Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-06-27

Hardness and great surprise at the won
derful news Of the gypsies and the lost cap.
And now new era opened for Dan.
| Wherever he went there foated before him
the vision Of beautiful woman dancing
and the sound of silver bells. It was
kind OF trance, only relieved by Mirabel's
actual presence in another guiso. She dis.
couraged all allusion to the barn scene.
"It was an odd mood Of mine, you know,
and felt as II must express It. knew
how shocked you'd all be IL you found me
dancing on Sunday, and SO meant to have
10 out with myself before you came home
from church. Only you caught me-"
Miranda was very much puzzled by the
whole occurrence. She knew at once Dan
was not telling the truth. He was too
much Of novice in lying to do 1t we'll.
That there had been some woman in the
barn, and that Dan had seen her, she
guessed directly. Moreover she knew 1t
was no ordinary gypsy. The cap was too
fine q bit of millinery for such strolling
tramps She had intended to lock up the
cap and examine It at her leisure, but on
Sunday afternoon 1t disappeared as mys-
teriously as it had come. Miranda knew
that Dan had taken 1t and at once OWNED
that he was still in communication with
the owner. She bore her maternal anxiety
as well as she could for some time. but
| finally, driven desperate by Dams absent.
minded ways and changed expression, she
! decided to confide her worry to Miss Heath
| cote. She found Mirabel alone in her ham.
mock one morning and told her her trou-
BILE. The boarder's hair was banded
smoothly over the brow, and her face had
the color Of Madonna
Unf Two
enced," said Miranda, finishing her conf
dence, land you wouldn't notice things SO
much as mother anyhow, but know
that boys jest crazy about some woman,
and want to know who 1t is and how
long It's been going on. He never kept
thing from me before. thought perhaps
! you could find out about 1t for me when
| you re out driving sometimes. know he
thought great deal Of you, and some
times stranger can do more than own
folks In such things"
"I'll try to help you, " answered Mira
bel, "but I've hardly seen him alone since
the cap was found
THAT wasn't any gypsy woman" con-
tinued Miranda. "You didn't see any one,
Of course, cause you were asleep down In
the birches. tell you who think it was.
There's boarding house over by the ponds
where they take in low theatrical folks
sometimes, and / think 1t was some OF
them wandering over this way. They've
often asked to come here, but / wouldn't
have one Of 'em in my house any moren
I'd have q nest of adders.
Mirabel looked frankly into Mrs. Keene's
face. II believe you are right, she said.
ut must have been some such person.
I saw nobody about the house, but they
might readily have come while I was
away. I'll do the best l can for you, for
you've been good to me. Don't worry.
The boy will get over it. They all do. As
soon as he finds out what low theatrical
folks are he won't care any more for them.
He's been too we'll brought up"
"Oh, yes answered Miranda hopefully.
II know that Dan has the instinct of a
true gentleman If he is my son. and he'd
soon see their real nature through their
outside flnery.'
The next day the household was startled
by Miss Heathcote's sudden call to tho
bedside of sick relative in Boston. Dan
brought her the letter in the morning mail.
She read 1t through quietly and then went
| at once to Miranda.
"We'll all miss you dreadfully, and I
don't know what Danll do" said Dams
mother II relied on you to help him bear
| his trial about that actress woman, and |
sorter hoped it would come out right again
| for you two in the end, but Of course sick
ness is sickness, and you must go. You'll
| come back and see us as soon's you can,
| won't you2'
The minister went down to Boston on
| the same train with Mirabel, and so Dan
| had no chance to speak with her alone. He
fanced she avoided him, but her manner
was as gentle as ever, and he could not be
| sure. She promised to write as soon as
she reached the city, but no word came,
| Dan stood 1t for week and then deter
mined to follow her, to find out what was
the matter Miranda encouraged him,
glad to SEQ another interest supplanting
his infatuation with the gypsy woman"
| He found the address Mirabel had given
them mistake. There was no such num-
Der on the street That night, tired and
disheartened, he wandered into a summer
opera hall, but his environment proved no
diversion. The noise and glare, the silly
people and their folly all disgusted him.
He thought of his mother, of Mirabel,
with her white gowns and lovely hair.
Call that dancing All, they should see
her dance in the old barnl
He was sitting, lost in the memory OF
her, recalling every tone and movement,
the waving of white arms and the tinkle
OF the silver bells. A burst Of enthusiastic
clapping startled him. With a cry he
jumped from his chair There before him
on the stage she stood. the little cap with
its dangling coins, the gilded slippers, the
odd fantastic dress--his dearest dream
come too fatally true.
The usher touched Dan on the arm,
"Sit down and be quiet. please he said,
"or you'll have TO get out" Dan heard
only the last words, He grasped his hat,
and without a glance rushed down the
aisle and out into the night. Boston
Traveller