426 
FEB. 23 
I 
but for a moment lie could not tell from whence 
It came. I.ord Almane felt that the little hand 
on his shoulder grew unsteady. 
“ no does not see me,” she said, tremulously ; 
then lifting her voice again, she went on: “ llal! 
I am safe, Hal I” 
A momentary silence, then her voice broke 
again upon the stillness. 
“ He sees me 1 All Is well now,” she exclaimed, 
joy tally. “Do you think he can manage to get 
out?*' . llit . 
•* of course he can,” said lord AI inane, a little 
coldly. “A man and alone ho will have no dll- 
tlculty.” 
Aud then his lordship took btmelt mentally to 
task about the unaccountable feeling of annoy¬ 
ance her interest la “ Harold ” excited in his own 
breast. What could It matter to him ? 
Cora hoard the change In her companion’s voice, 
and wondered; but the wonder was soon super¬ 
seded by delight as sue caught sight of a tall 
ngure striding towards her. 
“ There Is llarukl," she exclaimed. Joyfully, and 
was about to spring down, when Lord Alanine 
prevented her, nnd lifted her down with a gentle 
courtesy and d defence, anil the Viscount had the 
pleasure ol seeing her ru li Into the anus of the 
tall .si,'anger, and hide her face on his shoulder 
with little cries or delight and love. 
“Ot! llal I am so glad—so thankful 1" 
Harold hem Ills head over her for a moment, 
while she rather incoherently whispered the de¬ 
tails of her rescue, then he came forward and put 
out his hand with a few simple but sincere words 
or thanks to Lord Almane. 
•* What do we not owe you!" said Harold, earn¬ 
estly. ‘‘I shudder now at the thought ol the 
d inger Cora was in, and from which you rescued 
“Your thanks embarrass me,” said the vis¬ 
count. a lltUo coldly. “ M In-' was the most sim¬ 
ple act of courtesy In the world. I should have 
been a cur to leave It undone.” 
“ Even that does not lessen our debt of grati¬ 
tude, ’ answered Harold, smiling. “We cannot 
forget it, believe me." 
Lord Almane bowed. Somehow he could not 
fraternize cordially with the new-comer until he 
ascertained what was tile relationship between 
him and the girl he had befriended. 
They walked down the quiet little str'ot. and 
found themselves In another equally deserted. 
•Mlow urn we to get home, little sister ?” said 
Harold then. “ We have missed the last train to 
Richmond, and 1 doubt If we can get a vehicle of 
auy description.” 
Lord A Iniaue’s face cleared, and he turned to 
Harold with a sudden cordiality the oi her was al¬ 
most, at a loss to understand. "toy brougham Is 
watting not a stone's throw irom here, ’he said, 
“It Is entirely at your service. Pray oblige me 
by accepting it.” 
Cora sent him a bright look of thanks from 
under her long lashes, but Harold hesitated. He 
had inherited more of his fatner’s English and 
reserved disposition than Ills mother’s expansive 
Italian temperament. 
Lord Almane saw the hesitation, and went on 
quietly: 
"Your sister Is very tired,” in sild, his voice 
softening into a gentler, more lender Intonation, 
*• I think you ought uoi to refuse me.” 
“You are overwhelming us with obligations,” 
said Harold. “And besides, I do not know to 
what inconvenience we may be putting you.” 
“To none, 1 assure you,” said the Viscount, 
“If you will allow me to accompany you. lain 
staying at the ‘ Star and Garter ’ lor a short 
lime." 
“If that be really the case,” said Harold, “ 1 
think we must tresspass on your kindness so far; 
but, Cora, remember that we are Incurring a debt 
of gratitude we never can repay.” 
Cora’s raeo seemed to Ray that she was not un¬ 
willing to owe It to such a creditor, and meeting 
her eloquent eyes. Lord Almane smiled a little, 
and came round to her side as they walked on. 
“ You will not care to face a crowd again,” he 
said, In the languid, musical tones she liked so 
much. “ This will be your first and last experi¬ 
ence, I am sure.” 
“ Y r es,” she said. “It was too dreadful, and I 
most sincerely repented my willfulness in making 
Harold bring me. I regretted it bitterly when too 
late.” 
“ 1 do notregretll,” satd the Viscount, lowering 
his voice a Utile, “since it has given me the 
pleasure of mecllug you.” 
