Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-05


turn abruptly and gaze upon the speaker.
He noticed Nellie's flushed face, her
| somewhat confused manner, saw the
sheepish look on the countenanoe of his
rival and took in the whole affair in q
moment.
She had not promised him the first
dance, or anYone-he had not asked her
had not even spoken to her during the
whole of the evening. What did it
mean? One thing was clear. She wished
10 save herself from MayEew, for the
time being, at least, and had invented
that clever method of evading him.
miss Pemberton, - Mark staid, step
ping quickly to Nellie's side, ''this is
the dance you promised me, think. -
eyes, thank you, - she replied, TAX
ing the arm he offered her, and flashing
her great brown eyes upon him with
grateful look.
Then they passed into the room arm in
arm and without q word joined the circle
Of dancers. For moment Walter MAY
hew stood there scowling and half sus-
pecting the trick Nellie had played upon
him. Then, with a muttered curse he
also passed into the room and tried TO
drown his annoyance in the company OF
q pretty ''wlnder' whom he selected as
q partner.
Round and round the gay walters gy-
rated, and Mark and Nellie kept pace
with the mos. agile of them all. Be-
tween the pauses when they rested them
selves they spoke but little, and all they
said was commonplace enough. Had
they only been able to divine each others
thoughts, they would have felt much
less constrained and far happier.
As it was, Mark still thought he owed
J.. ia
dent Of some sort, and she was uneasy
because she felt she had compromised
herself by entering the house IN May
hew's company, and afterwards sitting
beside him at dinner.
When the dance was ended Nellie,
with Mark still at her side, went across
the room to where her friend, Annie
Farrimond, and group of others were
chatting. The conversation that ensued
was of a general nature, and in few
moments Mark slipped away to have
smoke in one of the rooms below, and to
think over the recent episode on the
landing. when Nellie had so neatly adj
ministered that snub to his rival.
When he returned to the upper room
he had some reason TO regret his tenn
porary absence, for he found Mayhem
and Nellie dancing together in the Ian
GERS, and apparently enjoying themselves
in each others company.
After this Mark did not approach Nellie
again during the rest of the night. The
girls conduct puzzled him greatly, and
he felt certain that she was merely play
ing him and Mayhem against one an
other. It was bitter pill for him to
swallow. but as no other solution of the
puzzle presented itself ne had to gulp it
down and chew in silence the bitter cud
of his reflections.
He stayed on, amusing himself as best
he could, but he found the society of
the many pretty lasses present only
poor substitute for that of the girl he al
ready so deeply, and, as it appeared, so
hopelessly loved.
At length, when eleven o'clock az
rived, the party broke up, and Mark
found himself before the front door of
the Star just as Nellie Pemberton, Ar
ME Farrlmond, Mayhem and two or
three others were bidding each other
good night.
He was aooosted by Annie in most
friendly way, and as they shook hands,
while they gave each other hearty good
night, Eliot heard his rival say in his
most ingratlatory manner:
81 hope, Miss Pemberton, that you
will permit me to accompany you
home?'
"G am very sorry, Mr.. Mayhem, but
Mr.. Eliot has promised to do SO. He
goes my way, you know. -
Mark s heart leaped to his throat al
most at the girl s words, and a wave of
deep, inexpressible pleasure surged
through his breast. The next moment
he was standing at his loved ones side,
ready to undertake the welcome task
she had chosen to impose upon him.
(TO BE CONTINUED.