The Curved Blades

The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Curved Blades, by Carolyn Wells, Illustrated by Gayle Hoskins
By CAROLYN WELLS Author of “A Chain of Evidence,” “The Gold Bag,” “The Clue,” “The White Alley,” Etc.
WITH A FRONTISPIECE IN COLOR BY GAYLE HOSKINS
PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1916
COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY FRANK A. MUNSEY COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY, 1916
PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A.
“Garden Steps” was one of the show-places of Merivale Park, Long Island. In summer it was an enchanting spot, and the dazzling white marble steps which led to the sunken gardens justified their right to give the place its name. Other stone steps gave on terraces and flower banks, others still led to the Italian landscape gardens, and a few rustic steps of a wooden stile transported one to an old-fashioned garden, whose larkspur and Canterbury bells were the finest of their sort.
The house seemed an integral part of this setting. Its wide verandahs, or more often loggias, were so lavishly furnished with flowering plants, its windows so boxed with them, that the whole effect was that of a marvellously well-planned horticultural exhibition.
But all this was of the summer. In winter—for it was an all-round-the-year home—only the varied and extraordinary collection of evergreens shared with the steps the honor of making picturesque and beautiful the view from the house windows.
And now, in January, one of the all too seldom enjoyed white snow storms had glorified the whole estate. Wind-swept drifts half hid, half disclosed the curving marble balustrades, and turned the steps to snowy fairyland flights.
And, for it was night, a cold, dear, perfect winter night, a supercilious moon looked down, a little haughtily and condescended to illumine the scene in stunning, if a bit theatric, fashion.
“Ripping picture, eh?” said Gray Haviland, as he held back the heavy curtain for the golden-haired young woman at his side to look out.