Show mistress rosemary adyn by MILLICENT E MANN copyright 1904 by LUCAS LINCOLN CO CHAPTER XII had 1 before I 1 kist 1 re arned to the blue boar my spirits again soaring I 1 found there awaiting me a with a scented note it was from lady dwight and in it she invited me to her house upon the following day what should lady cright a person I 1 had never seen and the mother of the man who was my cherished foe want of me I 1 conjectured the next afternoon as I 1 dressed to go there putting on white satin breeches ed waistcoat and point lace gil watched me with a aber face lending a helping hand whenever I 1 needed one presently he took a rapier from the rack against the wall and ing an attitude went through many of the old tricks we had oft practiced at home saying DOS remember this and thise I 1 was undecided between two era vats I 1 tried on first one and then the obby finally deciding upon the first when I 1 had knotted it to my satis fac alon I 1 looked at him lazily his so was becoming annoying and all on account of the duel I 1 had told bim I 1 was booked for have done gil have done I 1 cried petulantly the glitter of that steel makes my eyes to water have me attend on lady dwight whoever in the devil she is with red eyelid sa then as he persevered I 1 demanded hast no con in thy pupils I 1 like it not he said if you should give him his quietus there would be a hue and cry throughout london and then I 1 would not give a pinch of salt for the reinstating of the house of waters ah I 1 see not over your pupil you are so concerned but over the other fellow I 1 said banteringly I 1 promise you I 1 will not kill him as you are so anxious gil he must be one 1 told you sire 1 ed w th d agn ty ot your old friends sons methinks you are so mawkish over him kill him and be damned tor all I 1 care he said it as about lord waters I 1 am concerned you are right I 1 nodded turning myself about before the glass and I 1 shall only slightly wound him for the sake of a pair of blue eyes I 1 would not like to put an end to the butterfly existence of cousin raoul A good ly dose of steel however might lim her up some of his cursed pride men are not always so fortunate in doing exactly as they wish when fighting tor their lives he retorted men are as well versed in dueling here in london as in the old manor of long haut it Is all they do know outside of love making in that they are equally expert I 1 would not take time to argue the point and went to the street gil following my sedan chair was wait ing and I 1 put myself into it al though I 1 liked not its swaying mo alon it was like a ship rolling on the ocean or a dromedary loping along the sandy desert and its smallness of interior made me feel as though mewed in a church pew but I 1 was too fastidious to go on toot and off we started leaving gil leaning against athe lintel of the inn door with a long face As we turned the corner I 1 looked back I 1 saw him give a shrug to his shoulder and reenter re enter the inn in other words he threw ity to the winds I 1 gave the order to the chairmen lady they seemed fa mallar with the lady s name and resi idenie when they set the chair down land I 1 stepped forth I 1 was surprised to find that they had stopped in front of the house I 1 had visited yesterday the one where mistress rosemary ailyn had held her levee the men assured me that it was the residence of lady dwight and I 1 was abashed tor the moment I 1 trusted I 1 should not again meet that lady s son what position did mistress rosemary allyn occupy in that households 7 it looked not at all like a dependent or degraded one gads zook it mat not to me were I 1 king and she the beggar maid I 1 would still win her love and be hon ored by it I 1 followed the footman in buff and gold livery to the door of her boudoir there crouching on a fur rug was the quaintest little page imaginable a negro black as ebony and all of a grin the bemman am specter he said rolling his eyes and bowing to the floor he opened a door the bemman missy he cried and again making his bow tower if pos bible than before vanished the lady was seated before the fireplace A hand screen protected her delicate face from the rosy glow of its flame I 1 bowed before her and then looked I 1 1 j up another surprise lady dwight was the worn beauty nhom I 1 had escorted into london she was exquisitely attired in some sort of gray cloth soft and clinging embroidered in delicate pink buds she neer wore any other color and I 1 learned how many varying shades of gray there were and how one might wear but one color and et have a diversity of attire her hair was dressed a la negligence f il gray hair and she had patches on her face she was also rouged I 1 lessed the hand she ex tendel to me I 1 trusted she had not heard of the enmity between her son and my self I 1 evena felt my heart soften a little toward him tor his mother s sake hast found london to our liking mister she asked after she hal greeted me indeed aes I 1 replied vast ly interesting with what do you occupy your selfa she questioned eseed ou ask in londona I 1 said with a smile As the other sparks no doubt wine women and must t she said I 1 