The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-04-16

than those four, and when Miss Man
mig came into the room, 1 thought
What stuff people talk about her beau
ty the girl is positively plain. She
came down stairs q little late, 4
premeditated delay, no doubt, and En-
tered the room with that sort OF quiet
impressiveness-no, not that either,
but sort Of effective unobtrusive-
ness.n
"For heavens sake, PlersOn, DOM {
attempt brillianey let Us have the
simple facts. You'll drown yourself
in sea Of adjectives Il you don't give
up this ornate style of description"
Il only wanted to bring the scene
before your eyes, as the papers say,
old fellov,n good-humoredly returned
Pierson Shut if you want q simple
statement OF facts, here it is: Miss
Manning came in very quietly, half
paused when she got little way from
the door, and looked ali around her
from under her eyebrows in q sort of
deprecstory, perplexed way and then
il was that made up my mind that
she had no beauty. But as luck would
have it, ! was the first man presented
to her and when had talked to her
about two minutes /, OF course, said
something witty, and then she smiled.
AMI her smile was q revelatiOn-yes,
you may laugh, / know enthusiasm is
not my role, but such an Illuminating,
dazzling, ailuring-"
Take care, take care" exelsimed
Haughton laughing.
"Well, won't describe her smile,
but will eondense the whole story,
and simply say that 1 sat next to her
at dinner and Jack Beresford on the
other side, and that both of us, and
indeed every one at the table, couldn't
help looking at her and listening to
her alkthet time. She is wonderful,
and yet one can't say how or why /;
but don't believe there's q man in
this room that could resist her fasci-
nations, il she brought all her bat
teries to bear on him.n
"I don't think these patent faseina-
tions, warranted to kill at sixty yards,
do so much execution as they are
thought to do" yawned out Carter
Brooks. "There is something that
rather disenchantso one in the matter-of
course mechanical routine with which
q woman OF that type goes through
her manual one doesn't care so
much for looks and tones and bushes
that form part Of q regular drill
Spontaneousness flatters ones vanity
more. I think either man or q wO-
man who travels about with that
dreadful d6fche 1rresistible,' Is already
deprived Of half their natural power
to charm. It's all very well for once,
but It grows dreadfully monotonous;
and nothing takes the zest out of it so
much as to look across . room on
Tuesday evening and see another fell
low the mark for the succession OF
mods, becks, and wreathed smiles,'
that proved so fatal to ones own peace
of mind on Monday evening""
"If you think Miss Manning is that
sort OF q woman, you are much mista-
ken, Brooks" said Pierson with some
heat OF manner. "Come, Ill lay 9
wager on it; will any one take me up?
pIl bet what any of you like, supper
to the party present II you like, that
there Is not man in the room who
can spend three evenings in that wo-
mans company-mind you, not just
in the room with her, but hanging
about her, talking to her, listening to
or looking at her-and honestly say,
I've come of scot-free."
"a very modernized knighthood,
sneered Brooks. swell, I won't take
up-your purse is 1t, or glove ?"
There was moments silence, snd
Haughton, turning to Gordon, said
with laugh: "What, old fellow, "a
soldier and afeardp has Pierson's' de-
scription daunted your adventurous
spirit ?"
"I am not afraid of falling in love
with Miss Manning, II that is what
you mesn," rejoined Walter, with a
slight haughtiness of manner, which
Haughton was not fine enough to feel;
so he went on: "Oh, I forgot; heard
something Of an engagement thst ex-
cludes you as ineligible"
tiNot at ALL" said Pierson hastily;
''T'lI back Miss Manning's charms
against any rival, present or possible"
"Will you, indeed ?" said Gordon
impuIsively. every well, 1 take up
the bet. When shall the trial come
off?n
"I'lI leave that 10 you. Take your
GgThreo weeks from to-night,D said
Gordon, s'rlI meet you all here, and
will then cry either 10 tTfIImphe or
Vac Victis, with an honest heart. Till
then, gentlemen, goodnight. One
word more; this wager is an absolute
secret, you all understand ?'
profound and inviolate," said Ne
vile Pierson.
Goodnight again." said Gordon,
and left the room abruptly.
He drew q long breath Ofrelief when
he found himself outside. The temp
tation had come, and he had yielded
to 1t, and now was swimming with
the current, or rather being swept
along by it. He was breathing the
air most congenial to his nature, the
air Of excitement, and 1t exhilarated
him beyond measure.
CONCLUDED NEXT MEEK