The Castle Of The Shadows

re of the Mediterranean, it was fierce summer in the sunshine. A girl riding between two men, reined in her chestnut mare at a cross-road which led into the jade-green twilight

ide with thickly wooded hills, their rugged heads still gilded, their shoulders already half in shadow; but the eyes of the men rested only upon her. One was English, the other Italian; and it was the Italian whose look devoured her beauty, moving hungril

touches the old, gnarled trunks, and what a lovely light filters through the leaves.

rom buying two or three? But you would soon tire of them, my

I will buy an olive grove, and you shall see if I tire of it. Come, let's ride up the v

"The sun is only in these valleys for a few hours, and it's gone for the day now.

face questioningly. "Of course, you must know every inch of this coun

aris has absorbed me," he said evasively. "One forgets a good deal; but if you want to se

ker than her hair, drew together. "But I don't want

man, who claimed rights of cousinship,

ly up. One was a very handsome, dark woman, who succeeded in looking not more than thirty, the ot

Lady Gardiner, who would not have been

irginia promptly. "I want

he whip, but understood the language of hand and voice. She went off at a trot up the shadowed road; and the Marchese Loria was the first to follow. But he bit his li

n the sunshine; and as they rode on the valley narrowed, the soft darkness of th

there was a brooding silence, only intensified by

itter now; and Virginia had a curious sensation of lea

king. Then Virginia broke the spell of

e olives?" she asked of the Italian,

at," he replied, more abruptly than

ion; not a person, not a house, except the little ruined tower we passed a few minutes ago, and that old chateau almost at the top of the hill. Look! the last rays of th

of her fancy, and to her surprise saw him pale

matter?" she

he replied. "A sli

ure ever since we stood on the bridge looking up this valley. You wanted to go on

ke, fearing you m

and secretive. It reminds me that we are of different countries-as different as the north can be from the south. Do tell me what is r

oria. "But if you care to know the pre

t is

onsent to go out into the sunshine aga

or, I will. I mean to have a nearer glimpse of that chateau.

five minutes more they would be under the castle; but almost i

cted with this valley," he answered desperately.

ed emotion so much more readily than her English and American friends. But while she hesitated they were joined

g his tone; "it has just occurred to me that this is-er-the place tha

d Loria. "That is why I

solate, one half in ruins, yet picturesquely beautiful both in position a

suade Miss Beverly that we've s

ied Virginia suddenly, before Ro

road, which showed a notice-board announcing in both French and Italian that the

s indeed!" murmured Sir Roger, looking at the board wit

ate, very miserable," Loria sa

of the valley, but I'd quite forgotten, until suddenly it

adow?" demanded Virginia. "You are both very mysterious. But perhaps

from his reverie. "Queer that we should have drifted h

e?" the other asked wi

an whom I used to know slightly, and Loria intimately, lived here. That grim old house perched up on the hillside has been th

ed Virginia. "

m life at its best and brightest, to be sent into exile worse than

and one old servant," answered the Italian, his fac

absolutely not money enough to keep up another establishment, n

nothing to do with them. As for help, her family is a difficult one t

ion was to the Marchese Loria. He answered Sir Roger's questions only by an effort; and as for her cousin, even he was

uilt that the place was called the Va

reat deal of money at one time, so that their ruin threw a gloom over the country even colder than the evening shadows. The father to

f herself, Virginia's voice sank, and the penetr

er evasively. "By Jove! Loria is righ

ke to buy th

as calmly as if she had spo

xclaimed Sir Roger. "But you'

round with olive groves. Though the sun is gone so soon from the bottom of the valley, where we are, the chateau win

oor as she was handsome and well-born, and her life as the American girl's chaperon was an easy one. The thought that Virginia Beverly might make

ou are really bent on the adv

d not go into their house on such an errand. They would think I

r Broom, "and I'll stay down

n amusing flirtation, which would certainly have been more than

he responded to the look, and springing from his

ichen. They rode along the grass-grown avenue which wound up the hill among the cypresses and olive trees, coming out at last, as they

