The Forrest City times., 1891-05-29
"I wish you would dispossess yourself

give 1t to me-"
 Carried away by his manner, she lays her hand upon his arm, and goes with him to the ballroom. There he passes his arm around her waist, and present. ly they are lost among the throng of whirling dancers, and both give them selves up for the time being to the mere delight of knowing that they are together.
 Two people, seeing them enter thus together, on apparently friendly terms, regard them with hostile glances. Dora Talbot, who is coquetting sweetly with a gaunt man of middle age, who is evi- dently oyerpowered by her attentions, letting her eyes rest upon Florence as she WaltZeS past her with Sir Adrian, colors warmly, and, biting her lip, for gets the honeyed speech she was about te bestow upon her companion, who is the owner of a considerable property, and lapses into silence, for which the gaunt man is deyoutly grateful, as it gives him moment ill which to reflect on the safest means of getting rid of her without delay.
 Dora's fair brow grows darker and darker as she watches Florence, and notes the smile that lights ca her beau tlful face as she makes some answer to one of Sir Adrian s sallies. Where is Dynecourt, that he has not been on the spot to prevent this dance, she won ders. She grows angry, and would have stamped her little foot with i'm patient wrath at this moment, but for the fear of displaying her vexation. As she is inwardly anathematizing Arthur, he emerges from the throng, and, the dance being at an end, re- minds Miss Delmaine that the next is his.
 Florence unwillingly removes her hand from Sir Adrian's arm, and lays it upon Arthur's. Most dsdainfully she moves away with him, and suffers him to lead her to another part of the room. And when she dances with him, it is with evident reluctance, as he knows by the fact that she visibly shrlnks from him when he encircles her waist with his arm.
 Sir Adrian, who has noticed none of these symptoms, going up to Dora, so- licits her hand for this dance. You are not engaged. l hope" he says anxioHsly. It is kind of wretch ed comfort to him to be near Florence's true friend. If not the rose. she has at least some connection with 1t.
 T am afraid I am," Dora responds, raising her limpid eyes to his. Waugh ty man, why did you not come sooner? l thought you had forgotten me alto gether, apd so got tired of keeping bar ren spots upon my card for you" T couldn't help it-I was engaged. A man in his own house has always bad time'of it looking after the impossible people," says Adrian evasyely.
 Poor Florencei Is she so very im- poSsible" asks Dora, laughing, but pretending to reproach him.
 Il was not speaking of Miss Del maine," says Adrian, flushing hotly. "She is the least impossible person l ever met. It is privilege to pass ones time with her.
 Yet it is with her you have passed the last hour that you hint has been devoted to bores, returns Dora quietly. This is a mere feeler, but she throws it out with sueh an air of certainty that Sir Adrian is completely deceived, and believes her acquainted with his tete-a tete with Florence in the dimly lit ante- room.
 Well" he admits, coloring again, your cousin was rather upset by her acting, think, and just stayed with her until she felt equal to joining Us all again.
 "Ah!" exclaims Dora. who now knows all she had wanted to know.
 But you must not tell me you have llo httiiItS ltll lOI iut, NdNN xANtl Atttl gayly. Come, let me see your card" He looks at it, and finds it indeed full. | am an unfortunate" he adds.
 "I think" says Dora, with the pret- tiest hesitation, If you are sure it would not be an unkind thing to do, l could scratch out this name"-pointing to her partners for the coming dance.
 "I am not sure at all responds Sir Adrian, laughing. T am positive it will be awtully unkind of you to de- prive any fellow of your society; but be unkind, and scratch him out for my sake"
 He speaks lightly, but her heart beats high with hope.
 For your sake" she repeats softly drawing her pencil across the name written on her programme and substi- tuting his.
 But you will give me more than this one dancer queries Adrian. "ls there nobody else you can condemn to mis- cry out of all that list?'
 You are insatiable," she returns, blushing and growing confused. But you snail have 1t all your own way. Here"-giving him her card-"take what waltzes you will" She waltzes to perfection, and she knows it.
 Then this. and this, and this" says
 
 her card, after which they move away together and mingle with the other dancers.
 In the meantime, Florence growing fatigued, or disinclined to dance lon- ger with Dynecourt, stops abruptly near the door of a conservatory, and, leaning against the framework, gaZes with lstless interest at the busy scene around.
 You are tired. Will you rest for awhileY" asks Arthur politely; and, as she bends her head in cold consent, he leads her to cushioned seat that IS placed almost opposite to the doorway, and from which the ballroom and what is passing within 1t are distinctly visible.
 Sinking down amongst the blue-satin cushions of the seat he has pointed out to her, Florence signs softly, and lets her thoughts run, half sadly, half glad ly, upon her late interview with Sir Adrian. At least, if he has guessed her secret, she knows now that he does not despise her. There is no trace of contempt in the gentleness, the tender ness of his manner. And how kindly he has told her of the intended change in his lifel Their paths would lie far asunder for the future" he had said, or something tantamount to that. He spoke no doubt of his coming marriage.
 Then she begins to speculate dreamt- ly upon the sort of woman who would be happy enough to be his wife. She is still idly ruminating on this point when her companions 8 voice brings her back to the present. She had SC. far forgotten his existence in her day dreaming that his words come to her like whisper from some other world,