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f ; ' j/r lovr
6v E. V-wn ,r ;ivs.. Author ui> " l\vtKl>:iA
Kkhiiam.." "'I'm: AruMSXKxr ur Lka;: 1>un-
ins," " Uinum Wmcii I.uku &c.
Chameu XXXIX. — Gocsis Ethkl.
Sandra's first impulse was to make a movement
of glad surprise towards that fair, false, morally
perjured woman— his first mental process was a
swift suppression of all the pain and wrath which-
had possessed him sinco those cruel words of un
deserved insult, that heartless abandonment of
their pleasant friendship. Ilis next was a re
turn to I1I3 now normal attitude of wounded
pride and outraged aScelion, and that bitter .as
sumption of indifference by which wo attempt to
master onr pain and by which instead we show
it.
As coldly as if this were nothing but a chance
meeting between two mere acquaintances, hundro
Kemp lilted his soft felt hat lo Augusta and her
party, and would have passed on with the pretty
woman and all her belongings on his arm had
not Tony rushed at him, uftcr the manner of a
child who knows nothing of Ic desjous ilei carlci,
and who would not hesitate to make mud pics out
of Mecca clay, nor to make cockshies at the most
sacred symbols.
" Oh, Mr. Kemp, where havo you been away
to?" be said, jumping ubout bim like alittle dog.
" I have been ill ; and grandmamma gave me
some jelly one night in a spoon ; and Sljab killed
a robin redbreast in the snow ; and tbe l iver was
froze— that bit whero yon made mamma cry," he
added, with a suddenly serious face.
Doubt as to tbe propriety of his own joy at
this unexpected meeting with one who bad dealt
so evilly by mamma came visibly into bis clear
eyes, his drawn mouth : but his mother smiled
at him and then at their friend in un amiable
and inane way, and her smile reassured the
child.
"Why, Tony, do you remember me, little
man i" said Sandra, flushing with pleasure.
Ho looked from the child to the mother — from
the eloquent little face, bright and-beaming, to
tbat vaguo mask of inane uiniability.
" It would have been odd if be bad forgotten
you," said Augusta, with perfect tranquillity of
voice and manner — with a very audacity of ioi>
gctfulness, such as the French would have
characterised as sublime.
But then this was essentially Augusta's' way.
When she cbose she could make herself like a
smooth palimpsest newly prepared for fresh in
scriptions, nnd wiihall the old lettcringseemingly
obliterated for ever. To see and hear hcrat these
times no one could believe that anything bad ever
gone before — that the history of a life lay hidden
beneath the waxen surface, ihc blank serenity of
the moment. And now, no one could have im
agined by her manner that a thought had ever
connected her future with Sandra Kemp— that a
tear had ever come into her eyes because of the
pnin of renunciation — that the strong wing of
passion had ever swept over her as she stood mid
way, halting for a moment, between duty and in
clination— that the darkness of despair hud ever
fallen about her liko a cloud because of tho cruelty
of fate which denied what she desired. She met
him ns if they had parted yesterday, nnd ns if
nothing more had been between them than a
dance, a flower, a merry jest, a careless laugh.
Not the keenest onlooker could discern the faint-
eat shadow of feeling or embarrassment in her
face or manner. Not oven Stella, who know
something, could divine more ; while Sandra
himself felt bewildered, and as if be had some
how lost bis way. He was like a man
who, wandering among pathless crags,
and over arid wastes, suddenly finds himself at
home, brought thither, as it seems to him, by
some act of enchantment as inexplicable ns de
lightful. Had he been n coward ; or what did it
allmenn? Wns she playing with liim now; or
had she been compelled to wound bimthen ?
" You havo been away such a long time, Mr.
Kemp, it is quite delightful to see you again !"
then said Stella, as her contribution to the odd if
pleasant confusion of tho moment.
Her voice and manner were kind to exagge
ration : for she wanted not only to stand as
shield-bearer to Augusta, but to administer tbat
kind of coid douche to poor Valentine which con
sists in showing exireme warmth to tbe one who
is confessedly indifferent in contrast to tho chill
reserve just shown the other who is confessedly
making efforts to win favors. It is tbe "high
light" by which tbe whoio picture lakes its tone
and receives its key.
