, 1888-07-24

loss 10 DCDJJ.
Into the coach and off to the assembly
rooms.
Won't Dot thtare7" thought the little
wretch. Zone needn't be tho old after
all to 60 to a ball. / make a thentha-
ton, l don't wonderl"
She was right. Scott left her at the
door of the ladies' room in care of a nice
old black "Aunty," who hooked her
snugly into her lovely frock and tied the
flmy tracery about her waist with a real
French touch, though the fingers were
black as ink.
''How in de world OBJ worlds did yo'
ebber happen ter come to dis hyar crowd
up hall, honey, chile?" looking at her adj
miringly, al she tried her steps before the
long mirror.
''Oh, Dot it'll here-my thithter, you
u~nderthand; and I jutht thought I'd
come, too"
A burst of exquisite melody-a valse
of Chopin's-brought Scott to the door
to claim the little hand for a round.
9TH too bad, Thcott, but you are too
tall!'' looking at him from her lowly
standpoint.
mo, my lear Miss Barbara, the fault
lies at your feet; you are too little" look
aAh ia " ~ ~ ANA AhAb "
lucky he was to have this little bunch of
exquisite loneliness for his sister by only
going through the several stages of &C.
static bliss with Dot, thereby killing two
birds with one stone, dead as door nails.
I'm not going to even try to waltz
with you-it would theem really too
ridiculuth-and I'm not going to be
laughed at; leth wait for the lantherth-
l know that betht OF ALL"
Dot and her submerged parent were
now safely on the floor. Dots eyes
roved over the heads of d%iminutive
maidens and squatty matrons in vain
hopes of their finding the recreant Scott.
would he dare to come without met
Would he darei Well, he is capable of
even SO fragrant al
MAY l have the pleasure, Miss Dot?
The Lancers, l believe" and papa's
business partner, lowering a crooked
elbow in her direction, leads her away by
the tip of a gloved finger that rests
daintily upon his ~broadcloth coated arm.
In n moment more they are standing lace
to face with-Soott and Barbara
For a moment her intense surprise held
her a silent captive. Then, casting one
swift glance about her, she saw that
upOul lOINJ DdllS Vi eyes "tIe obviously
intent upon Scott and his companion;
saw hat people were not consuming, but
admiring and wondering over the fairy's
advent, and, with never a lift of her
blazing eyes in their direction, she cut
them both dead. Barbara felt that her
sister was tragically inclined, despite her
lack of worldly experience, and SO fear
kept her dumb, for Dot could be
80 NVf,r1i rhnn .aln n6Naa tlf, ,-
sister knew to her sorrow.
In and out and out and in; and in the
grand chain Dots glove was squeezed by
n poor innocent young fellow, who
thought a slight pinching of the leather
covered finger tips would win one uplift-
ing of the long lashes Scottward; but the
lashes, though they trembled, were not
raised.
A crash of musical discord, the Lam
GERS was breaking up, when papa, walk
ing about with step-mamma-elect, saw a
prince and a fairy and recognized them
as beings of his own household.
oh, the enchantment of that night to
Barbara! And how the fairy folk came
trooping out from the gorgeous binding
of her books and danced about her as she
lay in dreamland, after the lights were
out, the ballroom deserted, and Dot had
solemnly refused to kiss her good night.
Next day a note from Scott TO Dot fell
into Barbara's hands. She coolly opened
1t and read as follows:
dot, l am in disgrace; why Is it2
Why did you not speak to me last night?
Did | anger you, Dot, by refusing to lis
ten longer to a lecture / did not need?
How o will you learn to trust me2
But if you are really convinced that I
am the guilty wretch you lectured so
soundly, l would advise you TO think no
more of Scott"
''Thath awful" said Barbara; 9th
thimply awful-and If Dot geth a glimpth
of thith I'll be mothed killed. I have to
be blamed for everything, it theemth,
and Thcott ought to know better than to
write n note like thith-I'n teach him a
letthonl" and the red Goals Of the CRATE
had a merry time for a second with a bit
of crested note paper.
All that week Scott waited and waited,
and all that week Dot hoped and hoped;
and the old saying that "hope deferred
maketh the heart sick" proved itself a
truth, for it came to pass that Dots body
caught the fever raging in her heart, and
there she lay, q downright invalid, for
four weary weeks.
Meanwhile, Scott had gone off in his
yacht, taking French leave of all Upper
tendon. The tickle little birds from
Southland came back after their long va
cation to set up housekeeping again, and
every hedgerow was alive with melody;
the berries were beginning to show them
selves upon the bushes and briars.
Clouds hung miles high in the heavens,
whenever there were any clouds, and the
sun went down to gather fresh heat
from his underground furnace for to-
morrow's discomfort. The sea grew
bluer as the days grew 80 much longer
and brighter, and guests had been pour
ing into the Oceanside hotel for weeks
when papa piloted his daughters to rooms
engaged for them.
Dot was white and wan and sick in
her very soul, while Barbara, If she had
had her due share of remorse, had
thrived well upon it, and was as plump
as a little partridge.
To the world Dot seemed a cold, self
possessed, naughty young Individual,
while in secret she really moped and
pinned in a ceaseless round of regret; and
Barbara seemed just what she was-a
diminutive 10-year-old, with a precocious