The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-12-13

500 You think he will propose to-
night?" asked Lady Gertrude grimly.
"Who in Heavens name - not
Pierce Vaughan, | am not yet pre-
pared for that.n
"No-no, | meant CLEMENT
Miss Delane shrugged her shout
ders. 1t was on her lips to say,
"God forbid" but she refrained and
merely muttered something about its
being impossible to anticipate any
mans actions.
Then she crossed the room and
looked out of the window.
81 must be Off, said she hurriedly,
'there ia Joujou fretting himself
into a froth, and old Simpson look
ing as If he will be grumpy all the
way home.n
"Well, if you + not the slave o
your lover you r of your groom
said Lady Gertrude a little disdain
fully. "Why has not Joujou beer
taken round to the stable?"
because | must go, love. / only
came for the white flowers, but l felt
| could not depart without one peep
at you. Ta.ta, beloved--till to-
night. Be Jolly and do not despair
until he has see you in that gown.
If La Ferriere's last isn't too much
for him, then Gerty mia, never
think of him again"
Lady Gertrude went downstairs
and saw her friend off, herself driv-
ing Joujou in a high dog cart, Simp-
son perched beside her and looking
glum at having to wait.
After Elvira Delane's departure
there vas no further contemplation
of the ball dress. Lady Gertrude
set to work at some painting and
tried not to think of Clement. Elvira
vas always as a breath of ozone to
Gertrude, and whenever she saw her
her mind very much relaxed on the
subject of Clements and recovered
some of its tone.
Thanks, then, to this happy inter
%vention, the hours of the day pre-
ceding the much .looked-for ball
passed with a tleetness Lady Ger
trude had by no means looked for
when she got up in the morning.
At last she was arrayed in her
robe of silver sheen, which with its
beauty looked very little like a
shroud.
She gave her mother, who was an
and never went out in the
evening, a farewell kiss, and then,
accompanied by her father, the earl,
stated for Brentwells.
Dancing had already commenced
and the Don was golerabiy full
when Lord Me!bury and his daughter
entered.
Several men pressed forward to
ask for the honor of a dance, among
them Pierce Vaughan, but there was
no sign of Clement D~unraven.
Lady Gertrude's spirit, which had
been very buoyant with hope during
drive, fell considerably.
Could it be possible that he was
not coming; then all her hopes of
happiness for that evening would
end in disappointment.
There was Sir Louis! lie never
went to balls. Why had he come
to night? 1t was very strange. She
would 60 and speak to him. 1t
would be only polite to an old man
who was her fathers friend. She
dared not ask him for news of
Clement, but perhaps he would tell
her what had happened to cause his
absence.
Lady Gertrude managed to get one
of her partners to stop in the valse
close to Sir Louis, making it thus
perfectly natural that she should
hold out her hand to him.
"Have you seen Clement?" asked
the old gentleman Il little anXiously.
She shook her head. For the
moment she felt too to
speak.
"He left home to dine with a friend
who is staying at the Kings Head
in Coleshill for this ball. He said he
would meet me here at ten-now it
is nearly eleven.n
"Punctuality is not a common
virtue with men when they are
dining" said Lady Gertrude, greatly
relieved to find that this was all the
reason. "Ah, there he is" she
exclaimed after a short pause, as
she suddenly saw Clement standing
by the entrance door.
Turning to her partner she waltzed
away, thus to conceal the agitation
which overcame her when she be-
came aware that the man who was
so much to her had suddenly put in
an appearance.
The first individual to whom
Clement spoke, after he had paid
his devolrs to Lady Marcia, was his
uncle.
81 am late" he said, Shut if you
knew the cause you would not blame
me-"
"Bah!" answered the old man
pettishly, "you have always some