Sandra turned to her with a smile. Here at
least was no deception. Stella Branscombe had
no reason to mislead him. Whatshe said was all
sincere, true, hearty ;and her kindness might bo
accepted as confidingly as it was offered gener.
ously. It was the common judgment of tho
world such as it is— that judgment which each
man believes so infallible when ho forms it I
The tall, graceful, diaphanous kind of woman,
who, Valentine had said, seemed mado up of
clouds and moonbeams, opened her big eyes and
looked at Stella with frank surprise. How odd
this almost fluttering manner from a girl to a
gentleman ! she thought. In her own life she
was accustomed to have men about her as her
slaves, not to mako herself their incense bearer i
But here was a giri who said to an unmarried man
bow delightful it was to see him again, and how
long it wa3 since they had met, in a voice which
seemed almost equivalent to a caress — which was
tantamount to flinging herself at liis head ' What
wretched style ! What miserable manners ! That
elder woman was a little better. There was
none of this milkmaid exuberance about her :
but really if this girl were going on as she had
begun, this sojonrn at St. Ann's, so necessary
for health and strength, would he immensely un
pleasant.
While Sandra's companion had been thinking
all this in her own mind, Augusta had been
taking mental stock of her. Who was she, this
tall, eminently graceful and poetic-looking per
son ? She was very very beautiful ; but it was a
pity that she made up so much. She was not
quite in her first youth, but beneath her veil,
thanks to powder and paint, to antimony round
her eyes and to artful touches everywhere, she
seemed to have the coloring of sixteen ; ami her
figure, of that slender and serpentine kind which
retains its early forms far into the other side of
maturity, helped in tbe general delusion. She
was dressed in tho extreme of the prevailing
fashion. Her gown was as if moulded on
ber as a second skin, nnd her skirts were
tied back with so much vigor that she
could only walk by plaiting ber feet one be
fore tlic other. Her bat was a marvei of pictu
resque assimilation ; and beneath the feathers,
which seemed almost part of her head-gear as
nature had made it, her gold-colored hair shone
in the sun like a much-frizzed nimbus— owing
much of its glory to auricomous fluid and
soda washes. Her small feet were shod in co
quettish boots mounted on heels like minia
ture stilts ; her six-buttoned gloves were
of the palest grey : and the bracelets, mul-
titudiuous bangles, broad dog-collar, earrings
and brooch, with which she was in a sense armor-
plated, were of the finest kind of Indian jewel-
lery. Her face was delicately modelled ; her
style went to simulate more fragility of health
than was true ; nnd iAie had the air of one accus
tomed to command, accustomed to be ministered
to, and beyond all things, used to tbe homage acd
ndmiration.of men. And, again, Augusta won
dered bow Sandra Kemp, of all men, had cfte
inio toils like these, and how he— tbo lover Mir
excellence of truth and simplicity— sbouldle
standing there with bis graceful piece of eiclnt
make-up, leaning, as- it seemed to her, triuiMh-
antly on his arm.
Suddenly the artist seemed to remcmbeMiis
companion and their joint position.
"Ethel," he said to her, very, courteously
" let me introduce you to Mrs. Latrobe and Kiss
Branscombe." To Augusta he said, as if with
emphasis, "My cousin, Mrs. White." Then he
looked at Stella. " Mrs. White has just come
from India," he said, smiling. "I believe she
knows some friends of ours out there— Mr. Cyril
Ponsonby."
It was now Stella's turn to feel the ground
unsteady beneath her tread. Here befori her
stood the cause of some, if not of ail, her niffer-
ings— that Mrs. White, to whom the Penncfithers
had said her own true love had turned tin once
sacred current of his affections? This wjman,
paintod, artificial, made up nnd dangcrois, the
causo for which she— Stella — had been baiished
so effectually from his life, was now lookiig into
her face, bowing, smiling, speaking, as nnr other
might have done !
' ' I have heard of Miss Branscombe, "sad Mrs.
White, in a sweet, flute-like voice, with i pretty
catch that just escaped being a lisp.
Stella made n slight movement with li-r head.
Had her life depended on it siio could lot hove
spoken.
"I used to see a good deal of Mr. Poisonby,"
Mrs. White went on to say, in her toft way.
Published by special arrangement with tie author
All rights reserved.
" We got to ha quito friends. He ia such a
pleasant person ; and my husband liked him so
much."
"Wo heard of your kindness to him," said Au
gusta, coming to Stella's resene, as just now
.Stella hud cuuic to liera by emphasising her
grouting to Sandra Kemp.
"Ob, I cannot snoak about kindnoss," said
Mrs. White, with a tender kind of smile. " In
India wa are all kind to each other. VTe ore
like ono family, you know, and have less stiff
ness than you in this cold England of yours."
