McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-04-30

I propensity to hop when he walked
convinced her of it.
Cecil stepped forward scarcely dar-
ing to allow herself TO speak, fearing
q mutual recognition. Should she as a
disguise assume deep masculine tone
of voice, or one squeaky suggestive OF
| inanimatlon like asmatic Professor
Megs.
II have danced but little" Cecil
said, "and if an Indifferent partner
will not be Objectionable, WILL
81 am not a proficient in that sort of
thing myself SO there IS little to fear
on either side," he said, leading Cecil
out upon the floor.
81 see some fine costumes display
ed tonight" Mr.. Pepperton said in
his familiar, jerky way. which was
habitual, but as Mr.. Pepperton was an
admirer of attractive habiliments
rather than personal beauty or clever
ness, Cecil did not wonder at the re-
mark.
''As well as fine figures" Cecil re-
sponded choosing the asmatic tone of
voice, not from choice perhaps, but
rather from a lack of time to gather
up her strength for 4 deeper tone,
CHANGING as she spoke at the two head
couple who were going through the
form of forwarding. The first lady,
from her enormous proportions, and
who wore the costume of fairy queen,
Cecil felt certain was none other than
Mrs. Goldberg, her Aunt Maria
especial aversion on account of her
superior wealth. She was sure of il
now as she caught the familiar hoarse
wheeze as that lady broke into a sort
of jog-trot, quite as unconscious of
time-keeping as her opposite gentle
turned directly inward, as he wove the
intricate masses of the dance.
Cecil's partner regarded her curious
ly through the Sits in his mask, then
drew himself together as if offended.
Yet she heard him laugh.
She felt her face grow red beneath
her disguise. She always had the
faculty of offending Mr.. Peppcrton,
and now she vaguely wondered why
he did not recognize her; but he failed
to do so; and when the dance came to
an end, and she lost sight of the Prus-
sian officer, whom she thought no
doubt had gone in search of partner
whose knowledge of gaily-tinted fab
rics was more complete than her own.
She again came upon her Uncle Pat
tington sitting among the spectators
with Aunt Maria beside him, who was
tanning her heated face vigorously.
Cecil moved away. How angry she
would be she thought if she knew that
her young niece whom she had been
wont to regard with cold Indifference
was there not fifty rods away from her
and decked in expensive lace and dia-
monds, and that very niece was happy,
alb, so happy. While she stood think
ing it all over again the band struck
up waltz. She adOred waltzing; to
her eager, restless feet the quadrille
seemed slow and dragging.
Was there no one to ask her to join
in this dance? How few there would
be before the hour arrived for her de-
parture.
"There is but one dance following
this waltz before unmasking," the
Prussian officer said, appearing sud-
denly from the midst of the crowd.
''Do you waltz? If SO, can claim you
for my partner?'
If this was to be the last waltz be-
fore the removal of the masks, it was
certainly her last; and even to dance
it with Mr. PeppertOn would be pre-
ferable to sitting it out. But for Il mo-
ment Cecil hesitated in uncertainty.
The man beside her suing for the
dance she felt was scanning her close
ly as if endeavoring to penetrate the
opaqueness of her mask. What if she
should be recognized at the last mo-
ment, she thought. She drew back.
'.Not if you try to discover my ident-
ity," Cecil said, little coldly.
The Prussian officer laughed. ''Weil,
| promise you that will cease my i'm
performance if you will not deny me
this dance and we will leave the I'M
ravelling of the mystery to time
docs that always clear up mystic
ries?" Cecil asked, as they whirled off.
Time is never so brief as when some
pleasure, whose intensity exists in its
novelty, absorbs the mind of the par
and Cecil felt a pang of re-
gret as the sound of the three strokes
of the quarter to midnight came to
her. She must leave this elysium of
bliss too soon. Did Cinderella feel
keenly the sorrow when she fled from
the palace at the midnight Ginning.
Cecil wondered, and she sighed at the
briefness of the hour.
81 have but one more favor to ASK
Cecil's pardner said, as the music
came to a sudden stop, and the waltz
ers sought their seats or promenaded
down the long hall.
.What is that2" she asked, as they
followed the promenaders. There was
q ring of merriment IN her hitherto |
wheezv voice, for she was so intensely |
happy that she had forgotten her role.
'.That may have the first dance
after the masks have been removed"
And that is but one after the next"
Cecil said, in tone of regret Il will |
not say yes, for promise never made
is better than promise broken.
may, like Cinderella, be obliged to fly
from all this when the clock strikes
u, but should we chance to meet
again, 1 will give you the liberty of
eXacting it from me-" She laughed a