Cora glanced up shyly but did not reply, and 
Just then i bey came in sight ot the carriage—a 
brougham drawn by a superb bay horse. Lord 
Almane put a little whistle, suspended to ids 
watch-chain, to his lips, and tUo sound brought 
the Carriage to them. A footman, In quiet, daik 
livery, sprang down and held open the floor, not 
without a little surprise on his face at the friends 
his master had found, which expression made 
Cora painfully conscious that her dress was 
torn and dusty, her sealskin coat disordered, and 
that her little fur cap had disappeared entirely. 
Altogether she foil quite unlit for the luxurious, 
softly-dlshloned, scented vehicle in which Lord 
Almane placed her so carefully. Harold rollowed 
and then his lordship sprang In, giving the coach¬ 
man directions to drive to the “ Slur and Garter," 
Richmond. 
“ If you will put me down there,” lie said, “ the 
carriage Is at your disposal, Mr. Sinclair.” 
The drive was a pleasant one. Cora, resting 
back on the cushions, watched the handsome 
face opposite to her with a kind of fascinated ad¬ 
miration, although her lashes drooped every 
time he turned to her, which was not seldom, 
during the animated conversation between him¬ 
self and Harold. 
Very soon, it. seemed to Cora, they reached 
the hotel, and Lord Almane took her hand In 
farewell, holding It a minute while be expressed 
his hope that she would not suffer from her 
fatigue, and requested pertnls-lon to call. 
Harold had alighted to give the coachman di¬ 
rections how to find The Tryst, arid for a minute 
Cora and Lord Almane were alone. 
“May I come?" pleaded the soft tones, as he 
held her hand In Ids. “ Will you be glad to see 
me 7 Nay. 1 will not come, else.” 
“1 shall be glad,” murmured Cora, shyly, a 
thrill of h>ip|il ess she could not d ilne making 
her heart beat qutekly. 
“May I kerp this?” he went on rapidly, open¬ 
ing his hand, mil disclosing the little crimson 
knot ol ribbon she had worn at her throat. "I 
should like lo have a sonvmitr of to-night. Be¬ 
sides, It Is mine—treasure trove. I will keep It 
now.” 
lie clasped her hands with a lingering pressure, 
anl sprang out, Exchanging a hasty farewell with 
Harold,and cutting short the latter’s words of 
thanks. Then, lining his hat, he stood bare¬ 
headed as the carriage drove away; and Cora’s 
last look showed her the tace, beauU ml as any 
Greek god’s, which was to exorcise an inlluenee 
over her luiure life, and lo bring her some Joy 
and much sorrow. 
“ Did I not tell you something would happen, 
signora mia V’ satd Marianna, as she undressed 
Cura and combed out the shilling tresses. 
“Aud did 1 not i ell you ll. would be something 
pleasant, Marinina?” said t.lm girl, laughing; 
“and It was far more pleasant than otherwise.’ 
"Time will tell," answered tlm old servant, 
sentenlousiy. 
And when, hall an hour after, she stole out of 
Cora’s room, leaving the young girl sleeping 
sottly, Imr sweet crimson lips punted In a happy 
smile, Marl tuna shook her head a little mourn 
fully. 
“ The slgnorlna Is no longer a child,” she said 
to herself. “ Well, her brother Is lucre, aud he 
will let no harm come to her.” 
Ab! Marianna, the harm was already done. 
Cora's eyes were blinded by the glamour of that 
wondrous beauty, Its fascination was strong upon 
her even now ; and as sbo Slept, she saw again 
the dark, smiling, tender eyes, and felt the clasp 
ofhlshandon hers, and heard the liquid tones 
of the sweet, languid voice. The mischief was 
done! 
CHAPTER III. 
An Incident.-Pleasant Quarters. 
Tnu drawing room at The Tryst was a large, 
low, tquarc room, with no pretensions to gran¬ 
deur, and yet not without a certain aril.d ie ele¬ 
gance, and some taste. It was simply furnished, 
and Lung with gray damask, and though Us 
ornaments were few they were well chosen, and 
of some value. 11 was lighted by a large window 
looking over the quaint, old-fashioned garden 
which The Tryst, boasted, nnd the door, which 
faced the window, opened Into the little hull. 
It was the second day after Cora's rescue from 
the crowd by Lord Almane, and she was sitting 
dreamlug over a volume of Tennyson, In tbo deep 
window seat—at least, Urn book was open on her 
lap, and her eyes were bent upon It, but, for quite 
half an hour she had not turned a page, and 
there was a tender little smile playing around 
her Ups which surely Elaine’s unhappy love for 
Lancelot could not have brought there; and 
whereas we know that Lancelot of the Lake was 
no Apollo, the face which was In Cora's l noughts 
as she sat there was a very handsome one—gay. 
smiling, triumphant. 
