The morning call., 1890-08-23
A FATAL DANCE.
fCoNCLUDED.1


NTS circlIng the waist which mine had 50
A'A' lately cashed and holding her closer TO
, him than had dared TO do. The sight, ordinary
as it was, filled me With fury; but still stood
there waiting till they should come round again.
Ii was an act of folly on my part thus to torture
myself by a sight which l could so easily have
avoided, but was incapable of resisting the
temptation to witness. And how they danced!
If Elinor Ayton was the best female WALTER in
the room she had at least partner worthy OF
her skill; was forced 10 admit that
At last the waltz came TO an end, ana the
dancers proceeded to promenade the ROOM
Miss Ayton passed me more than once leaning
on the arm OF her partner. They were chatting
together very gayly and laughing now and them
felt sure the subject Of their merrmenl was my
recent clumsineSs. Never once did she turn nef
eyes toward me, though she knew must DC
standing there with feelings OF annoyance anu
self-repr0ach. Surely, | thought she might
have taken the earliest opportunity 10 leave mat
fellow and console me in my yeXatlon, but she
did not Nay, moIe-when The orchestra had
struck up again for a square dance, l perceived
that she stil had Captain Curtis beside her as
her partner Was the petty service he had rem
dered so great as 10 call for such a reward as
this?
could bear tile sight Of their association no
longer and hurried from The ballroom. bad
intended TO leave tie house, but the corridor
through which l happened TO pass led me, not 10
tie font, but to the back of the mansion, and IN
few moments. having put aside the hea W Vei-
vet curtain that hung across an olen frehcn
window, found my self uuon tie broad terrace
which overlooked The beautiful gardensl In the
rear Of Linton Han
fre>hug breeze was blowing. The moon was al
most tull, ana, while visible dlmly ligHteu up
the landscape; but now and then Scuddlng
clouds passed over It's surface ana shrouded the
paced to and fro upon the terrace. The
1rFnA FAN -
me. But my mind was SIN tortured by anger
and jealousy. True, could not think for mo.
ment that the tritllug accident / had caused
would lower me in the opinion OF the woman l
loved. nor could attach any Importance 10 her
acceptance az Allen Curtis hand IN dance II
was something mOie than either OF Ihese clfcqm'
stances that oppressed my heart ITlYldl ID
themselves, thHy were Significant. lheY suE'
gesTet lie bitter truth that OF the Two VINO
had loved her Allen curtis, and not /, was lie
one best suited 10 her as partner, not merely
in a dance, but for life
How could think otherwise? 1 might have
my merits, no doubt. / knew that if EnOr Ay-
ton were mme, should lavish upon her wealth
Of affection such as few women could command
If ever i man adapted 10 be Womah's
slaYetI was /. With tickle, frivolous or unlea-
sOnable woman IL is possible | might IN time be
al a variance, but never with one ike EllnOr /
had known her long, and knew her well. had
seen her temper tried by many annOyances, and
! had found II 10 be beyond pfOY0c3tl0n. knew
that she had dOtiOg and lnGulGent father and
was aware that she never Tor one moment TOOK
undue advantage OF his Kindness. She was not
highly educated, but she was Intelligent ana aD-
pTeclatlVe, ana had perfect taste III all matters OF
ART. To such woman could devote my whole
life, and she could not but love me for such love
as / Lad 10 give.
YET was II a man Ike myself that such a woman
would choose? Size was the perfection OF sweet
ness and grace but what was d? UusgEtly IN
appearance. awkward IN manner. Iude IN speech.
was about as little attractive as man could
be. Oh, that my soul, my mind, were In Allen
Carts body disllked him because knew lie
loved Tie woman 1 WOlshped. lie was gO0d
10 liking, poished, agreeable ard c0nclialofy IN
nlauneT-a very much more likely person TO be
admired, perhaps loved, by EnOr than myself.
had seen her Just now clasped 10 his breast.
That was nothing. But / could picture TO myself
the scene IN which he should be bending over
her whispering words and VOWS OF affection IN
.her ear, expressed In dainty language which
could not command. Even at that very moment
he might be taking advantage of his opportunity.
SUPPOSE resting from the dance, he was seated
with her In one OF those snug TeceSses IN which |
had Tiled 10 hide myself from observation, and
assuring her OF his affection, his devotion? Sup
pose that 10 the excitement OF the moment grate-
full 10 him for his lender attention, behOlding
him at his best IN outward aspect ana earnest
ness of feeling, she were to accept his offer?
Tie thought was madness. l could not linger
where stood, not knowing what might be lap
peuiBg in the crowded ballroom, where my fate
for lie might be sealed beyond hope. must re-
turn and watch them-see whether my suSpi-
ciOns were well founded or nOl-peIhapS have
WORD Win her which might prevent, or at least
avert, the event feared.
