Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-01-11
ROSE JAFFREYs LOVER.

of life! Not that she loved the
lovers, nor one of them. She let
them love her and hover around
her for want of better. But the one
she might, she could, she would
have loved only looked on while she
danced.
"Why shouldn't dance" she
said to her demure cousin Margaret,
because Gordon Penmore looks
daggers at the dancers? You
should see his (Gordon's) eyes as
he watches me lying in Hayden
Roth's arms in that new figure, and
floating, floating, hoating-And I'm
not really lying in his arms at all,
but taking care of myself like a
piece of cut steel. | don't know
why Gordon Penmore should make
it his affair at all. Oh, howl should
hate to be obedient to his whims-
to any mans whinls."
And before she had we'll ceased
speaking the little sprite's face was
buried among the sofa cushions, and
she was shaking with a gust of sobs.
"The idea" she cried, springing to
her feet the next moment.
Crying for all ! am worth be-
cause Gordon Penmore ISIS in ex-
istence! What should | care for
the great arrow pointed eyes? ]
will let him see tonight"
And she did, as she danced at
Mrs. Baddon's ball danced as the
waves dance, as lightly, as gayly, as
tirelessly. She stopped suddenly
stopped just where he stood, at the
conservatory door.
1T makes one almost giddy," she
said, smiling family.
Quite" said he gravely.
Thanks, Mr.. Roth. Now | am
going to remember my promise for
the rest of the waltz in favor of my
cousin Margaret. If you want to
do me favor you will take her out.
And | will stay beside Mr.. Penmore
till you bring her here"
you don't approve of all this, do
you?" she said, looking up at Cor
don.
Don't approve" he repeated.
mo, you don't approve of it.
And | wonder what you are here
for. You know you are just as-as
wicked in countenancing the wrong
by looking on as am in doing it..
Oh, what lovely air! How can
you keep your feet still?"
"You can't" he said, smiling.
"Oh, if you only knew anything
about dancing" she exclaimed,
''you couldn't either. 1t is like
having wings. All! that air is
simply delicious
"Well, let us try it" said Gordon
Penmore, 81 can waltz on occasion.
Let me see if dancing is all you say
it is--that is" remembering HIM
self, IF you will do me the honor. !"
"Oh, honor!' said Rose, laughing
like mischeyious sprite. you
know you don't regard it so at all.
You look at it almost as a degrade
ton. All the same, you are dane
ing! And | will show you that you
have never danced before" And
then Gordon Penmore, with Rose in
his arms, her soft cheek flushing
under his eye, her sweet breath
warm on his bending face, her heart
beating so that he could feel it's
throbs, was whirling in the maddest
waltz of the night. But waking
from the dream they were just be-
side the conservatory door once
more, and, neither exactly knowing
how, they had wandered down one
of the dewy alleys, and had paused
as if to breathe the bewildering
odors in the shadow of group of
lemon trees. Neither of them
spoke, till slowly, as if drawn by
an unwilling fate, their eyes met in
a long deep gaze, and his head bent
his arms were around her, and their
lips met in the strong sweet kiss Of
a passion that belonged to the eter-
mites.
When next morning Gordon
Penmore came, Rose crept into the
drawing room like a guilty child.
II thought-oh, ! thought" she
whispered, after he had treasured
her, shat you--you despised me"
81 shall never even despise dane
ing again, now that it has given me
YOU" he exclaimed. "How could
dream you Logged mep" he said.
When he left her that day he left
on her hand ring of strange and
fragile setting, that held an old