Evening journal., 1892-08-01

at the fort gives a hop, and Mrs. Knowles. a
married nlrt from a nearby, town, makes a
scene with Brewster, at which Major Berrien
ana Winifred are mystihed and indignant
begun Tuesday, July 26-Back numbers at
the Counting Rooml
"Ah, Mr.. Brewster, it wasn't easy to
give up half that dance-was it, nowi
Why do you do such things in the
army"
"There were only four waltzes, Mrs
Van Ness" smiled Mrs. Ber1ien. "BIr
Brewster had had one and had claimed
this, and Mr. Ridgeway had had none at
all, and Winifred and 1 both thought he
ought not TO be denied entirely. It is
the only round dance he knows"
Saying no word, Brewster had dropped
behind Mrs. Berrien's chair.
HE doesn't know that any too well,
said Mrs. Van Ness to herself. "Where
could he have learned to dancer" The
floor was crowded at the moment and
unusually slippery, so that reversing or
avoidance Of collision was rendered the
more difficult even for experts. Twice
had Ridgeway bumped into somebody or
other without grievous disaster, butnow
as luck would have it, came catastrophe.
In the effort to check himself sudden
ly just as he seemed shooting into con-
tact with slender light battery man
whom he could not have touched had he
tried, the young fellows feet flew from
under him. Left to herself, Winifred
would no more have fallen than a bird.
Drowning men clutch at straws and
poor, rich Ridgeways instant impulse
on feeling himself going was to clasp
her the tighter, dragging her with him
in his igncminious crash. His tumble
was bad enough, though he was unhurt,
but hers was worse. With violent shock
her head struck the polished floor and
the room swan around. A dozen men
flew to aid her, but Brewster seemed to
have seen it coming. He leaped through
the air and, bending over the PROSTATE
Ridgeway, had her up in his strong
arms and over at the window before
another hand could touch her.
"Quick, Hunt, some waterl" he or
dered, his teeth firmly set. Then how
his eyes softened as he looked down into
her pallid facet "Oh, my darling, my
darling" he murmured in that little,
shell like ear; and then, with wild anx-
iety in her eyes, Mrs. Berrien burst
through the sympathetic circle.
II was all over in a moment. The
music never ceased. She was stunned
only for an instant, and then, though
Mrs. Berrien would have interposed,
like the little heroine she was, Winifred
was on her feet and holding out her hand
to poor, bewildered, miserable Ridge
way.
"But come, we must finish the dance, +"
she said, and in so saying riveted the
chains Of his serfdom.
II wouldn't dance with him again, ="
said Mrs. Vance, who had an opinion to
express on every subject. "Why, he
almost broke her head"
"If she didn't shed break his heart,
Mrs. Vance," was old Kenyon's reply, as
he watched the scene. 'That girls a
lady"
cam not to be honored tonight, Mr..
Brewster" said low voice in his ear
as he stood silent, anxious, preoccupied
by Mrs. Berrien's side, his eyes follow
information made him turn cold.
81 beg your pardon, Mrs. Knowles; l
saw only moment ago that you were
here"
She was leaning on her husbands arm.
mot half a bad fellow if he is a blind
fool" said those of his own sex who
knew him. Years her senior, he was
yet her slave. Witness his coming out
from town this late November night
solely at her behest to attend a dance to
which neither was hidden.
"Ah, wonder you saw at all, my
friend, with that vision before your
eyes; and l presume that was why you
had no time to come in person with your
invitation"
emo invitations are sent out for these
little dances, Mrs. Knowles"
"There, there, I'm not going to up
braid you here. Mr.. Knowles. would
you get me a glass of water? Mr.. Brew
ster, viii you not present me to Mrs.
Berrien? We have exchanged calls, but
have not yet had the pleasure"
What could he do? The request was
as audible to Mrs. Berrien as to him,
and, even as she spoke, Mrs. Knowles
passed around in front of him SO as al
most to face the majors wife, taking
the introduction as a matter of course,
He glanced appealingly at Mrs. Berrieu
as he murmured the name. He blessed
her in his heart of hearts for tho calm
courtesy with which she greeted the
local celebrity. He bit his lips with
vexation at Mrs. Knowles very first
words;
Il could not resist the longing tC
know you, Mrs. Berrien, for am utter
" lost in admiration of your lovely
daughter" She, daring to speak of on,
so pure, so innocent. so utterly beyond
her! Turning impatiently away, he en-
countered Major Berrien's eyes FIXED
upon him with look that was not good
to see. He stepped forward, hoping t
explain, but Berrien, who had just en-
tered the room after an absence Of ovei
half an hour, whirled sharply about
plainly indicating that he did not wisl
to speak. This was bad enough. H'
had been near the seventh heaven o
hiss He had almost Touched the gate