Evening journal., 1892-02-17
MERELY AN EPISODE.

! Ae was a boy; 1t was nothing but a nui.
Hance, and yet he staid weared and dis.
gusted, yawning until the tears came in
bis eyes, wishing himself elsewhere and
lingering about IN dreary isolation.
The night went by in loud noise, clash Of
music, clamor Of voices, rhythmic fall Of
feet The fallen warriors were pushed I'M
Ger benches or sat bundled ia chairs, sunk
in heavy slumber. From tile boxes laugh
ter Tell in silvery cadeuces on to the hub
hub Of the dance beneath and mingled
with the brazsn blaring Of the orchestra.
Sitting in corner, his shoulder pressed
against the gilded grating Of an empty
box, his eyes fastened modify on the wild
throng, Carroll remained immovable, a
prey to cynical reflections. lie seemed to
himself being of another sphere, "a reality
among phautoms, or was 10 perhaps. a
phantom among realitiesf So silent was
he that no one noticed him in his deserted
corner with his shoulder against the graf
ing of the empty box
In the depths of his reflections, trem-
bling into the gloom of his revery. softly
breaking the chain Of his thoughts like
the gentle touch Of a beloved hand, came
OF a sudden. a sigh, long, quiyering sigh,
| almost a sob, Carroll was startled. but he
| made no sign There was some one tn the
| box7-tfter all. Without moving his head.
he flashed "A glance through the grating
ont Of tile corners Of bis eyes. There was
a woman sitting there, quite close to him
She must have moved from the back of the
box since he had come for he was certain
THAI she was not there when he took bis
sent
She evidently had not noticed him. and
| believed herself nnobserved Ia his brief
/ glance Carroll had seen that she wore a
! hlack domino and mask Of the plainest
/ Kind, that her hands were clasped IN her
! lap and thai she appeared to be looking at
the dancers. They could not see her, he
Thought.
III stole another look at her, and, as be
/ did so, SHE sighed again-a sigh Of weari.
ness and pan. Then She moved, and taking
| up ian 40 her lap began 70 noiselessly fan
/ herself. ihc Hap Of her musk moved ia the
faint winnowing air made by che fin, rose
q littls, thun 1911 Suddenly, TT a wider
/ sweep of the fail, the Zap curved upward ia
q deep WAVE, and Carroll saw "A portion cf
q Smooth, pale cheek, the corner Of her
1 mouth, mld near it, toward the chin, a
small brown mole
Almost simultaneously she raised her
\ eyes and saw him looking at her through
the grating Size dropped the fan and
made q grasp at the edge of the mask.
Through the two Sits for the eyes Carroll
saw hers, and though he could not tell
whether they were light or dark be saw
that they were full OF terror The thought
flashed through bis mind, Il win know
her again, aud he knew that she had
thought the same Of him The next instant
! she had withdrawn into the back OF the
box. Carroll went home wondering about
her.
a few evenings later he went to a dinner
at the house OF fashionable lady, who was
g relation Of his just before dinner she
cume 10 him, and said
| Carroll, 1 have q favor 10 ask Of Won
| My niece Helen, little country lass. IS in
town for The winter, to stay with her
brother who IS going 70 college She is
under my wing, and Is very Young and
hashiul ! ann going to ask you 10 take
her into dinner and be kind to her: she has
seen SO little society She was here mo
mont ago, but has run away again for
| something or other. ! win Introduce YOU
70 her when she comes hackn
Carroll assured her that he would Be a J..
| lighted, which had more truth ia it than
such remarks usually have Il would be
less trouble to tail, 60 q young miss Ike
this than 90 more tried veteran, ana II
she couldn't talk he could eat his dinner IN
peace and let her preserve the silence 50
dear % the dehu,ante.
Presently, in the movement and we'll
bred shutting Of O dinner cortege getting
under way, young girl was given him to
take as his partner, and with whom he
brought up the rear of the long procession.
He hardly noticed her; bread and butter
was not in his line he felt her small hand
put Imply on bis arm, and he was dimly
aware thar her dress was pink She said
nothing. Ia answer To his remark about
the oak panels In tine hall She assented
family.
she was evidently extremely raw Seat
ed ~ table, Carroll unfolding his napkin
said he liked pink candle shades aud then
began 20 take his soup. When be had lin.
ished II he looked about the table, smiled
at a Lady opposite, said something Is a
man farther down Finally, absently
brushing his long mustache with his nap
kin, he looked at his companion. She was
sitting with her bands IN her lap, her head
dropped, her eyes staring at the center
piece. Her cheeks and chin were smooth
and pale, and near the corner of her
mouth toward the chin was a square piece
Of black court plaster
1 ArNAAA HtAAN~AtAANA lAlh AIS NiNNlaGnE with
the napkin, Carroll looked at the small
black square. He would have given a
years income II it would have fallen OF
He looked at the shape and set Of her head.
AT the pose Of her folded hands. 1t was the
same, yet how could it bes He looked al
her cheek and chin, and then, lowering his
| eyes, tried 70 recall the exact appearance
Of the cheek and chin he had seen under
the masks undulating flap. Then he
glanced zap. Il was the same, there could
be no doubt. Aud still it seemed incredible
She was not more than eighteen years old.
and she looked so pensive and wistful. She
seemed to have forgotten his presence, and
70 be absorbed in her own melancholy pom.
! derings, staring at the centerpiece with
! thoughtful dark eyes.
Mrs Lafarge tells me, he said, sud
! denly, leaning toward her, "that you have
! only just come TO town"
She started and looked up at him. He
! even seemed TO recognize the ewes with
their Look Of scared surprise. For mo.
ment she seemed confused, then She said.
YES, but | am going to stay for the
winter Ny brother is here at college.
snrt8e.,... -.