The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-02

marked Mrs. De Kay, CHANGING at the hand
which Mrs. De Lincey had ungIoved TO
feel for her handkerchief. "Was the On
gagenent ring of my poor Alice essential
10 your happiness In addltlOnW
Mrs. Do Lancey trembled. ION, Mrs.
De Kay, she exclaimed, "if you only
knew"
"Or was II merely worn ns n trophy ?"
said Mrs. DE KAY severely. 80 should
imagine from seeing IL already in the pos
session of another"
"This is uneudurablel" excla med Mrs.
De Lancey. PLEASE, Mrs. DE- Kay, let me
tell you the whole story. | may be TO
blame but not in thu way that you i'm
agInr."
The story. when related by Mrs DE Lam
cey, was "a great relief to Mrs DE kay's
mind, in which the gravest suspicious ms
TO her nephew had been awakened. The
rug, it appeared, had been left with n
jeweller for repairs. On its return TO
Mr.. Delano, he had taken IL TO show 20
Mrs. De Lancey "A day or two before the
ball. and had requested her to take charge
of It until he could take 1t out To Fort
Washington, Us he did not CONSIDER IL safe
at his lodgings. Unfortunately Mrs. De
Laucey went to dinner party that same
day, where MIR. Delano was not to be pres
ent. Unable to suit herself in selecting
from her own jewelry, she had yielded to
the temptation OF wearing this ring, which
Mrs. DE Kay had then seen and recognized.
This was not, however, the worst OF her
complications. Herman Egerton, who WIS
her escort home, had been exec Sively
piqued 10y the encouragement winch he
Thought that she had gwen at this dinner
to Col. Nevins. He was accordingly in "A
very bad temper, which Mrs. DE Lancey's
efforts had been unable to overcome, until
she thought of fiattering his vanity ns n
connoi ,seur in jewelry, by requesting his
OPINION OF her diamond. The rIise was
successful. Egerton was immediately mol
lified on being allowed to inspect the ring,
and completely subducd on receiving per-
mission o try 1t on his finger. But what
had been Mrs. De Lancey's conservation
when he peremptorily refused to return the
ring, declaring that he would retain 1t
until she had danced the german with him
at the bail, pretending that he feared that
she would Otherwise dance il with Colonel
Nevina.
~ did not dare to tell him the truth"
said Mrs. DE Laucey, and have been IN
misery all the evening for fear that Mr..
Delano might see the ring. Herman shall
give II back to me this very evening, and
/ will return it TO Mr.. Delino, ana give
him such n lecture about his neglect OF b IS
wife as he Will not be likely TO forget"
BY no means, my dear" returned Mrs.
De Kay, resuming her seat in the ball room,
10 which they had returned. "Only choose
husband Tor yourself and close your
doors to my nephew. Do not even offer
him your friendship. No woman Will
thank you for restoring her husband. she
would rather feel that she has recovered
him herself. ] have brought my niece
here for that purpose. The best assistance
that you can render Is to encourage Col
Onel Nevins. que uObd.
The music commencing. Col. NevIns has
tenpd to claim his dance. The emergency re-
stored Mrs. De LInceys Composure, aud
exchanging friendly pressure Of the hand
with Mrs. DE Kay, she accompanied Col.
Neyins to the timer end Of the room. Mr..
Egerton and Mrs. Delano had preceded
them. They were evidently already on
quite friendly terms. EgertUn spoke III the
low, sentimeu tal tone in which he INDUCED
with ladies, while his companion listened
with an appearance of interest, which pro-
voked Mrs. De LanCey, who thought that
the lady VINO she had been so recently COM
miscrLting was behaving very much Ike
ptuctised ulrt.
As the dance was about TO commence.
Alfred Deiano returned but Mrs. DE Kay
promptly met HIM, saying, Alice Is not
here; If YOU will drive home with me, you
will find her At my house., and lief. the
room with HIM. casting over her shoulder
rapid glance OF intelligence at her niece.
Tins glance was Intercepted 10y Mrs. DE
I.ancey, and awakened fresh suspicious in
her mind. Can the old lady. She thought,
have been making IA tool of me for her
own purposes, under pretcuce OF grave
moral lecturer
She had little time for thought for Col.
Nevlns was impatient for his dance. His
heart swelled as his arm encircled the
form OF the only woman that he had over
loved; and she, AS she felt herself drawn
to HIM. and supported through the mazes
OF her favorite waltz, appeared TO awake
into new existence. once more she was
the Young gli !, unsEoiled by society happy
IN the affection Of the manly heart That
she had 80 long sighted. She thought of
the men whom she had prcterrcd; Of
Walter De Lanccy, whom she had married
without love for the sake of his fortune (;
Il.alsaN NIT IA hstHV hA had
wasted time and sentiment that he had
not the right to bestow Of Herman Eyer
ton, for whom she had INDUCED an IDLE
fancy, origlnatIn ing in vanity, yet for time
mistaken for love. What trtlers they all
seemed, Is ecially Herman. who was at
that moment making love to woman
whom until that evening he had never
seen. That waltz was Nevlns's triumph.
Although not word was exchanged. he
felt at It's close that Augusta De Llncey
was his own.
You are tired. Augusta" said Nevins
in low voice, us the dance drew near
Its end. Let us leave this crowded ball
IOOm.'
There was newborn shyness In the
smile with winch Augusta looked up into
his face. MIR. Egerton has won your
horse" she murmUred, rs that gentleman
passed before them with his partner.
Indeed, do not regret II" answered
Nevins earnestly, Us they passed out Of the
bail room.
For the present we will leave the lovers
to their hlpplness, ana follow Herman
Egerton, who, IN the full intOXIcation OF
ms triumph, conducted the lady, of whose
very name ne was ignorant, Du. whom he
had found more ilnpresslOle than even he
had imagined possible She had listened
10 his sallics with interest, aud TO The tone
OF sentiment mo which he Imperccptbly
glid,d without apparent displca~ure. lie
wen vcnturrd once or twice during the
dance TO press her hand, ana WAS satisfied
thai she had once ut least family returned
the pressure. She certainly smiled with
ia i,inctIon when shO found herself IN II
delicious bOudoIr ut the further end of the
suite OF apartments.
Here we are alone mt last said Eyer
ton with n huli-utl cred sigh. If this
evening could only last forever"
His companion slightly blushed as she
allowed herself 10 be conducted TO n re-
tired seat.
"Have you enjoyed itf' he ventured
presently To whisper
A faut " Yes was the only reply.
And when may wohOpo 10 meet agalnT
said Egerton rapturously. when Is your
next ballf"
Perhaps never" said the stranger, with
n sigh.