The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-21
SPOILING A SCHEME.

Inc crowd grew 6nlckeT every mOmen6
till 1T became almost impossible to move
In the ballroom. The charity on account
of which the entertainment was being
held was popular one. Some great ladies
had taken the thing up and made it a Sue
cess. And as many of the men and nearly
ell the girls were in fancy dress the scene
was striking and brilliant
Among the Henrietta Marias, the Amy
Robsarts, Flora McDonalds and other char
acters that filled the rooms one girls face
took my heart captive the instant beheld
1t. She did not look more than II, though
she may have been year or two older,
fair, slender, with sunny hair and milk
white complexion. She was dressed to
represent the snow image Of Hawthornes
charming fantasy, and the character suit
ed her style of beauty admirably. She was
pale as the snow wreath that crowned her
head, and she seemed almost as fragile as
the icicles that were her only ornaments.
The girls beauty was indeed remark
able. People turned and looked at her as
she moved here and there, and whenever
she stood still she was instantly surround
ed by a small crowd of men eager to get
their names put down on her programme.
/ noticed, however, that there was a sad,
abstracted look in her eyes. Her heart was
not in the ballroom.
In spite of all my efforts I failed to get
an introduction to the girl who had fasci-
mated me. I failed even to learn her name.
But none the less had fallen in love with
her-like fool I had fallen in love with
a stranger-a vision that in all likelihood
should never see again that would be for
me as feeting and unsubstantial as the
Snow Fairy whom she represented.
There was one other person at the ball
who attracted my attention. This was a
tall, dark man, with q thick, short, black
beard, a man considerably over the middle
height and evidently possessing a strong
will as well as a powerful body. More
than once this man approached the Snow
Fairy, and on each occasion she seemed to
me to shrink from him as if she in some
way had cause to fear him They were
evidently connected, but what the rela-
tionship between them was 1 could not be
sure, for the man seemed too young to be
her father. Surely, said to myself with
a jealous pang, surely he cannot be her
lover.
The whole evening pestered my friends
in the hope of getting in some indirect way
an introduction to the girl who had fasci-
mated me, but I was quite unsuccessful
Once her eyes met mine What she read
there I do not know, but she suddenly
turned aside, her pale cheeks showing a
sudden glow of rose color. Vexed with
myself for making her blush, 1 turned
away in the opposite direction and took
care not to approach SO near her again.
The evening wore on, and it was evident
that my ambition was not to be gratif1ed
About 8 O'Clock I left the ballroom, and,
muffled in my thick ulster was making
my way along a side street which led to
the main thoroughfare where hansons
were to be found when I heard a rush of
flying feet behind me.
[ turned, and there close to me stood the
Snow Fairy, white opera cloak wrapping
her from head to foot and her sweet sad
face looking out at nae from within a hood
of sWansdown.
stood and stared, too much SURPRISED
to think or to form conjecture.
Is there letter box nearf" she gasped
out, for she was breathless, as much from
excitement, it seemed to me, DIS from the
exertion of running sob, please, please
tell me- Where shall l look for one?'' she
went on, without giving me time to collect
my thoughts.
Il don't know where the nearest letter
box is, I replied, "but I can easily find
out If you will intrust your letter to me,
will see that it is posted -
"No, I cannot. I dare not trust it to
shy one. Do try to find out for me-
The words died away on her rips, for
she, as well as I, had heard the noise of
some one running up to us, and the next
moment the man with the short, black
beard stood over us. Rage knotteG the
veins Oh his forehead till they seena,d to
be near bursting Rage for the space of
two seconds kept him speeches.. During
those two seconds the girl erept perceptibly
nearer to me, and something smooth, stiff.
thin, like piece Of thick pasteboard was
pressed into my hand L slipped it at once
into the pocket of my ulster
what are you doing here9' he said to
the girl III tone of suppressed fury, and
before she had time to answer he turned
savasely upon me- ''How dare you speak
TO my daughter he demanded, advancing
On me in slow and threatening manner
/ had just time to see look Of nauta e1.,.-