Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-11-09

different places, but had never had occa-
sion to speak to. Come, fill up your
glass and take cigar" added the re-
porter, suiting the action to the word.
only he took handful of cigars; one he
lighted, the others he put in his pocket
There were a dozen men sitting around
the table, some writing, and all smok.
ing. Rush declined both The proffered
cigars and the champagne. though he
lighted a cigar Of his own in self de-
fense and sat down in corner to write.
He used his note book for copy paper
and his knee for desk. and in the
course of an hour he had crick in his
back and a very good story written out
for The Dawn. This he dispatched.
Then he went out into the ball room
to look around for a few minutes, after
which he intended to 60 home to his
lodgings. He had not passed half way
through the lobby when he saw Archie
Tillinghast standing at the foot of the
staircase. with his mask in his hand,
gazing earnestly at the hundreds Of DOM
inoes who lounged past him or hurried
by on mischief bent.
"Why. Archie, what are you doing
here? You look as though you were ex-
pecting some one. Who is she? Come,
old fellowI" said Rush, shaking his hand
and smiling knowingly.
I'm looking for my cousin Bessie,
replied Archie.
"Whatv exclaimed Rush. starting
back, Miss Archer hereY'
"Yes; why not? They all come; though
they will deny it tomorrow. She is with
her father, however, and Helen Knowl-
ton and her aunt. They didn't come as
regular participants in the ball, you
know; they never do, only to see what
sort of place it is. To do them justice
they are not enjoying themselves very
much. There is a sort of excitement
about it, however; but when saw them
a while ago they were just recovering
from fright A half tipsy fellow had
addressed some coarse compliments to
Miss Knowlton. and she was very much
alarmed-more, fancy. at the idea of
being discovered than anything else, for
he said, 4 know you, my beauty. OF
course he didn't know her. That's what
they all say She wanted to 90 home at
once. but Bessie didn't. The girl evident
ly has some mischief in her mind.
tried to find the man, to slap bis face.
but they couldn't point him out"
"How did you know them. Archer
asked Rush He was dying to meet
Helen in her disguise, for he thought he
would get mask and say some things
to her from its concealment that he
wouldn't like to say in open court.
How did l know them? In the first
place, brought them here, and in the
second, they are dressed alike-black
satin dominoes, with a bunch Of violets
pinned on the left shoulder"
Rush could hardly talk with Archie,
no was 90 impatient to break away and
look for Helen in the crowd. At last,
after few commonplaces, he started in
quest. He had not searched long before
he was rewarded. There. sitting on one
of the seats in the dress circle, he saw
the object Of his search. There was no
mistaking the poise Of that head, even
had he not recognized the black satin
domino and the bunch Of violets on the
shoulder. She was sitting alone; that
was strange. Where were the rest of
the party, and why should its most pre-
cious treasure be left unguarded? Hastily
adjusting the mask he had borrowed
from Archie, Rush sat down In q vacant
seat next to the domino.
"The beautiful Cinderella sitting alone
at the ball" he whispered in her ear.
She turned with q start; the eyes Of the
mask glared up at him. (Why do all
eyes look so wicked behind q maskD In
disguised voice, with just the least
tremor of q laugh behind it, che replied,
cinderella is waiting for her prince and
he has come"
The boyish heart in the breast rof the
young man beat high. Did she recog-
nize him? She called him "her prince"
How he ished the pumpkin coach were
waiting ut the door that he might drive
off with her in triumph! They had a
pleasant chat, only he felt that he was
bung chaffed pretty hard at times, and
he thought that some Of the expressions
used by the lady were hardly such rs he
would expect to hear from Helen's lips.
However. he argued, lone feels freer
behind mask. If she only suspected
me. how differently she would speakr'
In the midst of their lively sallies (she
would not allow him to be sentimental),
he heard an unmistakable voice behind
him say, Don't you think we have had
enough of this. aunty9" And, looking
around, he saw the fac-simile of the
mask by his side. and near her Mr.. Ar
cher and another black domino, which
he knew was Bessie.
He felt sinking feeling; he wanted
the floor to open and let him through;
but it didn't. The resemblance between
Aunt Rebecca and Helen was very
strong. and, except that the former was
a trife heavier, their figures were much
alike. Rush had often remarked the
likeness, but no never expected to be
caught in this way. Well, there was
nothing for il. She evidently did not