The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-11

what the place was ana was TOLD that II
was "Our Club" As Col. Mortimer en-.
tered the room at this moment, he sup.
posed John meant his and the colonel's,
and took it for granted that it was ques.
tionable place or the latter would moi
have anything to do with it. Rush de-
spised Col. Mortimer, and was never
more pleased than when he found it was
he whom he had knocked down at the
masked ball. He wanted to confess the
deed at once, but John, in whom he con-
fided, begged him not to. saying it would
be fatal to his interests. Rush did not
tell John who the lady was whom Nor
timer had annoyed, and his brother asked
no questions.
1t was very annoying to Rush that
Col. Mortimer was guest at this little
dinner, but there was nothing for it and
he had to be polite on his brothers ac-
count. Mortimer could be very agreea-
BILE when he tried, and this was one of
the occasions on which he had laid him
self out to please He told amusing an
ecdotes of the war and of the world, and
Rush was entertained in spite of himself.
Hes not half bad fellow" said John,
when Mortimer left the room for mo-
ment "You will like him better when
you know MIN better
1t was O'Clock when this little dinner
came to an end. Fortunately it was
Rush's night off at the Office, for he did
not feel very much like working for three
or four hours over a desk in u stuffy
room. John proposed that they should
walk around Madison square, and the
three sauntered out. On their way they
stopped at a florists, where John ordered
basket of pink and white roses.
'For the same party, sir?' asked the
florist.
eyes; and send them at once, please, -
answered John. And, taking I. card
from his card case, he incloscd it in a
small envelope and addressed it. The
three walked on again. When they
reached Union square, John said, as
though seized by a sudden inspiration,
Lets go to the opera. It is Faust to-
night; and there is a good ballet, you
know. I'm more than fond of q good
ballet"
Rush was at first ready to embrace his
brother for the suggestion; but he could
not bear the idea of going to see Helen
Knowlton, particularly in such a role as
Marguerite, in company with Col. Morti-
mer; so he answered:
Were not dressed for the opera, John;
if we were, L should be delighted to CO."
Hang dress!" answered John. "We'n
buy admission tickets, and stroll in the
lobby till the ballet comes on. Here's
Fourteenth street. Left wheel, march!'
They were soon inside the lobby, and,
to Johns delight, the corps de ballet was
just coming down the stage. They
stepped inside the glass doors and formed
part of the crowd of men who fringed
the wall.
Was there ever more delightful waltz
music written that that of "Faust?
Rush thought not; and I think so, too.
The dancing was encored, and Leoni,
the premiere, came tripping down to the
footlights to bow her Acknowledgements
of the applause. An usher jostled against
Rush as he hurried down the aisle, bear
ing aloft basket of pink and white
roses. Leoni bowed low over the flow
ers, kissed them, and backed with the
awkward steps Of ballet dancer to the
wings.
"Leoni gets basket like that every
night" whispered a confding usher in
Rushs ear. ''Some feller's dead goneon
her, no mistake"
"Who is the MANI" asked Rush, know
ing very well who had sent the flowers.
81 don't know; but they say he's pow
erful rich, and would marry Leoni if
she'd have him. She won't have any
thing else, he can bet his life on that"
And the usher stopped talking to join in
the applause as Helen Knowlton came
down the stage.
need hardly say that Rush was inter-
ested in the usher's information. He
could not help smiling at the idea of
John marrying the ballet dancer with
his engagement to Amy Bayliss on his
hands. He didn't even believe that he
knew her, but merely thought it was one
of his fancies to be known as patron
of the ballet to the extent of sending
flowers to premiere danseuse. The
dancing was hardly over, when John
proposed going, and, as Rush was his
guest, he had to go too, though he did so
with great reluctance. John suggested
that they should return to 1.-THE Club"
and to 1.-THE Club" they accordingly re-
turned.
There is some interesting playing
here of an evening"" said John, as they
entered the gilded saloon; "you will be
amused to watch it. These fellows play
high some nights-eh, colonel"
The colonel smiled, and they saun-
tered up to the table and watched the
game in progress. As it grew exciting,
John said thai he would throw S. on
the red, "just for the fun of the thing"
and the red won. He left his money
there, and still won.
"Why don't you take your money
while the luck is with your" said Rush.
SIT will do better than that. I'll leave
it there and show you" But the luck
did not last very long, and before the
evening was over John had lost $500.
''Fn have my revenge tomorrow
night" said he, good naturally, "and
win it all back and more, too"
Rush looked at his watch. 1t was 9
o'clock, and he felt ashamed of himself
for having come from the presence of
Helen Knowlton to spend the evening in