E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan, and the Project
Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Or, The Secret of a Royal Mirror
by
Author of Virgie's Inheritance, A True Aristocrat, Trixy, Lost A
Pearle, Helen's Victory, etc.
1891
"Appleton, don't look quite yet, but there's a woman just behind you whomI want you to see. I never before saw such a face and figure! They aresimply perfection!"
The above remarks were made by a young man, perhaps thirty years of age,to his companion, who, evidently, was somewhat his senior.
The two gentlemen were seated at a private table in the dining-room of alarge hotel in Chicago, Illinois, and were themselves both handsome anddistinguished in appearance.
"There!" the speaker continued, as a slight commotion near them indicatedthat some one was rising from a table; "she is about to leave the room,and now is your chance."
The gentleman addressed turned to look as the lady passed; but the momentshe was beyond the possibility of hearing he broke into a laugh ofamusement.
"Oh, Cutler!" he exclaimed; "I never would have believed that you couldrave so over a red-head—you who all your life have held such hair indetestation!"
"Well," returned Mr. Cutler, flushing guiltily, "I acknowledge that Ihave always had a peculiar aversion to red hair; but, truly, hers is anunusual shade—not a flaming, staring red, but deep and rich. I never sawanything just like it before. Anyhow, she is a magnificent, specimen ofwomanhood. See! what a queenly carriage! what a figure!" and his glancefollowed the lady referred to, lingeringly, admiringly.
"Yes, she certainly is a fine-looking woman," his companion admitted;"and, if I am any judge, the diamonds she wears are worth a smallfortune. Did you notice them?"
"No; I saw only herself," was the preoccupied response.
"Aha! I see you are clean gone," was the laughing rejoinder of Mr.
Appleton.
The lady referred to was indeed a strangely attractive person. She wasrather above the medium height, straight as an arrow, with a perfectlymolded figure, although it was somewhat inclined to embonpoint,while her bearing was wonderfully easy and graceful. Her complexion wasexquisitely fair, her features round, yet clearly cut and regular. Shehad lovely eyes of blue, with a fringe of decided, yet not unbecomingred upon their white lids, while her hair was also a rich but strikingred, and was worn short, and curled about; her fair forehead and downaround her alabaster neck in bewitching natural rings.
She was apparently about twenty-five or twenty-eight years of age, withall the strength and verve of perfect health in her movements. She wasdressed wholly in black, which served but to enhance her fairness, whilein her ears and at her throat she wore peculiar ornaments shaped likesmall crescents, studded with diamonds, remarkable for their purityand brilliancy.
For several days Mr. Cutler and Mr. Appleton sat at the same table, andwere quietly observant of this lovely woman.
She came and went, apparently unconscious of their notice or admiration,was gently dignified in her bearing and modest in her deportment, and the