The Mystery of Mary | Page 7

Grace Livingston Hill
this evening?"
he asked in a low tone, as they turned to go up the steps. She
summoned a faint, flickering smile.
"When people have been travelling abroad and are stopping over in this
city, they often go on to Washington, do they not?" she asked half
shyly.
He smiled in response, and noted with pleasure that the black hat was
intensely becoming. She was not ill-dressed for the part she had to play,
for the black silk rain-coat gave the touch of the traveller to her
costume.
The door swung open before they could say another word, and the
young man remembered that he must introduce his new friend. As there
was no further opportunity to ask her about her name, he must trust to
luck.
The girl obeyed the motion of the servant and slipped up to the
dressing-room as if she were a frequent guest in the house, but it was in
some trepidation that Tryon Dunham removed his overcoat and
arranged his necktie. He had caught a passing glimpse of the assembled
company, and knew that Mr. Bowman was growing impatient for his
dinner. His heart almost failed him now that the girl was out of sight.
What if she should not prove to be accustomed to society, after all, and
should show it? How embarrassing that would be! He had seen her only
in a half-light as yet. How had he dared?
But it was too late now, for she was coming from the dressing-room,
and Mrs. Bowman was approaching them with outstretched hands, and
a welcome in her face.
"My dear Miss Remington, it is so good of you to help me out! I can
see by the first glance that it is going to be a privilege to know you. I
can't thank you enough for waiving formalities."

"It was very lovely of you to ask me," said the girl, with perfect
composure, "a stranger----"
"Don't speak of it, my dear. Mr. Dunham's friends are not strangers, I
assure you. Tryon, didn't you tell her how long we have known each
other? I shall feel quite hurt if you have never mentioned me to her.
Now, come, for my cook is in the last stages of despair over the dinner.
Miss Remington, how do you manage to look so fresh and lovely after
a long sea voyage? You must tell me your secret."
The young man looked down at the girl and saw that her dress was in
perfect taste for the occasion, and also that she was very young and
beautiful. He was watching her with a kind of proprietary pride as she
moved forward to be introduced to the other guests, when he saw her
sweep one quick glance about the room, and for just an instant hesitate
and draw back. Her face grew white; then, with a supreme effort, she
controlled her feelings, and went through her part with perfect ease.
When Judge Blackwell was introduced to the girl, he looked at her with
what seemed to Dunham to be more than a passing interest; but the
keen eyes were almost immediately transferred to his own face, and the
young man had no further time to watch his protégé, as dinner was
immediately announced.
Miss Remington was seated next to Dunham at the table, with the
Judge on her other side. The young man was pleased with the
arrangement, and sat furtively studying the delicate tinting of her face,
the dainty line of cheek and chin and ear, the sweep of her dark lashes,
and the ripple of her brown hair, as he tried to converse easily with her,
as an old friend might.
At length the Judge turned to the girl and said:
"Miss Remington, you remind me strongly of a young woman who was
in my office this afternoon."
The delicate color flickered out of the girl's face entirely, leaving even
her lips white, but she lifted her dark eyes bravely to the kindly blue

ones, and with sweet dignity baffled the questioned recognition in his
look.
"Yes, you are so much like her that I would think you were--her sister
perhaps, if it were not for the name," Judge Blackwell went on. "She
was a most interesting and beautiful young lady." The old gentleman
bestowed upon the girl a look that was like a benediction. "Excuse me
for speaking of it, but her dress was something soft and beautiful, like
yours, and seemed to suit her face. I was deeply interested in her,
although until this afternoon she was a stranger. She came to me for a
small matter of business, and after it was attended to, and before she
received the papers, she disappeared! She had removed her hat and
gloves, as she was obliged to wait some
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code

 / 50
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.