Year: 1864


time, in Rome. He strayed into Tusca.
ny to escape the heat, and found bis way
TO the Baths.


knew him very well, and was rather
glad that be had come. Everything was
arranging for the last act of the comedy,
and | was anxious to see on what sort
Of tableau the curtain would fall.


did not tell him that Mabel was
there, he must find her out for himself;
but went at once to inform her of his
arrival, as did not wish her to be in
the least taken at disadvantage.


might have spared myself the
trouble; she was perfectly unmoved.
She told the truth when she said that she
had lived worlds beyond that affection
and its pain.


They came face to face, that night, at
a concert Mabel was leaning on the
arm of the English ambassador Gordon
was standing alone, he had few acuuaint-
ances there, and was probably finding it
stupid.


was glancng at him when he caught
sight of her. Inever saw man look so
astounded; then it was evident that he
thought himself mistaken, although the
resemblance puzzled him.


lie came up TO me.


who on earth is that stylish woman?'


l told him.


4 must be right he said; Il am sure
/ know her,,


enlarged upon the subject of her
wealth and good standing in society. I
heard him mutter,


Can that be Hetty? What fool 1
was =


He wrote her letter, that night, not
Yenturing 20 make love TO her, but ask
ing permission to visit her, which was
readily granted.


In a week he was more in love with
her than he had ever been in the heat of
his boyish passion. You will think it was
because she was rich that may have had
something to do with it, but be really
loved her, and, as such capricious ma
lures do love, passonately and unreason-
ingly.


She was very kind to him, but he
dared no more speak OF affection to her
than If she had been a queen; verify,
the tables had turned with vengeance.


She invited him to her house, she
presented him to her friends but il fret.
ted his proud spirit beyond endurance to
perceive that those naughty gentry who
received her as an equal, treated him with
a sort of cavalier politeness as a person
whom it was her fancy to pet, never for
getting that he was a professional artist,
worlds away from any hope of free in
tercourse with their station and grandeur


Mabel used TO give the most delicious
little parties in her grounds. The house
was not larger than nut shell, and the
old princess took up tine greater part of
of it; but the lawn and garden were
shady and delightful, and her break fasts
al .fresco were among the most charm
ing amusements of that delightful season.


She always invited Laurence, and
Laurence always went, although he in.
variably ground his teeth at the imposs-
bility of getting more than chance
word with her, and often was forced
to rush away from the gay scene, be.
cause his bitterness and pain so complete
ly got the upper hands of any hope of
composure.


Many time he heard some queenly
creature ask who he was for be was
handsome, poetical looking man still, and
the answer invariably came,


'Oh only an artist, countryman of
madam, it is just one of her caprices TO
make him reputation; she forces all
the rich English and Americans to buy
his pictures


Then neither the questioner nor the
giver of the information would remember
anything more about him, and Laurence
would be left TO curse his fate in every
strange tongue with which his wander
ings had made him sufficiently familiar
to affrod that safe outlet to an angry
mans feelings.


Patronized by Hetty Flint! There
was no denying the fact, and it made
Gorden's head reel to look back on the
past and compare ii with the reality of
those days.


He might, If he had been mad enough
or mean enough, have told the whole
story in the open square, and no mortal
would have believed a word he spoke.
Mable had passed so far up the ladder
that she had reached a safe landing place,