The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-17
They passed out on tie veranda and sa,

music permitted. until The crowd of
dancers began To thin and the parlor rpck
struck l.
81 really must go now" said Miss Vim
cent rising. There is O'Clock. and mus,
leave ut S. Good night"
Which way do you go tomorrow ?" asked
Lawrence
East. 1 must be ut home by the 10Th"
And where is homer"
She gave the name Of village about
fifty miles distant from the town where he
lived
"Pll see you in the morning." he said.
believe we leave this place on the same
tram. SO won't say goodby. And now
Just one more dance-the last
Down the long gallery they floated into
the shadow and out into the light, his clasp
gradually tightening as they went. her
face against his shoulder and his head bent
forward until his check touched her hair
The music ceased suddenly. but the arm
about her waist did not relaX She gave n
turtive, upward glance. then dropped her
eyes.
With swift movement of his left hand
he drew her arm up until it encircled his
neck, leaned forward and kissed her She
darted away like II swallow, and he caught
last glimpse of her as she turned a corner
OF tho stairway.
When Lawrence came down to breakfls,
next morning it was nearly o O'clock. The
early train had gone. So had Miss Vincent
1t was summer again. The work Law
renee contemplated II year ago was lin
ished. He had acted on the suggestion of
his critic; he had turned Pegasus out to
Craze and given his attention to prose
The result was NOVELETTE, story of II
day-callcd, "En Route" which he assured
his friends was suggested by an incident of
his western trip
The book had been published and the re.
viewers, to use his own phrase. had "let
him down easy" and he was much sur
prised to find himself gently and ailubly
treated by The Dispatch
The writer was not surprised TO find so
indifferent poet capable of producing II
tale so pleasing and graceful. so full of
fellcitous description. 50 fresh and unhack
neyed.
1t was understood that the young man
was under solemn promise never again
to attempt verse, and, in consideration of
this assurance and the promise of success
held out by the latter work, it was but inst
that the public should eXtinguish it's re
sentiment and take the author to IL forgv-
ing and indulgent bosom.
There followed u criticism in which the
claims of the book were seriously treated.
and by the time Lawrence had finished the
perusal he was thinking that after all he
might have been Il little too fierce in his re-
sentiment upon previous occasion
There arose within him Il desire to make
amends in some way for his own tlerision
of this person, who however. hard upon
him ut first, was clearly without malice III
the matter, and had no doubt in each in.
stance expressed an honest conviction.
N tn pNtn IN, IL;
edged the courtesy. and asked leave TO call
and thank the writer in person. He had IL
few copies that had been handsomely
bound, intended as souvenirs for his friends.
lie would he most happy to present one as
n token of his appreciation.
The reply to his friendly overture was
written upon card, across the upper left
hand corner of which was the day of the
week i'll gilt lettering; on the opposite cor
ner was pen and ink sketch of ST. George
in the act of vanquishing the dragon. Be
low was written:
Miss Damon will be ut home to Mr..
Lawrence this evening ut s O'clock. 1O5
West Broadway"
This sketch, despite the limited space it
occupied, was spirited and indicated Il
knowledge of her unhattering sobriquet.
AS he looked up ut his own sketch upon
the wall he was conscious of strong i'm
pulse to destroyit.
AT o'clock that evening Lawrence,
bearing his peace offering in gilt and mo-
rocco. rang Miss Damon's bell He was
ushercd into the parlor, and III few mo-
ments he heard u rustling of drapery behind
him.
AS he arose he encountered a slender
figure in II toilet of black lace.
Miss Vincent" he said cxultingly, Il
have been looking for you everywhere. |
have written you innumerable letters, and
l have been four times to that horrid hole
of town where you said you lived. Why
did you deceive me SO cruellyf"
why did deceive your Well, did
not think it would add anything to your
pleasure just then to know the truth"
a horrible presentmcnt seized him.
'Thcn-then-your name-is not Vim
cent?"
Yes; Alice Vincent Damon"
You know me of course?" lie faItered.
Yes"
Don't you think you have taken rather
u mean advantage of me?"
mo; i think the truth would have
spoiled very pleasant day"
a week or two later, as Lawrence was
sitting in his room, his friend Harrison
came in, took n seat on the opposite side OF
the table. and, after gazing Mt his host for
some time with Il most lugubrious express
sion, said:
'Old man. is this all true that hear
about your"
What do you hear?"
That you have actually caught the
dragon"
Lawrence laughed
What does it mcsn9" persisted Harri
son.
1T means that ut last am about to take
my revenge. intend to marry her."
Lawrence made this announcement with
dramatic intensity, and Harrison, who had
arisen, dropped Imply into a chair.
After pause he pointed to the sketch on
the wall md ask ed natbeticollv.