Sho was an Englishwoman herself, but part of
tho furniture of her personality was the affecta
tion of foreign ways and corresponding strange
ness to ail belonging to the old home. She even
spoke with a certain broken-backed little ac
cent, as if her native tongae had been learned
abroad— making her vowels very open, pronoun
cing, her small words with punctilious breadth,
and giving each syllabic commendable distinct
ness.
" He is a very nice fellow," said Augusta, with
vague amiability ; and Ethel White, looking at
Stella, smiled again and said : " Very," as the
echo.
All this time Valentine had been standing sub
stantially shut out from the rest. lie had not
been introduced to the graceful woman of whoso
advent be Lad been the herald ; and for the
moment he was effaced. Wet from tho knees
downwards, and set aside, he was conscious
of appearing ridiculons . for the one part and of
playing a vciy humiliating chord on the sceon;l
fiddle for the other. Ho wns as sore at heart as
he was wounded in his pride, and furious against
that vague mischance, that shadowy foe, called
fate. Was there CTer such an unlucky coin
cidence? Jest when he had founded such an
undoninble claim on Stella's gratitude, and put
their relations on so much better a footing —
built up such a pleasant little temple where
I-ove was at once the architect aud the enshrined
god, "to have everything blown down about his
ears by this inopportune meeting !
He stood there, bis blood boiling, as the name
of Cyril Ponsonby was bandied about from one
to the other. He saw how pale Stella had be
come when tho name of her reported rival had
been uttered, aud how ber eyes had suddenly
filled with memories of ber old love as patently
shown as if pictures bad been painted on dilated
pupils— as it words had been printed , on the
darkened iris. It wns too hard a trial for his
philosophy tq bear with equanimity. He was not
disposed at any time to bear trials with equan
imity, more Especially- those which touched bis
young man's pride; and now the fever of his
wrath burnt like fire in his veins, and expressed
itself on his face and ' bearing as plainly a3 tbose
memories of Cyril had written themselves in
Stella's eycsJ
But he waji not going to give up his hope ; to
abandon tbo field. He would wresllo with this
shadowy rival, this haunting memory, as Jacob
wrestled wiijli tbe angel. And perhaps he would
overthrow aim. The kingdom of heaven is
won by fmtcp seeking ; and Val was pertinacious
when he hail made up his mind, and until that
mind, changed of itself, as it was riot apt to do.
The very difficulties in his way mado the struggle
more enthroning, and the hope of attainment all
the sweeter -J and — Us absents ont toujours tort
He was pres.tut, and Cyril was hundreds of miles
away. He c uld perform gallant actions which
stood out fi 'ii and solid as triumphant fact3,
while his rivi lived only in the misty atmosphere
of memory. On tho whole his place might have
been more ur enable than it was, and he thought
he saw daylig t.
Tired of I ring thus effaced, thinking that
Sandra had b raved with impertinent neglect in
not introducii ; him to his consin, and feeling
very uncomfo: able about those well-shaped lower
limbs of his, , alcntino turned to Augusta with
his off-baud, i isy air,
" I think Ijwill go in now, Mrs. Latrobe," he
said. " I am rather dilapidated, and ' must put
myself into dry clothes."
A deep color came into his fair, handsome face,
as he looked down on his stained and dripping
garments, not sorry to recall to Stella's mind his
heroic deed of half-an-hour ago, and thinking it
hard to have got wet, spoiled his clothes, and
then to be shunted as he had been. - "
" Yes, do. Indeed you should have gone he-
fore," said Augusta eagerly. " What a thought
less thing to do standing there so wet as you aro 1
Wo shall have you down with rheumalio fever
next !"
"Do go in and change, Mr. Cowley," said
Stella, humanity overpowering repugnance. "We
should not have let you stand hero in this state."
. Valentino looked radiant as Stella spoke. It
wa9 a little recompense that she should publicly
show so much interestinhim— a little balm tohis
wounded pride tbat she should give him tender
counsel before Cyril Ponsouby's intimate friend ;
and his face brightened as if the sua had passed
over jit.
Tbst sudden brightness gave a tolerably cor
rect hap of the country to pretty Mrs. White.
In all that related to love affairs and the whole
art acd mystery of flirtation, she had the vision of
a havk behind those large lustrous eyes of liors,
Mrs! Mor'shead herself was not more an adept
in lie science of building up an entire temple
outjof one brick, of constructing a full-fledged
crejiturc ont of one bone, tlinn was Ethel White',
Sandra's cousin from India. Here before her
was a brick — at her feet a bone ; nnd sho made
tbe most of both.
