The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-17
THE DRAGON.

less, DuI determined, was known to nobody
All that any one knew of her was inn
parted by brief statement made by the
editor of The Dispatch to the effect that on
q certain clustering afternoon in January
she had walked into the Office and asked
for employment.
lie had declined her services, with thanks
put she came again and again, until one
day she found u vacant desk, sat down mt
1T, and had been there ever since.
She wrote two or three caustic articles
struck Mt one or two local atrocities and
in n little while made an enviable rep,ta
ton for bitterness and cynicism. Her name
got OUT and after that everything that ap-
peared in the paper wis uuhesitatingly set
down to her credit.
She was not known outside of the Office
but the impressions that prevailed concern.
ing her were not flattcring
1t was generally agreed that she knew
too much to be young, was too cynical to
be agreeable, and there was theory cur
rent among the papers readers that she
had been crossed in love and disappointed
in her literary aspirations
She did her work in the DAYTIME. and
was little more than n myth to the men
who spent their nights in journalistic har
ness. They were frequently questioned
about her, and they generally answered ali
queries by the broad but meaning state
ment that she did not run with the gang"
Soon after she began her mark in her
new sphere n book of verses appeared.
written by a gentleman of L., George
Lawrence. Copies were sent to all the
papers, and one of these fell into the hands
of Miss Damon.
She prefaced her criticism with the re-
mark that the verses were not uniformly
bad, but ranged from bad to very bad: and
then mercilessly impaled the author to the
extent of three-quarters of n column.
Lawrence had never forgiven her. He
referred to her ever afterward as "the
dragon" and the imperial dragon" The
criticised versifier experienced some salts
faction at having thus baptized her with
Indignation, but he by no means considered
himself avenged, and at the mere mention
of her name his muscles grew rigid and
every artery throbbed with wild desire
for vengeance.
Being clever with pencil, he made n
sketch of her which embodied the popular
impression that she was Il shrewish person
of uncertain age, and it was Il source of
endless amusement to himself and friends
Lawrence was good deal depressed, but
he did not intend to be snuffed out in this
summary fashion, however, and though
for time he attempted nothing in n liter
airy way, he was casting about for fresh
motive, resolved ut no distant date to make
another effort.
1.-THE dragon" had recommended prose;
he would try prose.
In the meantime summer had come, and
Lawrence was to spend several months
with some friends in California. When he
returned he would go to work in earnest.
Lawrence, on his way to California. had
stopped to spend day Mt Mantou He
had reached the springs the evening before
md 6,,ichipcy If, Ia,
morning in the great sahara of q dining
room when the waiter came in to announce
the carriage he had ordered for the day
For the last half hour the gallery in
front of the hotel had been thronged with
tourists, ready to begin the days sight
seeing, and the double line of vehicles
drawn up outside were being loaded with
all possible dispatch.
AS Lawrence emerged from the dining
room the last wagon drove up to the door,
and lady was on the point of getting in,
when the driver said:
beg your pardon, ma'am, but this car
rage is for the gentleman"
But ordered carriage for this morn
ing"
Your order was too late. They were
all engaged. This was the last one in tho
stables. can give you one tomorrow"
~ shall not be here tomorrow"
Maybe the gcntleman's going 10 stay
over day or two and would just rs soon
drive tomorrow" suggested the driver
BY this time Lawrence had come up.
"If you can give me n horse and saddle it
will answer my purpose just as WE'LL" he
said.
81 haven't got horse"
las | leave tomorrow on the early
train" said Lawrence, ~ cannot conven-
iently postpone my drive. But we are
probably going in the same direction. and
should be delighted to accommodate you
with a seat in the vehicle"
There was nothing else to be done. She
accepted with thanks.
Lawrence handed her into the carriage
and thought, as their eyes met, that she
was not an unpromising companion He
was gregarious animal. He hated be-
ing alone, especially in a crowd, and
chance acquaintance was not to be de-
spised.
He handed her his card She looked ut
the name, raised her brows slightly.
dropped the card into her handbag, and
then looking sQuarely ut him, said:
MY name is Vincent"
1t was a delightful drive, and neither
regretted the circumstances that brought
them together. They dined at the same
table and finished up the sights in the
| afternoon.
He met her at the door as she was about
to enter the ballroom in the evening.
She wore a dress of black lace, with
sleeveless corsage that displayed pair of
superb arms and smooth, white neck.
He thought, as he stood there looking past
her into the ballroom, that no carving
could be more classic than her profile
! The ballroom was full OF prome-.aders.