If that girl Gladys were in the place of either heiress, I
would not hesitate a moment. I declare she would grace a coronet; no
wonder all the young men round are in love with her. And yet, meet her
when I will, I can scarcely get more than 'yes,' and 'no,' out of her.
'It is utterly impossible she can be what she seems, or is supposed to
be. I never saw more thoroughly aristocratic beauty in our most
aristocratic circles. Miss Nugent is as handsome as a woman can well be,
in form and feature; but her eyes are like two frozen pools, whereas
this Gladys, are literally two deep blue lakes with stars shining into
them, or out of them, or something or other that a poet would describe
better than I do. Well, what a fool I am! "A dream of fair women," in my
fortieth year, just as I dreamt of them in my sixteenth. The Fates must
decide for me, only I wish they would clear up the mystery that hangs
over that girl, and give her Miss Nugent's thirty thousand pounds.'
Such were the thoughts that rushed through Colonel Vaughan's mind, as he
sat, apparently looking at Freda's drawing in the place that she had
vacated. We have unveiled a portion of his mind, because he is too good
a tactician to unveil it himself. It is needless to say that this
fascinating man, who has that nameless power which some men possess of
making all women love him, has himself no heart to bestow on any one.
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