shrugged mv shoulders or perhaps ou are more serious ly inclined you have a reason for be ng here in th s maelstrom of adissi she still questioned I 1 laughingly disclaimed having any virtues other than the rest of my 1 ind she changed the subject hast learned anything of that ras callion who stole my jewels she said nothing lady dwight I 1 replied but I 1 do not doubt that in time he will be brought to justice it he does not stop his depredations I 1 saw that the lady had something she wished to say to me it was ever hovering about her lips but she kept delaying it and consequently the con vers atlon lagged on a sudden we were interrupted it was most welcome to me by a merry laugh and the sound of a slap they both came from the hallway lady dwight frowned I 1 heard I 1 was waiting breathlessly for it out of the way you imp of darkness bar my 7 it was the voice of rosemary allyn I 1 would know it among a thousand the door was thrown back with a bang and the lady I 1 delighted in en pardon aunt elaine she said courtes ying blackie grows more self important every day art keep ing a tryst that the door Is barred from Rosemary 7 now although the lady had seen me the moment she entered the room if she did not know I 1 was there all the time she took not the slightest notice of me nay rosemary answered lady dwight you are always welcome but to day I 1 told blackie not to admit anyone I 1 thought you had gone richmond he was but obeying or ders I 1 did not care to go she said As you wish to be alone I 1 will leave you she turned toward the door and as she did so gave me one swift glance from under eyelids fringed with long dark eyelashes saucily curling up ward my face no doubt looked my cha grin to have such an opportunity to be introduced in due form and to have it come to naught I 1 was ready to do anything desperate I 1 sprang to open the door for her when lady dwight said stay rosemary she turned and came back rosemary this is master quentin waters of whom you have heard me speak she said to me my niece mistress rosemary allyn the lady made me a low courtesy I 1 returned it with quite as low a bow my hand upon my heart thus was 1 introduced to my mistress lud aunt not the gallant high wayman with whom you danced the minuett she cried know sir she continued to me you were honored indeed lady dwight Is the toast of five counties around tor her grace and beauty nay rosemary was my dear was she admitted with pride that time is long past long past I 1 now yield my place to you my dear when you are no more dear aunt elaine she said kissing the still smooth cheek of her aunt not till then shall I 1 bear the palm and rosemary you certainly know that this gentleman Is not the highwayman but he who escorted me into london after the robbery she explained you would not expect to meet a highwayman here you are but trifling as usual L oh lud she ejaculate what a mistake to me wilt pardon mea with pleasure I 1 answered for he as a gallant 1 of a fellow W phout doubt said she aunt quite lost her heart and it he be brought to london to hang on burn atwould be the ending of her I 1 do behee hi sh rosemary cried her aunt cease your tittle tattle you know aunt elaine you did say that he had both grace and dar ng and was so handsome she con linued unheeding oh to meet a man 11 se that some day our london ers are but women dressed in men s clothes it is hard to obtain baor in mis tress rosemary allyn s eyes I 1 said and you can do not else than let thy tongue run rosemary let it run to a purpose said lady dwight gent ly get thy lute and sing for us the spoiled beauty made a moue at me as she tool her lute from the cor ner nearby she sat down facing us and began to sing lightly touching the strings of her instrument with her fingers t had I 1 aft before I 1 kist that love had been aae to win I 1 had leckt tny heart in a case of gowd and pinned it with a s her pin lady dwight now took the tunit to ask me many questions about my home she should have stopped that silvery babble flowing from those wine colored lips ot my love had she wanted rational answers you said you came from what part of England 7 she queried I 1 did not at first hear her and she had to repeat her question the southern part ot sussex I 1 managed to say one ot the waters of east india fame she asked no I 1 believe we do not boast of descending from that branch ot the family I 1 murmured waters ot long haut your father she whispered Is he deada I 1 cannot bring him to mind no madame I 1 answered but he has not been in london tor years roderick waters and I 1 myself were dead and gane and the green grass growing over me the sweet voice sang on my eyes were glued to her face with a little cry she flung down her lute I 1 fol lowed her glance of distress it rest ed on lady dwight fallen back la hei chair in a dead faint for a second there was great ex cit ement maids rushing hither and thither with smelling salts wine and spirits calls for a upon the lady s regaining consciousness I 1 made my adieus with rosemary s anxious face before me and her words what did you say to hera she has not fainted so in years ringing in my ears to be continued |