Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-11-13
THE LADY EVELYN
A Story of Today
BY MAX PEMBERTON

A Story of Today
BY MAX PEMBERTON

What did her father mean by wish
tng her to be gracious to Count Odin?
HAA he SO changed in a night that he
would sacrifice his only daughter TO
atone for some wrong committed in
his own boyhood7 Her passionate
nature could resent the mere idea as
one too shameful to contemplate. But
what did 1t mean then, and how would
she stand II the Count presumed upon
her fathers acQuiescencef The fas-
cination which this stranger exer-
cised did not deceive her; she knew
IT for the spell of evil, to be resisted
with all her heart and soul. Was she
strong Aenough, had she character
enough, to resist It? She would be
alone against them both II the worst
befell she remembered, and would
night her battle unaided. Others might
have been dismayed, but not Evelyn,
the daughter Of Dora d'1stran. She
was grateful perhaps that her father
had declared his preference 80 openly.
A yelled hostility toward their guest
might have provoked her to show him
etvflities which were asked OF her no
longer. AS 1t was, she understood her
position and could prepare for it. ="
To this point her reverie had car
nd her when she became aware that
aAe was no longer alone. A rustling
sf leaves, a .twig swapping upon the
bank, brought her instantly to a recog-
Attion of the fact that some one
watched her hiding. place behind the
willows Of the pool. Whoever the In
truder might be, he withdrew when
she looked up. and his face remained
undiscovered. Evelyn resented this
intrusion greatly, and was about to
move away when some one, hidden by
the trees, began to play either very
sweetly. and to this the music Of a
guitar and fiddle were added pres
emily, and then the pleasing notes of
. human voice. Pushing her canoe
out into the stream, Evelyn could just
espy red scarf flashing between the
trees and, from time to time, the dark
face of true son of Egypt. Who
these men were or why they thus de-
fled her privacy, she could not so
much as hazard; nor did she any long
er resent their temerity. The weird,
wild music made a strange appeal to
her. 1t awakened impulses and ideas
she had striven to subdue; inspired
her Imagination to old ideals-excited
and troubled her AZ no music she had
heard before. Tho same mad courage
which sent her to London to play upon
the stage Of theatre returned to her
and filled her with an inexplicable
ecstasy She had all the desire to
trample down the conventions which
stifed her liberty and to let the world
think az It would. Eta Romney came
back to life and being in that moment
Eta speaking to Evelyn and say.
ing, This Is message Of the Joy Of
life, listen, for 1t is the voice Of Des-
tiny"
The music ceased upon a weird
chord in a minor key; and, when it
had died away. Evelyn became aware
that the men were talking in strange
tongue and secretly, and that they
still had no intention of declaring
their presence. With the passing Of
the spell Of sweet sounds, she found
herself not without little alarmed
curiosity to learn who they were and
by whom they had been permitted to
wander abroad in the park, apparent
" unquestioned and unknown. Dis.
quiet, indeed, would have sent her
10 the house again, but for the appear
ance of no other than Count Odin
himself, who came without warning
to the waters edge and laughed at
her evident perplexity.
my fellows annoy you. dear lady,"
Ao said. pray let me make the ex'
suses for them. You do not like their
nusic-is 1t not so?"
mot at all. like 1t very much
sAe said, not weighing her words. ut
= the maddest music ever heard in
IN my life"
"Then come and toll young Zallony
%, brought him to England, Lady
Evelyn. / mean to make his fortune
Come and see him and toll him II
London will not like him when he
scrapes the fiddle In lady's ear. II
would be gracious of you to do that
these poor fellows would die II you
English ladies did not clap the hands
for them. Come and be good to young
Zallony and he will never forget"
He helped her ashore with his left
hand, for his right he carried in a silk
On scarf, the last remaining witness
70 his accident. His dress was a we'll
Atting suit Of gray flannels, with a
taint blue stripe upon them. He had
the air and manner Of man who de
MED himself no luxury and was per
fectly well aware of the fascination
he exercised upon the majority ol
women he met, whatever their nation
ality. Had Evelyn been questioned
she would have said that his eyes
we're the best gift with which Nature
had lowered him. OF the darkest
gray, soft and languishing In a com
mon way. they could, when passion
dominated them, look into the very
soul of the chosen victim and leave II
a