Checkmate

command one of the parks. They were looking westward, where the sky was all a-glow with the fantastic gold and crimson of sunset. It is quite a m

indow, or any other elevation toward the western sky beyond stacks of chimneys, roofs, and steeples, even th

arge, dark, grey eyes were gazing listlessly towards the splendid mists, that were piled in the west, broke the silence by a remark tha

sunset, which is so bea

think, something very pleasant in a good sunset; there must be, for all the li

different, for rather listlessly, and without

won't mope with you about the sky. It is a very odd taste, that fo

se, and deserted by Alice,

you know; I meant only that kind of thing that one feels when reading a bit of

ll understand. I heard a bit of news to-day-perhaps, Mr. Darnley, you can thr

ch I am very proud," answered the yo

t uncle David?" inquired th

derstand, very quietly; I mean, he has chosen to live quite out of the world, so we have no chance of hear

such a good man, or at least, what is better," sh

Mr. Darnley?" i

ove,

like

ike him," answered the young man warmly

who are not ashamed to be gratefu

e large, soft, grey eyes, and long dark lashes, how difficult they are to express! And the brilliant lips! Could art itself paint anything quite like her? Who could paint those beautiful dimple

ry about Uncle David

ou, Mr. Darnley, if it should

going to marry? I think it would

hether by adopting her as a child, or taking her for a wife, I can't tell. Only I never saw any one looking archer than Mr. Bro

he young lady

to meet anywhere a

I think, and very clever-but I don't know-I think she's a little ill-natured, but very amusing. She seems to have a talent for cutting pe

. Darnley, I'm afraid m

ian Darnley, partly to cover

nder-plot can be, where all is so romantic. Perhaps, after all, Mr. David Arden is to adopt the young lady, and s

Darnley laughed; bu

ay, is he still li

y good property. He was some distant relation, also; Mr. Brounker said your uncle, Mr. David A

" said Alice smiling-

ortunate Miss Maubray?" said Lady M

old one. I made her acquaintance at Mr. Arden's house. He is her guard

d Lady May. "I thought her pretty-and

Richard-is not Miss Maubray very pretty? We are making a plot to ma

le! You don't object,

urse, Uncle David need not be consulted, as he ha

y, and said a few words in a low ton

t been here, has he?" he added, as a lit

And what a charming person

mean-and when I was chess-mad, nearly a year ago and beginning to grow conceited, he opened my eyes, I can tell you; and Airly says he is the best musical critic in England, and can tell you at any hour who is who in the opera, all over Europe

s," said Alice Arden, to the secret satisfaction of her brother, whose enthusiasm was, I think, directed a g

yed sneer. "Do you like his style of-beauty, I suppose I should call i

, in a man, I think a great deal better-I mean refinement, and cleverness, and

at had ceased to agitate, but was at once pleasant and melancholy to remember-wrote these words: "She proceeded to read the first stanza, which was nearly to the following purpose. [Then follow the verses.] 'There is a great deal of it,' said she, glancing along the paper, and interrupting the

self agreeable (which he never does to me), it makes a difference, it affects everything-it affects even his looks. But I sh

one could be ugly with so much

ar, for Mr. Longcluse," said Lady May. "I'm s

d Arden. "It would upset him

ld have laughed, probably, and told her how much it became her. But she was, at that moment, going to her chair in the window, and Richard Arden would, of course, accompany her. He did see it, as distinctly as he saw

of which Alice, with a sort of haughty defiance, was consc

gh myself to give an opinion. But he makes his acquaintances ra

im very much. So far as I can see, people are very well pleased at knowing h

now your brother, for instance? Did any one introduce him? Nothing of the kind. Richard's horse was hurt or lame at one of the hunts in War

introduction than a k

no one has a right to push his services u

ed not have taken his horse if

no more about him than any one else. She had her f

ollect; but does it

it down to recover in a confectioner's shop, and so saw her home, and that affair was concluded. I don't say, of course, that he is never introduced in the regular way; but a year or two ago, when he was beginning, he always made hi

early resemble mine," said a clear, deep-toned voice close to them; and looking up, Mi

l, and whose ghost used to be seen pensively leaning on the pulpit from which he used to preach, too much thinking of the one beautiful face among his audience, which had enthralled him. I had left the enamel portrait I told you of at an artist's in Paris, and I wrote for it, thinking you might

You have had a great deal of trouble. It

Lady May had mentioned that he had not been with them till just twenty minutes ago, and Arden had told him that he had dined with his uncle David and Mr. Blount, upon the same business

e it has been to me to get it to show you. May I hold the lamp near for a moment while you look at it?" he said, indicating a tiny lamp which

Had Mr. Longcluse