Only a Girl's Love

rom her table, and, lookin

one of his restle

th a sigh. "What i

almly. "He was al

e earl, sadly. "Can you fancy any other man leavin

e said, not without a touch of pride. "H

long white hands folded behind his b

t escapade-his last mad fre

lmly. "He has never con

d pounds. Even Wyndward must

ess raise

astime with which I have little sympathy, though we have always owned race-horses. It was a point of honor. Some one had

arl s

there is no end to it-if he could se

lanced at the

ntil he meets with s

he many beautiful graceful women wh

hard to

e countess, with the

n a year or two would not matter, but with him-I do not like to think tha

ger

which is ri

the sudden look of pai

ak to him? He will

untess

peak to him; it would be useless. I

to speak to

untess

something more than human, and that no woman in the world can

arl f

he said, "you h

s shook her

what Nelson said, when Hardy asked him why he did nothing while one of th

he room to where an elderly lady sat with a portfolio of engravings before her. It was the Dowager Countess of Longford, a t

s lace which softened the rigor of her plainly made gray satin dress. She loo

h was unbroken for a minute. Then the o

handsomer eve

ndward

n smile. "What has he been doing now, burning a c

very much," answered Lady Wynd

s raised her ey

oes not

doing anything; I wish he wou

for some piece of madness beyond the ordinary. Well, my dear, if you[26] will give the world such a creatu

e countess, with a smile that

here is not a woman of us in the room, from the youngest to the oldest, who does not love h

ust what Algernon

terfere with him. It is a strange thing to say, but his father is the worst man in all the world

ss. "It is the thought of what may happen in

rry him," remarked the old coun

untess

You both say it as calmly as if yo

as silent for a mo

Lenore B

was almost gui

y thoughts,

d lady

touch him. Ask her here; let them be

is proud; she might g

head as haughtily as if s

jump at the chance? I don't mean because he is the h

mother; you would have made

d lady

She is proud, but love levels pride, and she may put forth her power. If she should, not

, then she put her hand upon the thin, w

o. I think you understand hi

lady, "but I love h

the countess. And she rose

2

e furniture; the servants saw her go

en and thought a

few friends with us, but we are not complete without you. Do not say 'No,'

rs affec

hel Wyn

Leycester

e heard a step behind her, wh

r, and coming up to her, put

mother?"

ss folded

re are yo

Quatorze clock that tick

other," he said

I see," sh

ng man's filial pride in a mother's beauty, and, bending

ked after him wi

p loving him?"

staircase and passed along the corridor, but as he reached the fu

ome in;" and opening the

e carpet and hangings, the furniture, the pictures themselves were all of a reposeful tint, which could not tire the eye or weary the sense. The carpet was a thick Persian rug, which deadened the sound of footsteps, costly hangings of a cool and

As Leycester entered, she half rose and turned a pale

a of the ethereal loveliness of Lilian Wyndward. Had Mr. Etheridge painted a face with Leycester's eyes, and given it the delicat

would come," and she pointed to a small tra

r arms round his neck and laid her face against

e, dear. Is it

ts. "There is not a breath of air moving, and if there were the governor would take ca

agerness. "You really think it i

room in the house. What

and she pointed to

tretching out his hand, too

" he said, quietly. "I n

ned it in his coat, against which her

own room, Ley," she said.

, Lil," he said

e they doing

ing, singing, rubber at whist, and b

sm

have you b

atter amusement," h

you had gone o

nod

the chestnu

, a soft, h

first night! That

was wrong, I suppose. I am unfo

window. "If I had known you were going, I would have looked for you. I

id, "across

hen he said, suddenly, "Lil,

e repeated, looking

nod

tiful girl I have ever s

o protest,

2

l! What was

moment. The chestnut saw her first, and was human

tell me what

phrases you would smile. You women alway

e dark

d afterward. Lil, you remember that picture I sent you from Paris-the picture of the girl with the dark eyes and long, silky hair-not black, but bro

Ley. Was sh

he picture alive. Fancy yourself the

ey

uld have. Soft and musical, but clear as a bell and full of a subtle kind of witchery,

to make poetry to me to-n

t; such a face, such a voice would mak

ey! But the girl! Who is

nd his voice unconsciously grew won

peated. "It is a

not?

she i

theridge, the artis

eyes op

ey, I must

hed, and he l

er look, and her o

will not see her. Ley-you wi

smi

by to-morrow. Ley,

looked straight into his eyes, th

has it com

grily, but with a touch of grimness,

t see her again. Ley, you wil

3

t is not like you t

rather have you near me than be-other than I am-I who lie and wait and listen for your foot

nd smiled

our sex is as partial as you are? You did not see her as I saw her to-night-d

then-ah, Ley, what can she do but love you, and love you but to lose you? Ley, all that has gone before has made me smile, because with them I knew you w

iant look, which so rarely shone out in her pr

romise, Lil

ype="