Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-14
Gales and Skeifbfs.
"A LITTLE GoosE."
Continued from yesterday. }

MY good fellow. you don't mean to
cay you are going to cnt rs on account oil
this untoward affair? You will have
everybody gossiping about the thing II
you behave so ridiculously. and you may
iniure Pauline's chances in way you
don't think Of. Why should people know
there has been anything contemplated be-
tween YOU? All sorts of tales will he
told, a hundred times worse, every one oil
them, than the truth and nobody need
guess ANYTHING at all if only you conduct
Yourself nationally and in natural man.
ner. And really cannot see why you
should dislike meeting Pauline. There
has been no regular quarrel between you.
no lifting or jealousy or anything OF that
kind; it was simple mutual dissent from
certain views entertained for you by older
people VIII, ought to have been wiser.
Besides. it all happened four months ago,
and the entire scheme has been dropped.
Were you, ! would not only go to Lady
Leieh's ball, but ! would dance with
Pauline just to show friendlness and q
disposition to put things back on the old
footing"
This discussion ended as Jacques wished.
Hugh promised not to absent himselffrom
the bail in question. and he kept to his
word. 1t was one of the first balls of the
season. and was well after ded. Pauline
seemed to be great success. and danced
unweariedly But shortly after supper.
as Hugh, having handed his last partner
TO her seat. stood idly moment by a
doorway, his surprise was great at being
lightly tapped on the arm by Pauline's
fan, and hearing her say, as though echo
ing her brothers. advice:
..When are you going to ask me to
dance, Cousin Hughes ? have just this
waltz free if you like" Then. in lower
tones "Do not seem to avoid me there
is no need for us to be strangers to each
other on account of what has occurred.
People will notice it, mamma says"
What could Hugh do? Impossible to
refuse and, besides, whether he danced
with her now or not mattered nothing !;
their engagement had been formally multi
fed, and no attentions he might pay her
could be misinterpreted. After all. too,
she was handsome girl, and supportable
enough as mere cousin. A cousin may
be tolerated and even danced with very
agreeably. provided one is not expected
to make her ones companion for life.
So Hugh resolved to be pleasant
Perhaps, indeed, poor girl, he owed her
some amends for his part in the
recent failure of the family plot; at any
rate. they stood now in no false light to-
gether. and there was therefore no reason
for observing constraint or reserve in his
manner toward her. And so the next
minute the young mans arm was round
Pauline's waist. and the pair were whirl.
ing together amicably down the room.
They passed at length by a conservato.
ry. and Hugh found his partner seal
beneath tall tree-fern.
what a splendid waltzer you are -
he said graciously. Ibid they teach
you that in Paris?''
She answered pleasantly. with a man
ner so unaffected, and smile so bright
that Hugh recalled with wonderment the
stiff primness which had characterized
her every gesture and word when they
last met. How, he asked himself, could
four short months have brought
about so striking differenceP
Their talk flowed gaily- on, for Hugh
melted and warmed under the influence
OF his companions gracious manner; un
til Pauline. being in request for another
dance, dismissed her cousin with parting
intimation that she hoped to meet him thu
following evening at the house of mutu
al friend
with an ingenious air. .If you like t.
come by 10 O'Clock can give you the
first quadrille."
Hugh went home bewildered and, en-.
tering his room in the gray morning twi
light. threw himself into an easy chair
and meditated there until sunrise.
What! This girl so mindless. SC
worldly. so prudish, so unsym
pathetic, whom a mistaken devotion to
the interests OF kinship would have forced
upon him as a wife. had suddenly changed
her whole nature. and become genial
frank. intelligent, charming! Hugh could
make nothing of the mystery. 1t did moi
occur to him that he too must have ap.
peared to Pauline that night under new
and very different aspect from that pre-.
scented by the gruff and unamiable young
man who had been offered her for hus.
band. Let that have been as it may. how.
ever. it is not on record that Mademoiselle
Lestrange made any observation of this
latter kind to her mother.
Lady Leigh's ball was but the first of a
goodly number of dances Sat home" al
which the cousins were destined to meet
Hugh told himself that to attempt avoid
ing such meetings would be childish and
affected; and that. moreover, as Pauline
showed no evidence OF embarrassment OF
annoyance in his presence, but on the con
trary most natural and perfect gaieiy
of speech and manner. he ought not t.
consider himself an obstacle in her en-
joyment.
One circumstance onl, began, little BY
little. to disturb the peaceful equanimit,
Of Hugh's existence. There was a certain
Colonel Sp'ers Gordon, tall, handsome
| officer of the Hussars. with whom Pauline
danced much, who rode often beside he
in the park. and whose presence a
| Madame Lestrange's afternoon tea wa
not infrequent. It was, Hugh admitted Il
himself. Supremacy ridiculous to feel an
noyed by such paltry incidents as these
| for the Colonel was man of the hes
reputation personally, and his pedigre,
and fortune were all that MAYFAIR coult
desire. Hugh examined his mind deeply
| on the subject. and found there no,hin!
! to account for the incipient mistrust an,
discomfort which this acquaintance caused
| him Pauline was his cousin certainly
but in the third degree only, and his in