The Doctor's Daughter

d made conquests without the slightest effort on her part. She was a finished musician, and had a sweet, thrilling voice. She talked pleasant nonsense, danced bea

and it was quite a forcible guarantee that a gathering w

te unceremoniously one morning, looking very beautiful in a sealskin mantle and hat, and declared in the prettiest manner possible that we mu

da is married and Edith has gone to Germ

ighted in a great many ways. I had never been able to dissociate the early impression she made on me from her later redeeming phases. Poor Florrie Grant vanishing out of th

weakness of mine to slavishly admire feminine beauty. There is a witchery about graceful curves, and heavy eyelids, drooping lashes and dimpled chins that stronger souls

ght her white chin into provoking notice, then her roguish, winning, violet eyes with their long dark lashes and languid brows. There

al lives of young people of both sexes, exciting in some hearts the bitterest envy and jealousy, and kindling the name of an all-consuming love in many others. She had earned the palm of triumph and victory all through the gay season, and now that the end

g-point on a March day from the sunshine to the gloaming when we women know not what to do with ourselves; when it is too cold to go out or expect visitors, too late in the day to begin any occupation, too dark to read with any comfort, and too early to light the lamps. I went to the window and looked impatiently into the street but there was no comfort to be had there; a milkman's wagon stood over the way, his horse pawing the frozen ground while he filled his measure with the cold white liq

e back until after dinner, I appropriated his sanctum in his stead. A fire burned in the grate, not a roaring blazing fire, but

mer warmth and sunshine; the birds twittered in the fresh green foliage, and the stream murmured placidly on at the foot of the convent garden. My languor and weariness were gone; I was cheerful and glad again, as I had been in my careless girlhood. How long it lasted according to time reckoned by minutes and hours, I knew not. In my dream many days came and went with new and repeated delights. All I know is, that when I awoke the room was shrouded in darkness and the fire had grown cheerless and du

nyone

my hand up instinctively to my ears. One ruby ear-ring was missing. I groped my way to the mantel-piece and struck a light. Stepping carefully back towards the lounge, with my eyes buried in the carpet, I spied a glittering object at a little d

as other people's small wares always have for us, and yet, the more I examined it, the more I began to think I had seen it somewhere before. I was mystified. As I turned my head I descried my missing ear

n the sound of the dinner-bell broke upon my ear. I immediately rose, and st

unter, who had come in to spend a quiet hour of the af

eddie was still at college, we were quite

ep, and with a smiling enquiry about the general health of the H

rnoon, if you've been dozing," my step-mother sai

ds her and exclaimed w

anythin

t lady was either very hungry or saw no fun in the allusion,

tle, I fancy, for she said with

is only what you might expect now, some more

with an uncontrollabl

, "it is a box of the loveliest

ch pretty songs; he is a great favorite," she added, half satisfied no doubt that she had knocked all the sentiment ou

arity in this way. I would say he studied his own interest in Amey's case too," she continued, spitefully, "only that he knows, since Freddie went

," I answered quietly, "but there is no reason why his gift sho

was dangerous ground and could lead to mischief. So we all thought, I

our cups of tea, and then Mrs. Hunter left, for she too had to d

st confess, I felt a little flattered at this mark of preference from one who was so highly esteemed by all who

by wearing these flowers this evening?" neatly written upon it; below them the clea

I dressed. Maybe I was a litt

pon them with a sober face. Besides, Arthur Campbell was a lion in society, a success in his profession and the desire

accomplished the greatest things. I might surprise our little world yet, though my face had no extraordinary beauty, nor my

by every passing breath of unstable experience; so easily stimulated by rivalry that begins in little things but may yet creep into the great crises of our lives; so easily stung to impulsive action by the incisive smile and word of jealousy or pride; so easily led away by aspects that sh

ook a firm and exclusive hold of my mind, from the moment I saw

the vacant chair beside me. Every one was busy talking and laughing, for the music had not yet begun and we fel

," Arthur Campbell began, sinking down carele

nation, "besides" I said, with some malice "I would like to know

e. "Upon my honor, I did not-well yes, to be candid, I said somethin

I daresay she is the only lady you have spoke

e eyes for a moment and then said i

ould make y

countenance. There was a power in his words that thrilled me for a second or so. I may have betr

at I am easily pro

I heard it a thousand times I could not believe it. You

y much upon ourselves u

cumstances, that are neither true to ourselves, nor fair to our fellow-creatures. Do

rstand you very well,

ssion, for upwards of an hour. All the vocal and instrumental talent of the city was present, and the audience was treated to a rare and most happily rendered repertoire. Miss Hartmann had ju

g her until my eyes had taken in t

I will try your patience very hard, yours especially, Dr. Campbell," she added, looking a

er, and swept a glance o

oil us by feasting us with the perfection of eve

roll of music she held in her hand-for they

have never had any faith

reeping into my heart at the time, that I had been as lithe and fair a creature as Alice Merivale. Before I