She was going over In her own mind the events 
of the last night but, one. Again she heard the 
tender voice and felt the pressure or Lord 
Aliunne’s protecting arm; again she recalled the 
qutek yet gentle movement with which he had 
turned her face to his shoulder to shutout, a sight 
which would terrify her; again she saw the 
pleading eyes seeking her own, and the Utile 
knot of crimson ribbon which he declared was 
“ treasure trove;” nnd the Innocent girlish heart 
t,bi obbed with a happy Ingenuous triumph which 
would certainly have made his lordship smile 
could he have known It. 
Cora was aroused from her reverie by the 
sound of voices and steps In the hall, and she 
rose to ascertain the cause of the unusual com¬ 
motion, when the door of the room In which she 
was, opened hastily, and Harold entered. 
“Do not he frightened,” he said, hurriedly; 
“ Lord Almane has met with an accident, has 
been thrown from his horse, and Is hurt, not 
seriously, l hope ; they are bringing him here.” 
“ Lord Aliunne|” repealed Cora, mechanically. 
“ We shall want your help, so be a bravo girl, 
went on her brother. “Run and tlnd Murlanna, 
and then come back here. Bring some eau-de- 
Cologne with yon." 
Cora ran ofT, her faco very pale, and her heart 
lull or an undefined rear and foreboding. Mari¬ 
anna, was out, and the only other servant at The 
Tryst, was a young, Inexperienced girl, who 
seemed oil riled out. of her wits, and Cora felt a 
little nervous at tho thought that 11 a woman’s 
help were needed, she must give It. Hastily 
fetching a bottle of eau-de-Cologne from her 
room, she went quickly downstalis, softly open¬ 
ed the door of the drawing-room, and entered un¬ 
observed. 
Harold was the first person she saw. He wms 
standing at. the head of tho sofa where Lord 
Alin me. lay, \\ Idle a groom In livery, with a very 
startled race, stood near, apparently receiving 
Mr. Sinclair's orders, although too much fright¬ 
ened to clearly understand Harold’s rapid direc¬ 
tions about a doctor and the nearest place lo lind 
one. 
Lord Almane looked very pale, his eyes were 
closed and his lips set, while bU head lay back 
upon the cushions In a helpless manner. He 
opened his eyes languidly ns Cora entered, but 
his face brightened when he saw who It. was, and 
he made a movement as ll' to rise, but sank back 
again on the pillows, a spasm of pain contracting 
tho handsome I'm lures. 
“1 must apologise, Ml-3 Sinclair," ho said, 
smiling. “ What will you say to such an inva¬ 
sion V” 
Cora’s faco was eloquent as she came to his 
side, and put her hand Into his outstretched 
palm; but though she tried to say a tow words of 
sympathy, her voice failed her. 
Silent as her greeting was It soemed Io satisfy 
Lord Almane, [for ho smiled coutontedly as he 
rested back on bl.s pillows. 
• I am afraid you are suirorlng much," said 
Harold when the servant had disappeared. 
*• Hardly at all mnfi," answered the viscount, 
with an emphasis on the last word which did not 
escape Cora. “ I don’t think there has been much 
damage alter nil. This arm Is broken, I think, 
nothing more.” 
"BrokenI” echoed Cora, affrlghtedly turning 
very pale. 
"That la not much damage to proceed from 
such a fall as I leave had,” lie said, smiling at 
her. " My horse stumbled, and I must own to 
having been very preoccupied, for the next thing 
I remember is that your brother aud Giles carried 
me In here.” 
"You were riding lu a. very heedless fashion,” 
said Harold, re-arranging the cushions which had 
been disturbed by the movement Lord Almane 
bad made when Cora had entered. "Lord Al- 
mane’s horse stumbled,” be went on to fora, 
"and ho was thrown with some violence against 
our garden wall. A very serious hurt might have 
ensued." 
"1 am sorry that my carelessness should put 
you to auy Inconvenience," said Lord Almane. 
“I trust, for your sake, tho rnedolo will say that 
1 can go back to the hotel.” 
"Were he to say so fifty times wo could not 
permit It,” said Harold, smiling; "although I 
fear our simple life and customs will not give you 
your ordinary comforts.” 
Cora, recalled by her brother’s words to a sense 
of her duty as hostess, went away to see that a 
bedroom was prepared, and without hesitation 
chose the large ouo which had buna her father’s, 
and which was n<»w quickly got ready. 
