Litchfield enquirer., 1879-07-24

Tn Dorothy's blood; and now it stopped with a thrill as she recognized that Evesham was there marching with the young men, and that his peer was not among them. The percep- tion of his difference came to her with vivid shock. He was coming forward now, with his light, firm step, formidable in evening dress, and with smile of subtle triumph in his eyes. | to meet Nancy Slocum, in the bright pink gown Dorothy feet she hated pink, of all the colors her faith had abjured. She could see, in spite of the obnoxious gown, that Nancy was very pretty He was taking her first by the right hand, then by the left, and turning her gayly about ;-apd now they were meeting again, for the fourth or fifth time in thecenter of the barn, with all eyes upon them, and the music fingered while Nancy, holding out her pink petticoats, coyly revolved around him. Then began mysterious turning, and clasping of hands, and weaving of Nancy s pink frock and Evesham's dark blue coat and white brooches in and out of the line of figures, un- til they met at the door, and, taking each oth- CT by both hands, swept with joyous meas ure to the head of the barn. Dorothy gave l little choking sigh.
 | What a senseless whirl it was! But she was | thrilling with new and strange excitement, | too near the edge of pain to be long endured as pleasure. If this were the influence of dancing, she did uot wonder so much at her | fathers scruples,-and yet it held her like spell.
 All hands were lifted now, making an arch, through which Evesham, holding Nancy by l the hands, raced stepping and laughing As | they emerged at the door he threw up his head | to shake brown lock back. He looked flush | ed, and boyishly gay, and his hazel eye search | ed the darkness with that subtle ray oftriumph ! in it which had nude Dorothy afraid. She drew back behind the tree and pressed her hot cheek to the cool rough bark. She longed for the stiffness of the starlit meadow, and the dim l lane, with it's faint perfumes and whispering | leaves.
 But now suddenly the music stopped, and the dance broke up in tumult of voices. | Dorothy stole backward in the shadow of the | tree-trunk, till it joined the darkness of the meadow. and then fled, ed,-stumbling along with blinded eyes, and the music still vibra-
 ting in her ears. There came quick rush of | footsteps behind her, swshing through the | long grass. She did not look back, but quick ened her pace, struggled to reach the gate. | Evesham was there before her. He had swung l the gate to and was leaning with his back | against it, laughing and panting. l 'Pve caught you, Dorothy, you little de- ceiver You'll not get rid of me tonight with any of your tricks. Pm going to take you home to your mother, and tell her you were peeping at the dancing.
 
 ! ''I asked her ]" Her knees were trembling, and.he heart almost choked her with it's thrOb- bing: , , n.., | This is much nicer than the barn and the katy-dids are better than fiddles than old Dar- by and his son. I'll open the gate if you will put your hand in mine, so 1 can be sure of you-you little runaway"
 Fl will stay here all night, first 2" said l DOrOtlV m A low Ouiverlnp voice,
 "As you choose. shall be happy as long l as you are here."
 Dead silence, while the katy y-dids seemed to
 keep time to their heart-beats the fiddles be-
 gan tuning for another reel, and the horses | tethered near stretched out their necks with l low inquiring whinneys.
 "Dorothy," said Evesham, softly, leaning toward her and trying to see her face in the darkness, ''are you angry with me Don't you think you deserve little punishment for the | trick you played me at the mill-head ?"
 ''It was thy fault for wetting mel" Dorothy
 was too excited and angry to cry, but she was
 as miserable as she had ever been in her life
 before. "I didn't 'acant thee to stay. People
 who force themselves where they are not want
 ed must take what they get !'
 'What did you say, Dorothy?"
 'I say didn't want thee then. do not
 want thee now Thee may go back to thy | fiddling and dancing! I'd rather have one of those dumb brutes for company tonight than thee, Walter Evesham p
 "Very we'll The reel has begun, said Eve sham. "Fauny Jordan is waiting to dance it with me, or if she isn't she ought to be Shall open the gate for you"
 | She passed out in silence, and the gate swung to with heavy jar. She made good speed down the lane, and then waited outside the fence till her breath came mdre quietly.
 ''Is that thee, Dorothy ?" RachePs voice called from the porch. She came out to meet her, and they went along the walk together. | 'How damp thy forehead is, child is the night SO warm ?" They sat down on the low steps, and Dorothy slid her arm under her mothers and laid her soft palm against the one less soft by twenty years of toll for others. ''Thee's not been long, dear was 1t as much as thee expected ?"
 ''Mother, it was dreadful never wish to hear a fiddle again as long as livel !" Rachel opened the way for Dorothy to speak l further she was not without some mild stir rings of curiosity on the subject herself but l Dorothy had no more to say. | They went into the house soon aften and | as they separated for the night, Dorothy chung to her mother with little nervous laugh. "Mother, what is that text about EphraIm!' "Ephram is joined to idols ?" Rachel sug- gested "Yes! Ephraim is joined to his idols2" said | Dorothy, lifting her head. "Let him gO!" "Let him G1Oae," corrected Rachel
 'Let him G1One!" Dorothy repeated. "That is better yet" Whats thee thinking of. dear2" "Oh, I'm thinking about the dance in the | barn."
 ''Pm glad thee looks at it in that light" said Rachel
 | CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK