A Heart-Song of To-day

d bred, is her companion, a tiny young woman all pale tints, colourless face, sharp features, sharp little eyes always watery, always with a red rim about them giving the paleness of thei

e clothed in its robe of grass green, all waist and elbows. She had no love for her step-mother whom she had b

ing the word "come" on the reverse side of one of her cards, seals with her monograph, addressin

strict orders to Peter to admit only Colonel Ha

, ma

mpkins, who will drive to Bayswater in half an hour for

, ma

Blanche fulfilled, but she

stupid place, step-mo

cover your aversion to visit them it is my duty to insist on your going there when a drive would benefit you. Shoul

tingly, while feeling that a bi

morning: Cis was coming shopping;

to Gloucester Square, and

hat do you want Sir

he fuss you m

at the mirror opposite. "Men being born hunters will hunt you for the golden dollar; me, for myself. So as you have

he corridors to her own

the black-bearded major, not popa's lean jaws then; now, it's Capt. Trevalyon, who is as handsome as the Prince of Wales, and too awfully nice for anything. Never mind, you'll be sold as bad as one of Bar

ur), which fits her embonpoint figure like a glove; slightly over the medium height, black browed, determined, daring and impulsive; a woman who will have her way where her appetites are concerned; easy-

you think; am I

ou are lookin

a second husband this morning," and the large white teeth sh

eyes real well, better than all the English colour; and so you are going to marry

touch of rouge to the cheek, which only has colour whe

o; don't prate of w

r secrets for te

the term;" and her mistress tossed her carelessly two fives in the precious

dows in stained glass, letting in the sweet June breath from the park. Too great a display of wealth, perhaps, but in the taste of the best New York artists, who revel in the gorgeous, and who have had full play for their talents at No. -- Eaton Square. The black-brow'd mistress pic

y to keep him quiet; Trevalyon will necessarily have a surer footing at Haughton than he, as in this case I shall see; in an underhand way the Colonel has his wish, and the pith of all my musings is that if George will not aid me in reviving the Fanny Clarmont, hidden wife scandal, I shall do it without him. One thing in my favour is, that as he swears against matrimony, people will say the secret reason is out of-Why! Eleven forty-five; my future spouse should soon appear; how my heart would beat, and every pulse throb and burn, if it were my king; now, I am as cool as the czar of Wall Street. My sleeves fit well; this make suits me," and she pushed to the wrist her bracelets of the golden dollar. "And my boots also; I do take as much pride in my foot as the men do in their moustache. What am I gaining in return for myself and my gold? A great place and name, and also revenge on my father, whom I may meet, and who kept me from position, not allowing me to know even his whole name-Vivian only, this and nothing more; he, a British officer, in a mad impulse (I am like him) marries my mother, nobody's daughter, and a ballet

arms, for, though her love is not for him, he is a man and she an inbred coquette, and as a man he admires her; he has loved but once the fair-haired Alice Esmondet, who chilled h

oo soon, Colonel, you will not now have the

And her hand in his he led her back to the sofa. "My friend Trevalyon as well as your own

ell of how nearly you

aking, when we wed as now." And his dark moustache is on h

t it? you hav

ent, dear, but I want you

own way, my lord. I, like yours

ds will be there," and he whispered low and tenderly, "In time, I trust, an heir will prattle at our

t, Colonel, is she

ust lean on some woman; I fear at time

d of woma

how do you mean, dear. In personal a

I mean in other way

ugh; exclusive in her choice of friends, but true as steel

ot repeated the expe

subject, and I did not press it, for I fancied she love

but to be faithful to his corpse is unnatural,

lans, how soon may I claim you

fectually shut out unless he consented to a friendly alliance, when he could a

m to-day too awful

e is leaving town, we can

e said with a hearty laugh, "for the present it is that we, during the week, say to-morrow, take a run down to Surr

mondet and my niece, Vaura Vern

oud came to Kate's brow,

is trip is just as we

hey are far away at all event

tep-daughter shall; it is a great bore

eason; heiresses all go, so will Miss Tomp

blondes, Mrs. Meltonbury with her sister, Mrs. Marchmont, my step-daughter, Sir Peter Tedril (who goes down to "Richmondglen," to-m

of Trevalyon, I fear I must leave you at once for the club, as aft

at will do, you men are all alike in y

ats as it has not done to-day, for

e, what train it would be mos

said, hurriedly, "I mean you and he, I leave it

s man, your eagerne

now, I only do it for your

ately you can wish him bon voyage as he leaves sooner than we do, but I forget,

, for your doleful face haunted me since morning, so I just had

ng you too soon, for the content he brought me in your message, especially as he is feeling

ith me to-night at eight, the rest of the party will b

and making rapid strides through the square, she throws herself on to a l

me he is, but you will be the elixir of life to me; I shall be a Haughton of Haughton, and

is serve