The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1895-07-19

This Is your way out. o Will nnd
your grandpapa y%onder." She pointed
to a door, and waited to see Dolores
depart with a marked Impotence that
brooked no appeal.
Surprised, dismayed, and not a little
~aggrleved, the girl would have caught
at any straw of delay. had such deten-
tion offered. Her pride famed up
suddenly, and she departed swiftly,
sitting tears.
Miss Symthe rebuttoned her other
glove, glided behind a screen of plants,
thus adroitly avoiding Arthur Curzon,
and entered the ballroom with a smile
on her rosy lips.
Dolores, with head lowered, and
clasping her dog, ran into Capt. Blake,
who started forward at her approach
from the court.
Where are you going?" he de-
manded, extending his hand.
Il am to go away" replied Dolores,
in a faint voice, placing her little,
trembling hand in his grasp, and look
ing up at him appealingly and sorrow
fully.
The little witch!'' thought the sol
der, with a pleasurable quickening of
pulsation in the region of the heart,
beneath his red jacket. 81 never saw
such eyes in my life"
He had placed himself in ambush to
await her approach, for he had rea-
soned that she must bring her dog to
her grandfather before dancing. He
was moved by the complex motive Of
admiration of her beauty, curiosity as
to who she was and a desire to thwart
the sailor.
Going away without dancing with
me-" he exclaimed aloud. That will
never do
1.-THE LADY, mean Diana-said 1
was to GO away now. Oh, l am so dis
appointed!" confessed Dolores, bend
ing her head still lower to hide the
threatening tears.
You must not mind Miss Symthe.
She is not the mistress of this house.
said the gallant captain, in soothing
accents.
Dolores dried her eyes with a quizzi-
cal expression. In the game of eX-
perience Miss Symthe had thrown the
shuttlecock of dire warning hat men
would make a fool of Dolores, and here
was the first man met by the girl
afterward, tossing back the re~futation,
i n unconscious v~indication of his sex,
possibly, by ~admonishing her to be-
ware of Miss Svmthe.
Lieut.. Curzon waited impatiently,
now pausing near the door of the
dressing room where Dolores had be-
taken herself to change her stage cos
tune, and again pacing the length of
colonnade.'
The opening quadrille of honor was
over. The new singer, Melita, invited
for the occasion, had rendered sue
cessfully a brilliant, operate aria,
with innumerable bird-like trills and
quavers, substituting as an encore an
d and sad little Russian song in d
minor key. Still Dolores did not come.
The young officer was vaguely aware
that girls require an unconscionable
time for their toilet. He was too large
of SOU to notice the frock of
Dolores, if he thought of it
at all. He was determined to give
her the pleasure of dancing
at a real ball, and, well-of dancing
with her. Still she did not come. The
blood coursed more quickly in his
veins. He paced about restlessly. Per-
haps some accident had happened t o
her. The admiration bestowed on her
beauty in the tableaux inspired in him
as much distrust as satisfaction. He
would seek the grandfather. Why had
he not done so before? He paused
suddenly at the sight Of Capt. Blake
approaching, with Dolores on his arm.
The captain thoroughly enjoyed the
situation. Miss Ethel Symthe, who
had sighted him on several occasions
in favor of Lieut.. Curzon. wished to
Danish Dolores. He would make the
latter lance all the evening, if posi-
bic, in consequence. Besides, he found
it very agreeable to pour batteries into
the unsophisticated ear of his compan-
ion. He held a card, and was writing
down his w name for Il number of
dances, Dolores observing him with
puzzled attention meanwhile.
She recognized Lieut.. CurZon. with
drew ner mana from the arm OF
her escort, and raj toward him, with
a Joyous exclamation. Il am glad
to see you again." she said,
simply. Il was going away, only
Capt. Blake stopped me-. He has been
SO kind" with a light gesture. caress-
ing and grateful, toward her late com
panion. Il may stay?'
Dolores glanced from one to the
other in sudden m%isgiving of her re-
ception in that great world of ball
room beyond, where rcigned Miss
Ethel Symthe in her robe sparkling
with silver.
Capt Blake laughed.
"Oh, the women!" he said.
He uttered a few sentences of expla-
nation in the ear of Lieut.. Curzon, and
laughed again. The other listened
with an expression of surprise and
anger, while a steely light shone in
his eyes, and the lines about his lips
frightened visibly.