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se 1 . Mar ee OF gs Ce EN
0 WILD MARGARET, 7 289 0 0
_that-weary, absent expression in his face which proclaims ve
ot ~ the man to whom life has become joyless and hopeless...)
of Of all the noble palaces'which the Neapolitans so cheer--
i . fully let to the English visitors, the palace Austin Ambrose ._
'p . “had chosen was the most sumptuous; and if rooms which =”
emperors might have dwelt. in, and ‘surroundings which
- .avould have inspired. a: poet, could have made.a woman. - -
happy, then Violet Countess of Ferrers should .have. been.
the most beatified of her sex. But on this glorious -even- es
| ‘ing in spring, ‘she was lying on her. couch onthe: balcony
overlooking: the bay with the same restless fire:invher .
eyes, the old red fever spots on her, cheeks. Leaning over ».
' the balcony was Mr.. Austin Ambrose, attired in a spotless
7 Jinen‘suit, with acigar between his lips, and his eyes keenly —
mp noting the passers-by in the street beneath him.
" «* What are you staring at?. Have you become suddenly)» |.
| ~~ dumb?” exclaimed Lady. Violet, with irritability. yt > :
“Twas jooking at the beggars,” he said, with a patience". ~
‘in marked contrast to her -impatience. “Naples is the ~~
i 7 “paradise of the mendicant. Shall I wheel you nearer the cee
f Daleony ?—you would find them very amusing.”
she looked over listlessly, Coad oh ETE
“hey are not amusing,’ she complained, shrugging her s.
‘ ghoulders. Po nee ae oo |
~* At any rate they are a study,”’ he sai
‘beggars of every nationality under the sun,
Strange how easy it is to distinguish them, even through
‘their rags. There is the Neapolitan, for instance, thatold’ +. |
‘man there with the boy; and there Is 4 Spaniard, and
.. |‘ there are two Frenchmen, and there 1s an English girl——”
-. He stopped suddenly, and Jet his cigar fall to the ground.
_ © What is the matter?” she asked. nae
“The matter?” he said, turning with a smile, though
‘his face wore a strange expression. * What do you
. mean?) SDE PU bn
2 2 & Why did you start as if you had seen a ghost! pe
i -. &Oh, come; you are fanciful this evening,’’ he retorted,
fo Jaughing. - RE wee EE aes at
But you did start!” she persisted, listlessly. |
-“T never contradict a lady,” he said, lightly. ‘But, be-
» .-- Hieve me, the movement was unconscious,” and he took |.
+. out his cigar-case, and languidly chose @ fresh cigar; but
- as he did so, he leaned over the. balcony, and eenly:
-serutinized the crowd beneath; for that which had caused,
him to start, and drop his cigar, was the form: of some
ou one who bore a strange. likeness to Lottie Belvoir. . 7) |
-. Mr. Austin Ambrose looked in the direction the girl had
taken, but she had disappeared, probably up one of the
narrow streets, and smiling at the fancied resemblance, »
d. “There are.
acs Ma
2G pot
: Cpe
I should think. - me - ae