en a strain of violin accompaniment and loud chords from the piano, and she

on. His eyes were riveted upon her with a devouring look, he was lost to every surrounding, dead to every influence for the

f her audience had given way; exclamations of p

till I could not see the necessity or appropriateness of Arthur Campbell's prolonged ecstacy. I began to think it was affec

her glasses and wiped her eyes

ot?" I said, for want of

ceased sister, who had come from France some years before and had undertaken the vocal instruction of haut ton young ladies, in order to

e pedals, and her ill-formed bulky figure swaying now on one side, now on another. Whatever Miss Nibbs had been in her youth, and to speak truly one might doubt at this period of her existence if she had ever known a younger day, she certainly was very much worn and used looking in her decline. Not even the faded remnants of an earlier grace or gentility helped to redeem the weak points of nature about her. She was a stranger to me, and yet I could have declared with the most perfect sanction of my moral certitude that she was the direct descendant of a plebeian stock. Not but that she had counterfeited patrician attributes according to her own interpretati

er, Miss

et Dr. Campbell's mock-reproach

I asked, ver

man frailties," he answered

d into a genuine laugh as poor Miss Nibbs retired most awkwar

s elbow on the back of the chair in front of us, and turning his face towards me supported his head in the palm

his half closed eye-lids, "you are beginning to puzzle me str

aded me to that comfortable convict

most expressive "Ahem!" and then paused a

e a queer gir

, I suppose?" I interrupted, passing m

ess, Miss Hampden, but tha

mood to flatter. I wanted to prove to him that two could p

ar me," with an artificial sigh, "I cannot bring myself to study people's opinions; that is prob

ing which he looked around the

ide, I see the

by the window opposite. A stern, set expression was upon his countenance, and his glance was riveted upon us. I inclined my head with a smi

t suggestive surroundings such as met us as we passed under the heavy

e the young heart that flutters with some timid anticipation, as it forsakes the mad merry-making of the ball room for the quiet insinuating stillness of some reserved nook by a flickering fireside, where the flower-laden atmosphere whispers interesting suggestions of its own. Far be it from me to overshadow such gleams of sunlight, by censure or cruel mockery, and when I affirm mo

t the date I speak of. It has become a popular belief, I think, that beauty coupled with a fascinating manner in a woman, is as heartless and unfeeling as a stone, and yet is just indifferent and neutral enough to abstain from inflicting any more direct pain than that to which its indiscreet victims expose the

s conscience. In fact I daresay I was uncharitable enough to look upon him as wanting that blessed monitor, altogether. He professed no definite religious belief, and generally held all creeds to be equally good. Sometimes when he wanted to excite the particular interest of some orthodox young lady he leaned towards the agnostics, and without upholding their tenets, exactly, wanted to know why their right to establish themselves should be so univers

rling. His profession excused him for his late arrivals everywhere, and, in the bargain, granted him ample opportunity for intruding himself upon the notice of everyone present without being condemned for presumption or conceit. It was whispered of him that his private life was based upon free and easy principles, and that he was not altogether so circumspect

's mutual enjoyment. But very soon the all-seeing eye of a jealous scrutiny was upon us, and we were singled out wherever we went. Little rumors were being hatched, destined before long to creep out from under the great fostering wing of that old hen, Gossip, who is ever chuckling over some new and active brood. People caught the message and repeated it with a relish. People said that young Campbell was no fool in aspiring to succeed to Dr. Hampden's practice. People said: Trust the fellow to spy out a rich man's only daughter. People said: The Hampdens have made a dead set on Campbell, always asking him to luncheon, etc. People said: He is fooling her. In fact people gave expression to every uncomplimentary sentiment which the c

us. We had drifted imperceptibly into that phase of a growing friendship which is silent upon certain interesting topics. We often talked in a vague and general way about the tender influences, but never now by any chance allowed our random remarks to

e to an ebony cabinet before which I had stood to look at a comical crockery pug that lay on one of its tiny shelves. He glanced over my

d of animals, which

eeping over my face. Had I reflected for a moment I might never have uttered i

," I said; "Wh

ove me, and the reflection in the little square mirror before us was, to say the least, rather suggestive. The bracket being higher than the mirror was not visible in it. The effect produced therefore was that of a broadcloth sleeve, carefully brought around two slender shoulders, and a handsome manly countenance leaning a lit

want to show y

much of its grace and softness. In its beak was a dainty little car

ed after we had examined

inly original," I

you like it

"the bird, or th

ea alto

tly as I possibly could. "It is a ver

t w

not much in

ng one another, especially with such an exalted,

bell following my glance, strode towards the entrance and looked indignantly out. The passage was clear, and he returned, laughing, saying the eavesdropper was no one more formidable than the draught. I was not so easily convinced, however, an