Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-06-08

Ing LII lie doorway peeplnp ABOUT tne
room, and she was the young lady with
the yellow shoes. She was charmingly
pretty in light dress of striped flannel
and a loose shirt of thin silk made like a
boys. Under the rundown collar was
knotted four-in-hand necktie of white
pique, and about her waist was woven
silk belt clasped with silver S. She
was slowly sweeping the room with a
long glance, only her head moving, her
figure firmly erect, her right thumb in
her belt and her left hand hanging by
her side and lightly clasping a little
leather thong which wound about her
knuckles. AS to her head-that lovely
head with strong brown hair curling up
crisply under her sailor hat, delicately
rounded cheeks and gravely pouting lips
it was an image of soft, delicious
beauty. At her side sat little pug dog
on its launches, gasping and rolling its
eyes.
She cast a hurried glance at the
gentleman reading the paper and walked
into the room looking intently about the
floor
"What would she say" thought Ber-
tram, as she passed him in her search,
''if l were to innocently ask her what
she was looking for and gallantly offer to
help her find it? But I'll spare her
that"
She was certainly hunting thorough
ly. She moved several of the chairs,
drew up the lace curtains and looked
under them and peered into all the cor
ners.
When she had searched everywhere
she Strengthened herself with sigh,
threw one last reluctant look about the
room, and calling to the pug, "Come
along, dearest; it isn't here" departed.
Bertram laid down the paper and
looked after her. She appeared to him
to have singular amount of sang froid,
also very graceful back.
Mr.. Lamar was not bored that after
noon. He was consumed with perplexi-
ty. How could he return the lost trea-
sure to the owner without causing her
embarrassment, without making her his
enemy for life? If it had been anything
else how delightfully."- he could have
broken the ice with it! But to break the
ice with that historic emblem-impossi-
BILE!
II must give it to her this evening" :"
he thought. -''rll wrap it up in paper
and tie one of the ribbons round it that
are on that handkerchief case Milly gave
me. Then, if she asks meas of course
she will-what it is, I'll say carelessly:
'Oh, nothing! Just little trife think
belongs to you. Don't hurry to open it.
Have you noticed what beautiful night
it is? And so I'll engage her in absorb
ing conversation. But if the conversa-
ton is not sufficiently absorbing and she
begins to open it must flee from thu
wrath to come. And when next meet
her, dying to speak or even bow to her,
there will be wall of ice raised be-
tween us. She will turn her profile to-
ward me and become engrossed in the
beauties of the landscape. Such is the
irony of fate"
At o'clock Mr.. Lamar came slowly
down the broad stairs, looking as hand
some as the young Dionysius, in his
dress suit, his shining shirt bosom and a
white pink in his buttonhole. The hall
was full of moving figures and blaze
Of light and color.
Mr.. Lamar was too perturbed to min
gle with the gay, loud voiced, laughing
crowd. He wished for solitude and di-
rected his steps toward the little writing
room. He had not wrapped the treasure
in paper, not tied it with ribbon from
his handkerchief case. He had not done
anything with it. He did not dare. The
sight of its owner might inspire him to
the desperate pitch of boldly offering it
to her or suggest to him some cunning
way of returning it without betraying
the identity of the finder. With these
ideas in his mind he carried it still iN his
pocket in company with his keys.
The gas in the writing room was not
lit. Mr.. Lamar went to the open win
dow. just outside it On the balcony
was the young lady who had worn the
yellow shoes. She was reading and
rocking, her pug in her lap, and if she
was pretty in her flannel morning dress
words cannot describe her in mist of
fine black gauze cut square around her
neck, and showing her arms to the ell
bow. Her skin was as white and flaw
less as blanched almond. There was
the gleam of gold pin from the shadow
of her dark hair, and jewel hanging
around her neck rose and fell with her
quiet breath. AS she read she absently
pulled the pug's ears, which lay with its
eyes half open and it's head against her
Rrm.
Lamar looked. She turned the page.
The pug, disturbed, rose to its fore paws,
gazed at her with an expression of
idiotic fondness, and tried to lick her
chin. She avoided this demonstration
Of affection by moving her chin from
side to side, keeping her eyes still on the
book. The pug continuing, she struck
it gently, observing:
Don't, you bad, little, abominable
dogr'
81 beg your pardon" said Lamar sud
denly from the window.
The lady looked up with raised eye
brows Of polite inquiry.
''I have something Of yours" said the
young man desperately and in low
tone.
"Yes? What is it?''
''LI-don't quite know. Or rather
WeH-But-Um! didn't like to leave
it at the Office. thought He leaned
out Of the window with his closed hand
extended. "Here it is.''
She held out her hand, and he dropped
it in. She looked and gave an exclama-
tion of joy that caused the pug to jump
to the ground.
"Oh, how glad I am! Thanks SO
much. Thanks awfully. I was afraid
it was lost. Isn't that lucky?" and she
looked affectionately at the returned
treasure with her head on one side.
There was light enough to see her face
distinctly. She did not exhibit a sign
of embarrassment, not the ghost Of
blush. Lamar felt sudden chill of dis
appointment and disapprobation.
'sYou found it in there" she said, in
dicating the writing room, and looked
at him with frank, candid eyes. Eyes,
there's where it was lost"
"[I supposed So" said Lamar, with
a wan smile.
81 looked for 1t myself this morning
all over" she continued, ''under every