Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-23

| the moonlight With nimble steps sharI
to the rhythm, alternately emphatic and
cursory, light, agile, with now and then {
swimming movement through the trees. thil
| feet-footed company danced in solemn
silence.
Among the dancers wilfred at once saw
Berenice de Verneville.
| She was dressed In white, and her gar.
ment followed every movement like an
echo, creating a lovely series of sinuous
lines melting and reforming as she went.
Eccentric and strange though 1t was, the
dance was almost work of genius.
Two figures watched the scene from the
path, and Wilfred saw that they were
Joseph Psrkes and his host, Mr.. Horsford
Tom Whittingham was among the dancers.
81 can't stand this any longer" muttered
Wilfred, rushing into the fray.
On ran the music with delicious agility;
the figures jIgged, and spun and swan sud.
denly away, with elbow on hip, arm flung
| aloft, and body turned to right and left;
then there was setting to partners, and
minute jigging Of couples face to face.
Whether or not Madame de Verneville
were beautiful it would have been hard to
decide; hers was spell-working face,
potent, fascinating; the firm, supple little
figure suggested the idea of tiger in its in.
finite grace and power. As she danced the
movement ran through every muscle; it
spread like ripple across water
Her hair was fair and heavy, recalling
the thick, marble locks of some Greek
statue. Her eyes were deep blue, and she
had pair of dark eyebrows, giving singu-
lar effect of contrast to the fair hair.
She smiled at Wilfred, and her glance
was half friendly, half teasing He felt as
if he were being drawn out of himself
- 4. IT
enthralled. They we're still fattening the
tormented ground with unceasing steps, but
gradually Wilfred felt that he was being
drawn aside, always dancing, drawn away,
and away into the dimness of the trees,
toward the upper terraces
What was happening to him? Was he
asleep or awake? Madame de Verneville
seemed to be still Turing him on, up the
pathway to the terrace garden, and still
without a word. Up and up the two fig
ures went silently dancing. When they
arrived at the first terrace, she stopped, and
said quietly, "That answered we'll"
what answered well, In the name of
heaven?" inquired Wilfred, leaning against
the railing and pan ting.
"What do you think induced you to
dance up that hill after me?" she inquired.
'The devil!' he exclaimed
"Oh! excuse me; 1t was 1! The power
that brought you here was not in you, but
in me. 1t is for me to be exhausted but
don't say again that can't control your
will"
''What do you want with me?" he asked.
Nothing whatever; you can 60 now, if
you like, she said indiferently. But he
did not go; the atmosphere as of another
world seemed to envelop him as he watched
her half sitting, half leaning on the parapet
of the terrace, and speaking to him IN quiet
tones. He never knew how long they sat
there together in the moonlight.
The pessimism and unbelief which had
been creeping into his blood that afternoon
melted under the potency of this new solv-
ent. Without a word of argument this
magician had convinced him that life was
supremely worth living If there is an en-
crossing, enchanting, mysterious, and beau
tiful dwelling place under heaven, it is this
world of moonlight and shadow, of autumn
nights and days, this most dramatic world,
where each hour may hold for us the crisis
of our fate.
He hau scarcely time to consider whether
the genial power were good or evil. It was
like fine wine; strong, rich, seductive.
Joseph Parkes' words came back to him.
'The only hope and consolation for man
is in the love of a good woman. If he
misses that"
He felt awe-struck, full of fear, of hope,
surprise; he tried to summon reason and
common sense to the rescue, when suddenly
a big form doomed before him.
"Holloa! it's your exclaimed Wilfred.
II fear that will scarcely serve as an in
said Joseph Parkes, politely.
suddenly, and her hand frightened its grasp
Of the palisade. She bent her head, and
buried her face from the moonlight
"You have found charming seat here"
said Joseph, filling up the awkward pause.
A constrained conversation was carried on,
as if at an afternoon call. joseph Parkes
Madame de Verneville on the
dance she had led under the lime trees.
"We all took it i'll when you deserted us,
and the dancing began to flag soon after. 1
think the men are half ashamed of them
selves now, and can't quite understand what
them"
? "This lady is mesmerist," said Wilfred.
81 can quite believe it," Joseph an
swered.
"You very nearly drew old Horsford into
The circle. He would have been kicking up
his majestic heels in another two minutes
if you had stayed. What's the matter?"
be asked suddenly, noticing Wilfred's face
Notulug, was Tue iustlncti'e response.
'I'll take little stroll, think"
He plunged away rather unsteadily into
he darkness. Movement seemed neces-
,ity to him. He wandered on and on
among the intricate strawberries, up and
lown the terraces, round and round, return
ng unawares again and again to the same
Ipot. There was forlorn lichen-covered
Itatue of youth playing on flute on one
If the shadowed terraces, and this green
md dispirited young man had an odd sort