The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-10-02

turne away. having come to this concln-
sion, and encountered Hardness, who had
come in search of her.
"They are just tuning up" he said, refer
ring to the ban1
YES | think every one knows who wants
to know" Olive answered "Not many peo
pie care to dance in the afternoon, but there
are some who have driven a long way, and
will have TO leave rather early, and so We
always have II for them.
By this time they had reached the mar
qaee, the white lacs curtains OF which were
looped up in festooni 10 admit of air and
light Over Tho boarded floor was spread q
well-glazsd linen cloth and already three
couples were slowly spinning round. revel-
ing in the unwon.ed space and freedom
from jostle and crowd, Hardness put his
arm rcunI Olives waist, and they slipped
of Just as Lucy and Miss Baumme cane to
a stand-still
Before that dance had ended an eager
thrill had shot like fire through Lucy's
heart-a thrill which, expressed in words.
would have told that he felt his grand
scheme for the cultivation of jealousy was
beginning to work. Forthwith he redoubled
his attentions to Miss Baumme.
"Shall we go and look for an icei' he sug-
gested, as the music ceased.
u think we will" said she. deliberately.
at works. said Lucy to himself, "it
worksl"
He had caught a half-puzz!ed expression
upon Olives face as she and Miss Baumme
left the marquee; whereupon he led her
away with an dir OF devotion which de-
c4iveI everybody but Evelyn Baumme her.
self He found her seat in shady and re-
tired arbor. where trayful of ices and a
great fl1gon of champagne cup had been set
on little table, in readiness Tor any thirsty
D -rsons who might happen to come that
wav. There were two comfortable garden
chairs also; Miss Biumme took ons, Lucy
the other
"Tnis is a unreasonable way of entertain
ment, don't you thinkl' said Lucy, handing
glass of cup across the table
None for me, thanks l shall confine my
attentions to coffee ices and sponge biscuit
she answered. "You may have all the cup,
if it won't get into your head"
E "My head, said Lucy. "is pwroof against
any twrouble of any kind; the fellows say
because it's so empty, nothing will ever stop
in it, not even the effects of bad liquor
He tested the quality of the cup, and then
looked around the arbor.
"This is vewry cozy kind of place, is it
notG' be remarked "l'he sort of oasis in
the desert You don't often meet with at gar
den parties"
Like q good many things the Weylands
provide returned Miss Baumme, as she ate
her ice
anna zingiy. The strains of Mon Reeve"
stole softly to them on the still summer air;
but neither of them moved, except that Lucy
filed up his goblet with cup and Miss
Baumme helped herself to another ice. The
music ceased, but the cup and the ices were
slowly consumed. After an interval of q
few minutes the music tegan again-"Liebt
und Nerloren" this time-but they sat still,
this pair. who were both of them playing at
love making. Put presently, when the
slow. swinging. dreamy, seductive strains
of Naldteufels "Manola" reached their re-
treat, Lucy looked inquiriIgly at his COM
panion, and she rose. saving she thought it
was time they went back to the worldl
"Out of paradisei" ended Lucy, not minded
to he outdone in insinuating pretty things.
However, though they went back to the
world, they went back to that part of it
where they could still I've togethor-that is TO
say, to the marquee There they found three
happy couples swinging slowly along in what
might be termed ballroom bliss, having q
first rate floor, perfect music, plenty Of
room, and abundance Of air.
Lovely said Lucy.
He had not asked her to dance, but soma
how his arm slipped round her waist as II by
instinct, and they made the trio OF couples
into a quartet; not, however, before Lucy
had had time to notice the establishment on
Olive Weyland's lace, and had seen her turn
TO Hardness with what he felt sure must be
9 forced laugh.
at works." he said once more to his own
soul in triumph.
He was quite right-it did work, but not
at all in the way he imagined. So far from
Olives laugh being forced, it was in truth a
very real one; so far from her being hurt,
jealous, annoyed In any way at his marked
attentions to Miss Baumne, she was only a
little surprised and very much amused; in
fact, she was quite willing that he should
dance all the afternoon and all the evening
with Evelyn Baumme, provided that he did
not raise any objection to her doing the
same with Capt Hardness, If she so chose.
Yet though Harkness-who knew what
was what in a woman as well as most men
would willingly have claimed Miss Weyland
as his only partner that day, they did not
dance very much together after all. There
are certain well defined limits to inclination,
which go by the names of conventionality
and etiquette; those same limits stepped IN
upon that occasion, as they do on many an
other, and were, moreover, aided by the fact
that Olive was at home, and therefore could
not go in for enjoyment as she might have
done had she not been obliged TO LOOK
after unfortunate people who did not know
any one. and still more unfortunate people
who did know others of their kind, but vert
| troubled by shyness and such like uncom
| Portable traits Of character.
But it was during the week which TO!
lowed that she and Hardness had such q
good time. As Lucy's attentions to Mis-:
Baumme increased, so did Olive Weyland
| manner towards Hardness become more and
more encouraging. Nor must Hardness be
suspected of any meanness in carrying or
such Irritation as he did under Lucy's very
nose. He was a man whose Judgment was
|
| before, Ferrers-better known 10 the worlt
as Bootles-had taken his advice before al
others in the matter of providing for Mis-
Mignon; and since that officers marriage
when Lucy had. naturally enough, fallen 9
little away from him, or at least from the
hourly intercourse with him-he had some
what taken the place in Lucy's daily Life
which aforetime Boobies had occupied Con
seguently, be knew something of his feeling
with regard to Olive Weyland Many ant
many an hour he had sat solemnly listening
pipe in mouth. while Lucy babbled on, pour
ing out the story of his love. his doubts AMI
fears, his hopes and wishes, his admiration
| After his first introduction. he had tolt
Lucy she was the most charming young
lady he had ever had the good fortune t.
meet; had wished him every success; hae
told him to command him at any time fo
special duty of best man; and had generally
made himself as agreea BILE over the matte
as was pos sible.
Strangely enough, Lucy had not copfidet
to his friend his little plan for assaiing tn
hitherto improbable fortress of Olive Wey
lands heart. Perhaps it was because he dit
not wish even his friend to know that he hat