When she returned Lo the drawing-loom Har¬ 
old was Impatiently awab l ng the surgeon’s ar¬ 
rival, and blaming himself that ho had not gone 
lu search ot one Instead of t i’USI lug the servant. 
"Barely he could have brought some one by 
this time,” lie said. “ Every doctor In Richmond 
cannot be out.. Stay w ith Lord Almane, Cora; I 
will go nnd see for one.” 
Cora looked startled, and parted her lips as If 
to speak; but before she could utter any remon¬ 
strance Harold had disappeared. 
“ Don’t be al’rald," said the Viscount, smiling, 
promise not to taint, Miss Sinclair. But run 
away If you like; I shall do very well alone until 
the surgeon comes.” 
Cora colored and came slowly near the sofa. 
"I am not afraid," she said, simply. “Can I 
do any tiling for you, Lord Almane? I am afraid 
you are suffering a great deal more than you 
say.” 
“ My arm Is rather painful,” he owned, “ and 
my head aches. Don’t look so pitiful, my child. 
It Is not worth one moment’s anxiety.” 
“ will you let me bathe your temples a little?” 
said Cora. “1 will not hurt you. I amused to 
doing It. lor Harold wheu he has a headache. I 
think It will relieve the pain.” 
“ I cannot trouble you to do so lor me,” he re¬ 
plied. 
“ It Is no trouble." 
And very simply and naturally she proceeded 
to bathe the throbbing temples; and after a lew 
minutes'patient work she was rewarded by see¬ 
ing the handsome matures relax and lose some of 
their set. look of pain. 
“ That, is so much better, think you,” he said, 
opening Ills eyes to sec the fair faco, with Its an¬ 
gelic look of pity, bending over him, “ There 
must bo some magic lu your touch, Miss Sinclair ! 
The throbbing Is almost gone.” 
“ I arn so glad,” she answered, without pausing 
In her graceful task, until the sound of footsteps 
announced the arrival of Harold and the anxlous- 
ly-looked-lur physician. 
“ At last 1" said Cora, joyously. “ Now you will 
be better, Lord Almane." 
lie smiled ; and then, as she rose, he put up his 
uninjured hand, caught hers, still wet and per¬ 
fumed with the scented waters she had been 
using, and drew It fora moment passionately to 
his lips with a tender murmur of acknowledg¬ 
ment. 
Cora drew it quickly away, and turned from 
htrn as the door opened to admit Harold and a 
stranger. 
As they passed In, Cora drew back, and then 
awlltly and silently left the room. 
In about an hour Harold Joined her In the 
dining-room. Lord Almane was lu bed, lie said, 
his arm set, aud going on quite satisfactorily ; 
Marianna was with him. 
“ He was comlug here when he was thrown,” 
went on Harold. " l am happy to be able to re¬ 
pay the debt of gratitude we owe to him, Cora. 
We must try and make it less tedious for him. 
Why, wliatls the matter, little sister? Y'ou’ro 
as pule os a ghost, yourself, and trembling. You 
have been startled, and must go and lit) down and 
compose yourself. 1 can’t have two patients In 
one house !” 
“ No fear of that,” answered Cora, laughing, 
as she threw ner arms round Harold’s neck and 
kissed him with unusual passion, " hen, wishing 
to avoid his questioning glance, she escaped from 
the room up to her own. 
The unexpected advent of such a guest could 
not fall lo cause some llttlB excitement In such a 
quiet, uneventful household as that of the Tryst. 
Harold, who spent most of his spare time with 
Lord Alrnano felt the pleasure of such constant 
association with a traveled and cultivated com¬ 
panion ; and, t hough for a row flays the Viscount 
suffered acutely Horn the inflammation which set 
In ou the si cond day of tho accident, 1m seemed 
to tint! equal satisfaction In the society of the 
young artist. 
Even the servants seemed excited and Interest¬ 
ed In the young nobleman; Marianna herself suc¬ 
cumbing to the powerful fascination he exercised 
over all around him. 
During the first week Cora heard nothing ex¬ 
cept Harold’s dally bulletin or Marianna’s occa¬ 
sional report, tho old woman being very curt and 
buslm ss-llke In her replies to any questions the 
slgnorlna seemed anxious lo have answered. 
Komellmes during his dally visit Dr. Tapley 
came Into the drawlng-roorn, and gave the young 
girl somPBewBot h la patient; butof tho viscount 
himself Corn saw nothing, and Marianna’s quick 
eyes baw, what Harold In Ills pre-occupation with 
1 he invalid failed to see, that the young girl was 
restless arid 111 at ease. 