he Dalahaides?" Virginia

"And yet there does seem to be a dim memory of so

behind overgrown rose bushes and heliotrope. The chateau was before them, the windows still reflecting the sunlight; but this borrowed glitter was all the

s in restoring this old ruin if you should

her sentence, a bright flush springing to her face; for turning a corner of the avenue which brought them clos

de up in the hope of being allowed to see the house. As he spoke, in fairly good though rather laboured French, he smiled on the girl in black with a charming smile, very like Virginia's. And Lady Gardiner looked from one to the other gravely. She was not as pleased a

ched off his hat and sprung from his horse, nor did she approve o

orted "Miss," but the English of an Englishwoman, pure and sweet, though the voice was sad and lifeless. Her melancholy d

you through the house, and afterward, if you really think of buying the place, h

n when we have seen the chate

y pleased to speak with you before you go if there is anything you care to say to me," she re

you go in; though I'm afraid that we have no very good accommod

" said Trent. "I can fasten the horses' bridles t

, though it was not slow, had none of the lithsomeness of youth. She seemed to have lo

ow comes she to be English? Is she the girl they we

Trent. "I never saw such wonderful eyes. De

of her eyes. "I think the girl would appear a very ordinary y

he sprang to the ground, and by the time that George had tethered the horses an old man in a faded

sted servant of an ancient house, and his old eyes seemed gravely to d

they would give themselves the trouble of being conducted to the door at the front, that they might go in by the great hall. He also r

left realities behind and strayed into dreamland; but with the opening of the heavy door it seeme

estry-hung hall, and from one huge, dim, wainscotted or frescoed room to another; yet always, as

deur, as most servants would. As they walked through a dining-room of magnificent proportions, but meagrely furnished, they passed a half-open door, and Virginia had a glimpse of a charming little room with a huge projecting window. Mechanically she paused, then drew away quickly as she s

is not here now, so come in, if you will. It is a small room; st

nged. The blood streamed up to her forehead, then ebbed again, leaving her marble-pale. She gave a slight start,

nd the sympathetic thrill that ran through her own veins surprised her. In a panel of the darkly wainscotted and curiously gilded wall was placed a life-size portrait of a man. It was an oil-painting, defective in technique, perhaps, but so spirited, so extraordinarily lifelike as to give an effect, at first glance in the twilight, as if a handsome y

ad brought ruin upon those who loved him; and suddenly she understood the full meaning of Loria's words whe

en unselfish. Now her warm heart went out to meet the loyal heart of the pale, sad girl in black, whom an hour ago she had never seen, whose very name she had not known. "She is right to believe in him," Virginia said

when the old man who conducted them, having met and answered a quick glance from his mistress, invited the visitors to continue their tour of inspection, Virginia l

as before. But she was doomed to disappointment. Mademoiselle met the party in the great hall, and, hearing from Geor

by a first marriage-was nearly five years older than she, and rather piqued himself upon influencing her to ways of wisdom. But now, though he extolled the charms of the Chateau de la Roche, and made light of the expenses of restoration, as they rode

since Virginia had left America for England and the Continent, she had lived with the sister and brother, and had been reaping a harvest almost literally of gold and diamonds. She did not want Virginia to marry and free herself from chap

r, and hoped that the American girl, with her wonted audacity, would at once approach the topic when they had rejoined Sir Roger Broom and the Marchese Loria. But Virginia asked no questions, contenting herself with answering those of her cousin, which for some reason confined themselves enti

s early dusk, she brought her horse to Virginia's side in so narrow a

"He is a changed man since we came into this valley. I wonder if there was ever anything between him and

nia listlessly, and Kat

ted out so gaily in the sunshine. Each one was sunk deep in his or her own

den, and among its pines; and there was a dance that night, for which Virginia ha

r Broom if he would come to her there for a few minutes. He found her, not in the room, but on the balcony, in floods of moonlight

g the dance a little w

hing in the world I would mind leaving for you, Virg

lieve it to-night," she answered, "because I need y

a slight sound in the room

exclaimed Roger

t must be a log of olive-wo