The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-12-01

/ was not an unprOmlsing companion.
/ He was 4 gregarious animal. He
( hated being alone, especially in q
crowd, and chance acquaintance was
+ not to be despised. He handed her his
/ card. She looked at the name, raised
her brows slightly, dropped the card
into her handbag and then, looking
squarely at him. said:
MY name is Vincent"
/ He called her Miss Vincent ut a yen-
I ture. She did not correct him, and
they fell to discussing the points OF in
/ terest on the way.
/ 1t was a delightful drive. and neither
/ regretted the circumstance that
| brought them together. They dined
at the same table. finished up the
sights in the afternoon. and, getting
in rather late. took supper tcte-a-tete
, in a corner Of the deserted dining
room. That evening the rooms were
cleared for a ball He met her at the
| door as she was about to enter the ball
| room.
She wore dress of black lace with
a sleeveless c0rsage that displayed
| pair Of superb arms and a smooth,
white neck. The sharp contrast of her
hair and dress with the singularly fair
complexion made her look like black
and white cameo. and he thought, as
he stood there looking past her into
The ballroom, that no carving could
be more classic than her profile.
shall we 90 in there" she asked.
at seems drcadfully warm ana
crowded.
"Then suppose we stay here"
Il believe it is much pleasanter
here. she answered.
The ballroom was full of promenad-
ers. They passed out on the veranda
and sat talking in the moonlight. Oc
casionally they would return and be-
guile the intervals, waltzing when the
music permitted. until the crowd of
dancers began TO thin and the parlor
clock struck ].
Il really must 90 nOw," said Miss
Vincent rising. There is l o'clock
and must leave at S. Goodnight.
Winch way do you go tomorrow"
asked Lawrence.
East. | must be at home on. the
goth"
And where is home?"
She gave the name OF village about
fifty miles distant from the town where
he lived.
iii sec Won in the morning." he
said. Il believe we leave this place on
the same train, SO | won't say good
bye. Aud now, just one more dance
the last"
Down the long gallery they tloated
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 cheek
touched her hair. The music ceased
suddenly, but the arm about the waist
did not relax. She gave furtive, up
ward glance, then dropped her eyes.
With swift movement of his left hand
he drew her arm up until it encircied
his neck, leaned forward and kis sed
her She darted away like swallow
and he caught Il last glimpse of her as
she turned the corner of a stairway.
When Lawrence came down to
breakfast next morning it was nearly
9 O'Clock. The early train had gone.
So had Miss Vincent.
1t was summer again The work
Lawrence contemplated a year ago
was finished. 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
novel-the story OF Il day-called
En- Route" which he assured his
friends was suggested by an incident
Of his western trip. The book had
been published and the reviewers, to
use his own phrase, had "let him down
easy" and he was much surprised to
find himself gently and afIabiy treated
by the Dispatch. The writer was not
surprised TO find 50 Indifferent poet
capable of prOdu cling a tale so pleas
ing and graceful, SO full Of felictous
description, so fresh and I'm nackneyed.
1t was understood that the Young man
was under 4 solemn promise never
again to attempt verse, and in consid-
GRAFTON of this assurance and the
promise of success held out by the
latter work, it was but Just that the
public should eXtip guish its resent
ment and take the author to a forgiy-
ing and indulgent bosom.
There followed a criticism in which
the claims of the book were seriously
treated, and by the time Lawrence
had finished the nerusal he was think
ing that, after all, he might have been
a little too fierce in his resentment
upon 4 previous occasion. There arose
within him a desire to make amends in
some way for his own derision of this
person, who, however hard upon him
at first, was clearly without malice in
the matter, and had no doubt in each
instance expressed an honest cOnyic-
ton. He wrote 70 note in which he
acknowledged the courtesy and asked
leave to call and thank the writer in
person. He had few copies that had
been handsomely bound. intended as
souvenirs for his friends. He would
DC most happy to present one as
token of his appreciation.
The reply 80 lis friendly overture
was written upon 4 card, across the
upper lett-haud corner of which was
the day OF tIe week IL gilt lettering,
on the opposite corner was pen-and-
ink sketch of ST. George in the act Of
vaquiShins the dragon. Below was
written:
Miss Damon will be at home to Mr..
Lawrence this evening at s O'Clock.
705 West Broadway"
ILLS Shtlch, uespItS Ine limited
space it occupied. was spirited, and in
dicated knowledge of her untlatter-
ing sobriquet. As he looked up at
his own sketch upon the wall he was
conscious of strong impulse TO de-
stroy it.
At o'clock that evening Lawrence,
bearing his peace offering coqUettishly
bound in gilt and morocco, rung Miss
Damon's bell. He was ushered into
the parlor, and in n few moments he
heard rustling of drapery behind
him. As he arose he encountered a
slender figure in a toilet of black lace.
Miss Vincent, he said exultinplY. Il
have been looking for You everywhere
| have written You innumerable letters
and | have been four times to that
horrid hole of a town where You said
you lived. Why did you deceive me
so cruelly?"