The Washington times., 1920-04-04

had yielded TO II. She was lovely
really quite faultlessly lovely, In q
fair. mignonne fashion.
AL the little features were per
fectly shaped, the nose just suffi-
ciently aQuiline to give character
and almost dignity To the face.
Her complexion, In spite OF the
Indian sun, was like ivory, with the
most delicate fush OF warm blood
and abounding health-giving life TO
II, aud neither cold nor heat ever
seemed to AFFECT II at all. Her eyes
were large, blue and expressive,
and her hair OF the color OF ripe
corn. But above and beyond all
these positive beauties l think II
was the wonderful daintiness OF
her ensemble that chiefly took me
captive.
She dressed beautifully and In
perfect taste, and her slight figure
showed off her frocks TO the utmost
advantage. But the peaTl-like deli
cacy, the extraordinary cleanness,
as II not a speck Of dirt or dust
could be tolerated or could possibly
rest on her, is not describable.
SO she was introduced, this beau
tiful fairy.like creature, into our
solid and perhaps rather sombre
English home. and at first ], watch
ing them, loved to see the-way In
which Uncle Ralph's eye followed
her about the room as she came
and went, and to note his loverly
ways with her. II struck me. even
from the start. that there was
carelessness In her manner OF re-
sponse to such little caressing acts
of his as | was allowed to see which
did not suggest return OF equal
devotion. II hurt me.
was most thankful to be able to
believe that Uncle Ralph did not
notice any lack of tervency on her
part. He was always more than
satisfied with her. always disposed
to sing her praise and commend
her actions, and often was
touched by the way in which he
would glance from her 10 me, when
she arranged a flower prettily or
did any trivial act with her own
peculiar grace, or when she made
any particularly daring speech or
quip, for she had acquired In India
a freedom Of man'like language
quite strange to us at Scotney. and
would smile, as II taking me into
his confidence and saying, "Wasl
there ever anything so beautiful
and SO perfect in the world be-
fore?" o..
This is what his look and its ac-l
companying smile would ask. And
at the first was able to smile back
at him, with willing and admiringI
assent, but, by degrees, as learnt
to know her better, and began toI
learn. particularly, how very little,
in that shallow nature, there was
to know, | found myself often at a
loss how to answer or even to bear,
that look, and often and often II
would turn my eyes aside or pre-
tend absorption In work 90 In a
book. when I knew that 1t would be
coming.
There were moments when |
came near to despising poor Uncle
/. Ralph for his blindness in not see
ing little more Of what the soul,
If she had one. Of this most ex-
quisite piece Of human porcelain
was composed. But principally "
was a most profound pity that !
felt for him, mingled with wonder
whether he really were quite. so
blind as he seemed, or whether he
wilfully declined to see what was
really obvious.S
Just a trace Of look of doubt.
of distress, of puzzlement, came, as
it seemed to me. now and again.
into those adoring. dog-like eyes OF
his. following his wife as she
moved-just a little questioning in
them. taking the place Of the old