Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-11-24
at all to so uninteresting an old fell

'iNot at all. You know it is awful
for Maud to have you off her hands in
this way, and decency compels me to
help her care for you in any way can.
| / cannot do much, but nearly every
one likes to hear me read, and since
you enjoy it, too, why you and Maud
must make the very most you can out
of my small charity"
IT intended to after this, said Lance,
coolly. "You do read we'll"
Eyes; it is my one accomplish
ment. Once I dreamed of making
fame and fortune by it. Now know
an easier way to get the fortune"
"Yes?' questioningly.
eyes to marry it. 1 never intend
ed to marry any man who cannot count
his money by the hundreds of thous-
ands."
sIndeed Do you tell me that for
fear should fall in love with you ~
"Oh, no." retorted Oriella, nonchal-
antly. II know there is not the slight
est danger of such thing. You need
no warnings. You dislike me too
much"
"On the contrary, 1 do not dislike
you, Miss Gladmyr but | do not ap-
prove of you."
at is all the same thing. Your
| ideal woman is sweet, shy, clinging
conventional little creature, who has
never been tested in the crucible of
the worlds fires. / am-oh, almost
everything your ideal woman should
not be !"
Lance laughed again. They were
nearer Icing friends than ever before.
"And now that you have painted my
ideal woman would you mind de-
picting your ideal man?"
ooh, he is tall, real tall and slender,
with piercing eyes and white hair and
beard, and enormous bank account"
81 see the money question still pre-
vails," said Lance. with slight sar-
casam.
Oriella opened her beautiful big eyes
very wide.
"Why, of course it does. The am
bition of my life is to marry rich. But
I'm firing you, I'll come again just
after dinner. We understand each 9TH
er now, don't we? We may as well be
| friends"
Lance smiled, and held out his well
hand.
1t was nearly winter before May
Croft was desolated by the departure
of its guests, and Maude Sanborn went
up to town with Miss Gladmyr without
being able to discover that her two
cousins admired each ether one whit
more than when they first met. Still,
as Oriella remained in New York for
the season, instead of returning to her
home in Baltimore, they two saw a
great deal of each other, and grew,
slowly, more and more confidential
friends, until, in March, something
of importance befell Oriella, she made
Lance the first sharer of her secrets
'Be sure and be at Mrs. Chandlor's
dinner-you said there was some
doubt about it--becauqe want to in
troduce you to Mr.. Jarvis Jerome. l
have attained my ambition at last. He
is almost millionaire, and has asked
me to marry him. Of course CRATE
fully and gracefully said / would. /
want you to congratulate me o. g."
Those were the hastily line
she sent lowering; and lowering threw
them into the fire with muttered
curse.
"What do care that she has en-
gagged herself to Jarvis Jerome?' he
questioned of himself, fercely biting
his lip until the red blood sprung to his
pearly teeth. And then he wrote his
regrets to Mrs. Chandelier, packed
satchel and returned to town for
week.
When he got back he went Immedi-
ately to see Oriella and congratulated
her.
"Oh, don't talk about that, it is too
old!" cried Oriella, give been engaged
some little time; but we must prepare
for the masquerade, tbs the fifth and
last of the season, you know"
eyes," assented Maud, and while
they were preparing some one propos-
ed that before unmasking took place
that the host and hostess to be re-mar-
ried. A young clergyman. a chum of
Ned's, was one of the guests though
not masked, and wedding was just
the finish needed to the success of the
party. A place was cleared at the
farther end of the saloon, and arrange
ments made for the ceremony; and
presently the door opened and a white
satin domino came in on the arm of
gorgeous courtier, followed by another
white satin domino, and several April
fairies wreathed in crocuse5 fiuttering
with rain drops.
The cortege advanced to its place,
two satin dominos stepped forward
and quietly assented to the questions
put to them and pronounced man and
wife. Then the signal was given for
unmasking, ambulance lowering and
Oriella Gladmyr stood looking into each
others eyes, her face growing white as
that of corpse.
AS Oriell's color died Levering's
grew to a dusky, passionate red that
darkened face, neck and brow, but
presence of mind did not quite des ert
him. He caught Miss Gladmyr in his
strong arms and swiftly carried her
across the hall and into the opposite
room.
"Oriel Oriel Don't look like that"
he cried, kneeling beside the sofa on
which he had placed her. "For Gods
sake, forgive me / l had no idea it
was you-Ned wanted me to change
dominos with him to play joke on
Maud. 1t was only Joke Oriel,
will you speak,"
"Bring Maud here-it was all her
fault. She made me change dominos
with her for joke on Ned p said
Oriella, beginning to recover herself,
but keeping her eyes averted from his
anxious ones.
"But want you to tell me you be
lieve me That you forgive me-" he
insisted.
She turned her gaze fully upon him
now.
"Of course, must know it was a
joke, that you had no idea of what
you were doing. 1 have implicit faith
in you" Then she commenced to
laugh. "Just to think of you marry
ing me There is Maud at the door
let her in"
He hesitated moment. az want
to say something first. l am man, no
doubt, but must say it You are
xpifa D-.al-i,sf fnr ,ou, Al