With hasiy steps l crossed the terrace and
rushed 10 Tie French window when gave access
hung across II, and at that moment sustained
violent physical shock 80
1 had accidentally come In contact with the
body Of some other man. / must nave been
heavier han be, fer, while staggered from the
collision he seemed TO have been actually beaten
back-al but struck down. l IstIealed step
upon The terrace with words OF apology on my
lips But the man l had encountered having re-
covered his footing, came forward, and we stood
there face TO face IN The moonlight.
"COarSe. clumsy Dfutel' cried Allen curtis, lot
10 was he. 80
..Yuur words are scarcely courteous, sirl" l
replied, siung by his insolenee. -
"What Of thaI?" tie ret0ned. "COurleousness
Is ihIown away upo1 such as you. Have you
not done enough mischief Tonight Win your
I'll you think that an accident 1ustihes your
insulting me, Captain Curtis" said Il with
craw nay apology. Apologies are due only 10
"Geniitmenv he sneered. 'wbat have you
In common with Gentemen-or with ladies either,
as You have shown tO-nght|'
"IusOlent cadH' | exclaimed.
In an instant he had struck me, while he NUT
tered some iucOheTent words OF wratnz The next
moment l had him by the throat and we were
engaged 10 deadly struggle. In point OF physl,
cal capaciiy We were well matched. He was OF
slighter build Than /, perhaps of Inferior museu-
lar vigOf; but athletic exercise and military
training had given him skill which made up
for my superior weight and strength
SO far as | remember, did not wish to return
his blow. / held him by the throat with some
vague desire 10 do him violence, perhaps 10
shake him and then thu Ow him aside. He, on
his part stIoye to break away from me, possibly
10 strike me again; for we were at such close
quarters that lie could not use his fists. SO
there we were struggling for the mastery; then,
Win a desperate effort, lie swung himself round.
/ followed his movements, and thus round and
round we turned IN deadly Eyrallon, performing
a grim waltz. indeed. We had now crossed the
terrace ana had reached the SIDE where II was
bOrdered by balustrade Beneath, al the depth
CT some twenty leet, lay the ornamental garden
and access to the lower ground was gained by
long straight flight OF marble steps.
at that moment The moon was hidden behind
a cIUud and desperate struggle
linued in darkness. Presently We shifted our
position and must have advanced a few PAGES
along lie terrace. / st held him by the neck
While lie strOYe in vain to shake me OIL. Excited
as / was, had not lost command over myself so
utterly as to have got beyond reflection. Ny
blood, quickly heated, as quickly cooled, ana
felt that au end must be put to this unseemly
conflict. would not strike him, but fling him to
tile earth-lt would be a sufficient retaliation for
his violence; so, with all my strength, l hurled
him backward from me and he Tell.
Butch heavens i-how and where did he fall?
Not al my feet, as | had iDieuded-nOt npOn the
surface OF lie terrace. He seemed to vanish
into space; and, TO my horror, heard the sound
Of ms body striking the ground at some dis
lance.
just then the moon emerged from the clouds,
and saw what mad done. We had unknown
ingy reached the very edge of the fight OF
maj Die steps, and down these had cast the un-
happy man. ! lie crash OF his body as it fell was
followed by grooming cryi then all was silent.
For an instant stood at tie head oil the steps
uanshxed by horror. Tnere, halfway down, lay
my victim, head foremost aud motionless.
iu9HCu uONu ana IlIleu Dliu III my dlHSi
pore HIM up TO the terrace aud at that moment
the curtains parted and half dozen scared
guests aud attendants alarmed by the sounds
oil The struggle, hurried out INTO the open air.
These were quickly followed by more and yet
more, until lie terrace was crowded
here?"
wenknown surgeon at once stepped forward
and examined the nanmate BODY
"His skull Is fractured" he said 81 am sorry
10 say he is dead"
'Dead Who is dead2 Oh, heaven. mt
Geotiley Gratwicke? Don't ten me that p
cried Elinor Ayton. who had burst through the
crowd.
She had heard-so / afieTward learned-that
there had been a conflict between Godfrey Graf
wcge and Allen Curtis but 1t was not known
which had been the victim In the struggle; and
IL was for my life, not his, that she feared.
mo, Miss AytOD," | said; lit is Allen Curtis
who has fallen. 1t is who have caused his
death ~
There was a murmur OF horror from the spec
latOis, and more than one lady IN tile llf0ng
tainted. But EnOr AytOn dld not faint. Her
lace, deathly pale in the moonlight, assumed an
aspect OF almost stony calm.
MI Gralwicke," she said, eoldly and sternly,
oid you willuy Kill this man?"
No-beioie heayeni" / cried. "Hls death
was Inc result of hut