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Winnifred Clair was seated, still fully dressed, at the window of the bedroom, looking out over the great city. A light tap came at the door. "If it's a fried egg," called Winnifred softly, "I do not need it. I ate yesterday." "No," said the voice of the Landlady. "You are wanted below." "I!" exclaimed Winnifred, "below!" "You," said the Landlady, "below. A party of gentlemen have called for you."
Then at last, one morning when Winnifred's temperature had fallen to ninety-eight point three, the Marchioness spoke. "Miss Clair," she said, in a voice which throbbed with emotion, "Winnifred, if I may so call you, Lord Muddlenut and I have formed a plan for your future. It is our dearest wish that you should marry our son." "Alas," cried Winnifred, while tears rose in her eyes, "it cannot be!"
"The other picture is that of the man to whom she was betrothed. Tell me, Amy, do you think him handsome?" I looked at the other portrait critically. It was that of a young man of about twenty-five; he was undeniably handsome, but there was something I did not like in his face and I said so. Aunt Winnifred made no reply she was taking out the remaining contents of the box.
The moths may have got into it through that crack in the lid." "Why don't you open it, Mother?" said Mrs. DeLisle. "I am sure that key of Robert's would fit the lock." "No," said Grandmother in the tone that nobody, not even Aunt Winnifred, ever dreamed of disputing. "I will not open that chest without Eliza's permission.
Bonehead, shaking his head, "you will not do much with that." Then he rang the bell again. "Atkinson," he said, "take Miss Clair out and throw her on the world." As Winnifred Clair passed down the stairway leading from the Lawyer's office, a figure appeared before her in the corridor, blocking the way.
Diana who?" Arthur Merlin curled one foot under him as he sat, and, lighting a fresh cigar, told Aunt Winnifred the lovely legend of Latmos talking of Diana and Endymion, and thinking of Hope Wayne and Arthur Merlin. Aunt Winnifred listened with the utmost interest and patience. Her nephew was eloquent.
Magnificent peacocks sunned themselves on the terraces, while from the surrounding shrubberies there rose the soft murmur of doves, pigeons, bats, owls and partridges. Here sat Winnifred Clair day after day upon the terrace recovering her strength, under the tender solicitude of the Marchioness. Each day the girl urged upon her noble hostess the necessity of her departure.
"Your mother was not your mother," said the Old Lawyer gravely. "Nay, nay, do not question me. There is a dark secret about your birth." "Alas," said Winnifred, wringing her hands, "I am, then, alone in the world and penniless." "You are," said Mr. Bonehead, deeply moved. "You are, unfortunately, thrown upon the world.
If I go upon the stage, can I, as Eliza, remain as innocent, as simple as I am now?" "You can not," said the manager. "Then, sir," said Winnifred, rising from her chair, "let me say this. Your offer is doubtless intended to be kind. Coming from the class you do, and inspired by the ideas you are, you no doubt mean well.
She was sitting in an armchair holding the study. Arthur stopped. "My dear Arthur, now I understand all." Arthur Merlin was confused. He, perhaps, suspected that his picture of Diana resembled a certain young lady. But how should Aunt Winnifred know it, who, as he supposed, had never seen her?
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