" "Where shall you be in hnlf-an-hour'a time,
Mrs. Latrobe ?" llieu asked Valentine.
..." At homo, in the prosaic act of dining," said
Augusta with a smile. " We have to dine early
on account of the boy ; and really tea with
shrimps aud marmalade is not so bad ! Aud
you i"
"Ishall join you when you have finished dinner,
if you will allow me," said Valentine, purposely
cot looking at Stella.
Stella did look at Augusta, and her eyes prayed
her to say " No." But Augusta had her own idea
of things ; and when she had an idea sho generally
kept to it pretty closely. Sho liked Valentine
Cowley ; and she too believed in the value of
pertinacity, the force of presence and the disin
tegrating influence of absence.
"Yes, do come," she said genially. " It is
such a delightful day, we might make a little ex
cursion this afternoon. It would he pleasaut if
you come with us."
" Most happy. That will do well," said Val
entine. "At what time?"'
"Three," said Augusta. "So now go in and
get rid of your wet clothes."
Ethel White looked at Sandra.
" It would be very nice for us to go somewhere
too this afternoon," she said, in lier pretty grace
ful way, showing an evident desire to coafcsce
with Augusta and her party. "Do you think
we could, cousin Sandra?"
"Certainly ;. nothing is easier if you would
like it, and if you feel up to it," he answered.
"Shall wo all join in one party?" then said
Ethel, addressing Angusta as easily and ami-
cably as if they had been friends for a genera
tion.
Perhaps this was part of that frank hospitality,
that oecumenical friendliness, for which Anglo-
Indians are famons. Certainly the proposal,
seemed to come quite naturally, without design,
premeditation or hidden meaning of any kind. It
would be plcasanter to go in a body rather than
two scattered and meagre dctachmonts. And
being pleasant, Sandra's cousin said su, and
offered that sudden coalescence as the most
natural thing in the world. The faint pink tinge
for which sho was famous cams stealthily into
tho widow's fair face. She put on her waxen
mask, smiled with yet more amiability, anil
looked pcrsevcringly at Stella.-
" It would he very pleasant," she said, with an
affected little ..drawl. "What do you say,
Stella?"
"Yes, it would be very pleasant," echoed
Stella, divided between her instinctive shrinking
from Mrs White, Cyril's favorite friend— and her
desire to he separated by " people" from Valen
tine Cowley.
And Valentine himself, though he detested the
proposition, could scarcely say "No" against her
wish.
Sandra Kemp did not speak. He simply tnrncd
his grave, kind eyes on Augusta — a little wonder,
a little speculation in them ; and more sorrow,
more inquiry, than he himself knew of. But tbe
engagement held good, and at three Use brake '
came round and they all went off together. |
They had a chinning drive. Tbe country was 1
beautiful ; tho old castle which they went to see '
Was interesting : the Hay was perfect ; a'nd no j
accident of any hind happened to mar tho enjoy
ment which each was supposed to feel. Tliev ail
kept very close-together ; and everyone but Val
and Tony seemed determined to resist all attempts
at separation from tbe main body, and to reso-
lately decline that dangerous solituile d deux :
which more than one bad reason to fear, and from !
which no ono bad as yet great cause to hope.
Sandra was naturally his cousin's bodyguard'; and
to be Ethel White's hodygilafd was1" no sinecure,
and. left bnt little margin of freedom for aught
else. Stella clung' to Angnsta as if her very life
depended on keeping tight hold of that Grm round
arm. She was not to he tempted away by all
Vol's invitations to mount this hit of broken wall
for the 3.ikc of the view— lo como with him to this
anglo of the ruined court for the sake of arcliitee-
tural effect". Sho clung to Augusta liko a clild ;
and, liko n child, Augusta took care of her. For
ber own part, the fair widow talked aminbly to .
Ethol White, and Sandro for the most part kept ;
silence. The Pennefatbcrs would have called .
him as dull as old boots, hut, Augusta did not.
For once or twice their eyes met ; and when they
did it was to her as if his had audibly asked her
a question. To which Bhe took care to make no
reply. So tho atternoon passed, oad with the
evening they nil came home. Bnt nothing had
been done to advance the various dramas Lolding
tho stage save the introduction into tbe circle ot
Ethel White, Cyril's chosen friend in India and
Sandro Kemp's favorite cousin, and tlieoasy
manner in which she had established herself ai
an old friend among them all.
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