A Modern Chronicle -- Volume 02

fe became infinite. At every click of the rails she was drawing nearer to that great world of which she had dreamed, a world of country houses inhabited by an Olympian

ed her slender figure with military exactness. Her hair, the colour of the yellowest of gold, in the manner of its finish seemed somehow to give the impression of that metal; and the militant effect of the costume had been heightened

en Honora had told her. "They say that Silverdale is as slow as a nunnery-and

of the fact that she had neglected to issue this alluring invitation. Life a

legend, in gold letters, "Sutton." The sun was well on his journe

d, and added, with an unusual

reets and its orchards, and its ancient tavern dating from stage-coach days. Just outside of it, on the tree-dotted slope of a long hill, was a modern

ther's c

e into the

the, thing that interests mother mo

"I hope she will le

ake you there to-morrow," an

ing at the gate-bars. Presently they came to a gothic-looking stone building, with a mediaeval bridge thrown across the stream in front of it, and massive gates flung o

volunteered. "Mr. Chamberlin has bui

aught he

s here like that?" she

ace is very-appropriate," she c

ly all of them varied expressions of the passion for a new architecture which seemed to possess the rich. M

e were so many peop

s becoming fashionab

u want it to?

ce before," sai

that divided a low wall, overhung from the inside by shrubbery grow

back here," she whispered

turned th

that sheltered the high entrance doors. These were both flung open, a butler and two footmen were standing impassively beside them, and a neat maid within. Honora climbed the steps as in a dream, followed Susan through a hall with a black-walnut, fretted staircase,

my dear? I had the pleasure of kno

ed. Mrs. Holt's face left no room for conjecture as to the character of its possessor. Her hair, of a silvering blend, parted in the middle, fitte

?" she said. "This is

l me whether you w

ye, white mutton-chop whiskers, and very thin hands,

gh it is not hard to believe that such a beautiful baby

grateful to you for b

no

w you pay young women compliments, Joshua. They grow vain enough. By the way, my dear

was very young,"

e good things of this

ra!" her husb

d I was relieved, I can tell you, my dear" (to Honora), "when I saw your uncle a

rything for me, Mrs

ted her approving

m glad to see you appreciate it. And now you

es like Susan's. Both were, with women at least, what the French would call difficult-Robert less so than Joshua. They greeted Honora reservedly and-she could not help feeling-a little suspiciously. And their appearance was something of a shock to her; they did not, some

ome with her at once. Mrs. Robert was tall and thin, with an olive face and dark eyes which gave the impression of an un

nd sexes, from the third Joshua with a tennis-bat to the youngest who was weeping at being sent to bed, and holding on to her Aunt Susan with desp

said Mrs. Joshua. She spoke impulsively,

em," exclai

he crest. And thither, presently, Susan led Honora for a view of the distant western hills silhouetted in black against a flaming western sky, be

"If you care to lie down for half an hour, no one w

cove, was a huge dressing-table; a fire was laid in the grate of the marble mantel, the curtains in the bay window were tightly drawn, and near by was a lounge with a reading-light. A huge mahogany wardrobe occupied one corner; in another stood a pier glass, and in another, near the lounge, was a s

tly all her own,-with a huge porcelain tub and a table set

ng about the room, and thinking of the family she had met downstairs. Of course, when one lived in a house like this, one could afford to dress and act as one liked. She was aroused from her

itherto silent individual when the opera

of her mother's jewels, which Aunt Mary, with Cousin Eleanor's assistance, had had set in New York. Honora's figure was that of a woman of five and twenty: her neck was a slender column, her head well set, and the look of race, which had been hers since childhood, was at ni

waiting for me," s

er and his assistants. A huge chandelier with prisms hung over the flowers at the centre of the table, which sparkled with glass and silver, while dishes of vermilion and yellow fruits relieved the whiteness of the cloth. Honora f

d as it proceeded, Honora found it increasingly difficult

erested in cows. And Mr. Holt was almost exclusively occupied in slowly masticating the special dishes which the butler impressively laid before him. He asked her a

flowers?

hem," sli

re," he said. "You mu

by half-past six every

on her with the same strange expression she had noticed o

overdressed, without definitely saying so. And she made innumerable-and often embarrassing-inquiries about Honora's aunt and uncle, and her life in St. Louis, and her friends there, and how she had happened to go

much family on your arrival. But there are some other people co

this, and I am glad there is no one else here. I have heard my aunt speak of you so often, and tell how kind you were to take charge of me, that

gain. Your aunt struck me as a good and sensible woman, and it was a positive relief to know that you were to be confided to her care." Mrs. Holt, however

lication of a frivolity which even her se

mong you. And I am so interested in the little bit I have seen already. I caught a gl

but beheld in Honora's clear eyes

ression, and incidentally in the atmosph

ally like to

d like to write my aunt about it. She is interested in the work you are doing, an

dear. I had no idea that-out in St. Louis-that the beams of my little candle had carried

came towards them. There was something very like a smile on her face,-although it

interested in-charities,

face gr

ry much to do with them,

Mrs. Holt. "Gwendolen, yo

ters to write,"

figure of her daughter-in-law, "but she has a curious, reserved character.

ower branches of which swept the ground. Other symmetrical trees, of many varieties, dotted a velvet lawn, which formed a great natural terrace above the forested valley of Silver Brook. On the grass, dew-drenched cobwebs gleamed in the early sun, and the breeze that st

tairs as she descended into the empty hall. She crossed the lawn, took a path through the trees that bordered it, and came suddenly upon an old-fashioned garden in all the freshness of its early morning colour. In one of the winding paths she stopped with

early?" He held up forbiddingly a mould-c

a lau

e temptation to see y

his gardening knife he cut three of them, and held them gallantly against her white gown.

gardens?

very modest way. My uncle is passionately fond of flowers, and he makes our little yard blo

s though I had not yet begun. Come, I will show you the peonies-they are

nd even lively conversation, they beheld Susan and Mrs. Rober

I actually had a shock when I went to your room an

; "you see, I had every

," put in Mr. Holt. "She ha

have," s

ied Susan. Gwendolen Holt smiled. Her eyes

ss Leffingwell,"

ich reposed a great, morocco-covered Bible. Adjusting his spectacles, he read, in a mild but impressive voice, a chapter of Matthew, while Mrs. Joshua tried to quiet her youngest. Honora sat staring at a figure on the carpet, uncomfortably aware that Mrs. Robert was still studying her. Mr. Holt closed the Bible rev

d that Honora began almost to feel at home.

Josh?" asked Mrs. Holt,

ua chirped up, "that he got up at an unearthly h

own it. You must understand, Honora, that every membe

them if I lived in the

the dried bread which was specially prepared for him, "I should be completely happy. Then," he added, tur

," laughed Mrs. Joshua. "Josh says if we

ed, and presented Mrs. Holt wi

ced, reading rapidly from a sheet on which was visible a large crown. "H

er's menagerie,"

other. "The Vicomte was very kind to your father and m

was sce

he had one?"

. Holt

r, "I wish Gwen could in

n that all foreigners

to observe the ones who

ing you last spring that Martha Spence's son called on me?" she asked. "He is in business with a man named Dal

used to come up here and eat melons and rid

Holt

up my desk some months ago, and sent it to him, and he came to thank me. I forgot to tell you that I invited him for a fortnight any time he chose, and he has just wr

edly, "I'm given to understand that the Stock

ys seemed to me little better than a gambling place. Honora, if you still wish