dams friend at his side said: How
utterly ravishing! What beautiful.
lovely creature; how charming and
how frail!"
He scarcely answered He was max
Ing his way to Lefty Lane, and he
wrung her hand. murmuring, "Oh,
you're great; you're great" And tho
pleasure on his face repaid her over
and over again. Come, want you TO
meet the Duchess Of Breakwater, and
some other friends Of mine"
As he let her little cold hand fall
and turned about. the room as by
magic had cleared The prime minis
ter had arrived late and was In the
other room. The refreshments were
also being served There was no one
to meet Lefty Lane. except for several
young men who came up eagerly and
asked to be presented. Gordon Ga.
lorey among them.
Where's Lily?" Dan asked him; IT