The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-12-22


little trampm
"Ah! the thought of it was more
bitter than NORWOOD or gall to the
proud, naughty girl
CHAPTER XIII.
After Mrs. nristol had presented
Lenora to most of the guests she went
over to where Ray had sank down upon
a sofa.
rs she the young lady you saw at
the window, Ray?"
Yes" he replied, in a low, sup
pressed tone.
"What do you think Of her? Is she
an adventures or not?'
mo. She is no adventures, but
looks to me like pEre and innocent
child, and is the ioveliest ceeature
ever saw in my 'Ife | hope you won't
keep me in suspense any longer,
mother, as to who she is. "
We'll, really, Ray, l do not exactly
know who she is myself, nor do [
think she knows her right name.
There seems to be great mystery that
surrounds her entire life; she says she
has no home, no friends, and does not
know how she came here. But, Ray,
my boy, search your memory and see
il you cannot think of some one or
some picture that she resembles For
some reason or other | have taken a
great fancy to her, and every time |
look IN her face some incident of my
childhood days comes to my memory.
What do you think, Ray? What about
Aunt Marie's daughter, your cousin,
Eega! Isn't there Il resemblance"
"Oh, impossible, mother, for you
know how terrible it all was, and, what
IS more, Cousin Rega never had a.
But what did she say, mother, about
her home, her past life, and-and --
oh, mother, | wish you would not say
any more to me just now.
Everything seems all confusion and
| would like to be alone for few mo-
ments"
"Well, well, Ray, l won't bother you,
for no doubt you are tired over your
long ride to-day. L must go and at
tend to my guests now, or they Will
think that | have forgotten them
Mrs. Bristol had noticed the change
III Lay, but said nothing, and did not
offer t. introduce him to her pet. 1t
seemed that she was trying him that
night
rs yet Lenora had not seen the
young man that she saw coming up
the walk, ana was wondering which of
the many gentlemen was the master of
the mansion.
She was too shy and timid to look
around the room at first, or she might
have seen that same face and those
large brown eyes looking so wistfully
at her. He was near enough to hear
her voice, but did not dare to speak to
her
oh, how awkward it all is. Why
didn't mother introduce me when she
first came in. | wonder if she waltzes.
Hope so, at least, and what sweet
NoiCcl"
IIc left the gay little group and went
80 the parlors and tried to talk to the
guests there, but everything seemed
duh to him, and he felt exceedingly
uncomfortable, while every few mo-
ments he would glance toward the
drawing-room in the hope that he
might see her
All! There is the music, and now
the dancing Will begin; perhaps it will
drive this miserable feeling away"
He had a partner for the first dance,
but had none engaged for the second
and third, neither for the fourth nor
the fifth.
Jeanette had saved most of the
waltzes for Ray, but her card was
almost full Charley Hall had engaged
Lenora for the first waltz, while Ray
and Jeanette were partners. In few
minutes the dancing began, and as
Lenora had no partner she was left
quito by herself. She quietly slipped
into the family sittingroom and as that
part of the house was entirely deserted
she sat down to the piano and began to
play. 1t happened that Rays partner
accidentally tore one of the founces on
her dress as she was going to the ball
room, and, of course, Ray had no
partner for that dance.
He stood in the ballroom door for a
while looking at the merry throng
within, but for some reason or other
the music was not sweet to his ear and
there was a continual discord
He left the ballroom and strolled
through the hall toward the drawing
room door
Il viii go and see who is left on the
first dance, and perhaps [ can get some
old lady to talk to me a while and then
] may feel better. But-harlz! That
uiusic-that voice! How very sweet
and soothing it is. Wonder who is
singing; just for the fun of it [ will slip
Id and see"
and he did see, for when he reached
the sitting-room no one was there but
the little stranger, and it was she that
played so divinely.
How radiant his face was as he saw
her there alone. and the music seemed
to sooth his nerves, as it rose and fell
into the sweetest melodies he had ever
heard.
Lenora, too, was strangely restless
that night.
oh, dear mel [ wish I had not seen
that gentleman get out of the carriage.
for-fOr some reason or other-his face
has been before me ever since. Wonder
who he Isl L have not seen him here
this evening. Perhaps i'll sing some
of my old songs | shall feel better, and
t-ttA the luce VIII go away.
As her voice rose like a nightingale's.
sending the sweet tones ringing through
the empty rooms, it was waited ON the
perfumed air into the halls and then
mingled with that of the ballroom.
1t was that sweet voice in the dis
lance that Ray had heard. and he had
been drawn to the sitting room where
he had found her, who was before him
all the time.
All! this must be paradise, and she
the reigning queen; feel happy here.
and could listen to that sweet voice all
my life
He could not stay away from her,
and Vet he did not wish to go nearer
than the doorway. She did not see
him.
His face was still in front of her
with the great dark eyes looking down
into the sweet, dreamy depths of her
own.