Gratia's Trials — page 206: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 197 of bewitching everybody—I don’t know for my part how she did it! However, we have done our duty toward Miss Mel- _ worth, and that’s one thing to be thankful for,” So Mrs. Falconer and Alberta dismissed Gratia Kempfield from their minds as utterly as if she had never had an ex- istence. And the next thing was to issue cards for an elegant dinner- party in honor of Colonel Falconer’s English friends, The invitations were given and accepted, and the eventful evening arrived. Mrs, Falconer and her daughter were proudly conscious of looking their best. ‘‘T am sorry about Robert,” said Mrs. Falconer, with a slight- ly perturbed look. ‘‘ He has not been home these two days. I wish Hugo had a little more influence over him, but he seems to fear or care for no one, since Uncle Ralph died. Ralph could always manage him.” ‘‘Oh, mamma,” said Alberta, indifferently, ‘‘ he is no worse than all the others in his set. I dare say Bob will settle down after he has sown all his wild oats.” The party from the Arlington Hotel arrived punctually, and the dinner was a very brilliant affair—no one could deny that. Mrs. Falconer’s heart swelled with triumph at the evident suc- cess of her recherche little entertainment. ‘¢There is no knowing what results this may lead to,” she told herself, as she watched the interest with which Viscount Barron listened to Alberta’s lively chatter, while her eldest son devoted himself, with a host’s courteous adandon, to the beauu- ful blonde heiress of Melworth. ‘‘ And after the way in which Bob has tried me, I’m sure I need some encouragement.” The party of guests were once more gathered round the draw- ing-room fire. Lady Chichester, who had a delicious soprano voice, had just approached the grand piano to sing a Scotch bal- lad to the accompaniment of her son, Viscount Barron, and Alicia was admiring the basket of shaded crimson roses which Ida’s careful fingers had arranged in a nest of wet moss and im comicbooks.co