One afternoon Harold received a business sum¬ 
mons lo town, and before leaving came Into the 
drawing-room, where Cora was sitting, playing 
some dreamy chords on Hie piano. 
"Lord Almane la getting up, ” he said, rather 
uneasily. •• 1 don’t know whether he Is quite up 
to It, but l)r. T.qdey has given leave. Don’t let 
him talk too much, Cora; he’s far Hem well yet. 
G nod-bye, 11 1 1 le slsl e r. ” 
Cora stood at l he window watch.ng her brother 
as he went down the garden; her face a little 
flushed, and a sudden gleam in her gray eyes. 
Harold, t urning as ho went., saw her, and was 
struck w ith a suddeu sense of her wondrous beau¬ 
ty, which gave him an undefined feeling ol min¬ 
gled pride and uneasiness. She was dressed very 
simply in dark-gray ; but the flush ou her checks, 
the sudden brilliance In her eyes, made her ra¬ 
diant Just then, aud her loveliness came with 
fresh power before Harold’s eyes; and as he 
walked swiftly down towards the station, he car¬ 
ried away a very full vision. 
And It was a very fair vision which met Lord 
Almane’s gaze as he entered a few minutes after, 
nnd Cora turned fiwn tlm w indow to greet him. 
lie was looking very pale and worn ; so much so, 
that Cora started at the change, find pushed for¬ 
ward a large, deep arm-chair.—[To bo continued. 
-♦ » • — 
An Ampsing Comkdy of Ebkors.—M ine, de V. 
was very Jealous, and determined to watch her 
husband. One day ho told her he was going to 
Versailles, and when ho went out, she put on her 
bonnet and followed him. She kept him In sight 
until Lie turned Into a passage which shortened 
the way to the railroad station, where she missed 
Him. She stood tor a tew mluules lu the passage 
looking about, and suddenly saw a rnan coming 
outot a glove-shop with a rather over-dressed 
lady. From a distance she made sure the man 
was her husband, and without a word or warning 
she gave him three or four sound boxes on the 
ear. When the geullemau turned round to con¬ 
front his assailant, she perceived lhat she had 
made ft mistake, anil at the same time she cuugUt 
sight, of her husband, who had replenished a 
clgar-c.ise at a tobacconist's and was crossing the 
street. Whut could she do? She fainted In the 
arms Of the stranger whose ears she bad boxed— 
while the other lady ran oil as fast as she could 
to avoid scandal. The stranger, who was a coin- 
median, was astonished to nnd an unknown lady 
In hl.sarniH; and, while his ears were still tingling 
with the blows, ho was again startled, A gentle¬ 
man collared him, and shaking him roughly, 
asked him what, he meant by embracing a lady In 
the street. “ Why, she boxed my ears and faint¬ 
ed!” screamed the actor. "She Is my wife,” 
shouted the irate husbaud " aud never would 
have struck you without cause.” The Infuriated 
gentlemen shook their fists until the lady, who 
had been carried into a shop, recovered sufficient¬ 
ly to explain how It happened. 
-♦♦♦- 
At the recent Anthropological Congress at 
Jena, Prussia, Trlvy Councillor Bchaafhausen 
read a paper on the color of complexion, eyes, 
and hair. Ho said that blue eyes Indicate a lack 
of coloring matter which originally proceeded 
from inferior nourishment, and was evidence of a 
weaker organization than Is possessed by persons 
of dark eyes. The less coloring matter there Is 
the lighter the hue of tho eye, until, by reason of 
Its utter absence, the blood vessels become vis¬ 
ible, and the eye is red, as is the case with the 
Albinos. The fact that people living in the coun¬ 
try, other things being equal, have light colored 
eyes more frequently than those living In cities, 
Is accounted for by tho Inferior nutritive value of 
the vegetable food of the former as compared 
with tho meat ana uoeror thu people of the cities. 
I a the mingling ot the blende and dark types, the 
latter usually shows the greater vitality, and the 
children assume the darker complexion. The 
blonde complexion usually carries with It a finer 
organization and a higher and a thinner voice. 
Of sopranos and tenors, a majority have light- 
colored eyes aud light complexions, wUile of most 
alto singers, and parUcularly of bassos, the re¬ 
verse is true. Tho Tact that light hair aud eyes 
are more numerous in northern than In southern 
countries Is attributed to the odder climate, 
which consumes the pigments of those features. 
Dr. Schaafhausen’s conclusions were based on 
statistics carefully gathered. 
I 
5 
