Stella Rosevelt — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

THE CAMEO RING. | 117 while he would_not have been human not to have betrayed his appreciation of the exquisite toilet, which seemed to enhance her beauty more than ever. She was conscious of looking her best, and this made her appear to better advantage—for who does not feel more at ease and self-possessed when conscious of looking well ?>—while there was an unusual gentleness, almost sadness, in her manner, as if something foreshadowed that something was slipping out of her life to-night—something which would change and darken her whole future, unless the man whom she had grown to worship should lay at her feet homage equal to that which she had given to him. ‘“What will the devotees at beauty’s shrine do to-morrow, Miss Richards?” the young lord asked, with a smile and a glance which told her what she knew already— that she was particularly attractive to-night. ‘“The Howland House possesses a galaxy of beauties, and I do not think there will be any occasion for the ‘ devotees,’ as you call them, to neglect their duty to-morrow,” she answered, smiling too, but with heightened color. ‘‘Ah! but it is plainly to be seen where they have bent the knee most devouily,” he replied, with a gesture which called her attention to the many admiring eyes fixed upon her. She shrugged her graceful shoulders with an air of impatience, as if annoyed to find herself so conspicuous, while her darkly fringed lids drooped over her glorious eyes, hiding the wistful look which had suddenly crept into them. ‘The night is lovely, and the band is playing delightfully ; let us go out and wander about the grounds for a little while,” Lord Carrol said, after a moment of silence, during which sweet, enticing strains came floating toward them on the even- ing air. She took the arm he offered her, her heart throbbing so wildly that she feared he would detect it, and they passed down =} Gomicbookss