The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-02-21
HER BEST PERFORMANCE
BY si.oRENcE WARD: N:

Hill .HkVs ] kltt VlutllulVL,
| BY FLORENCE WARD: N: !'<'
1t was an aslnight Journey, and a yer,
cold one. Perhaps the state Of the Their
mometer would not haye mattered sc
much if the "Great London Success" will
which the company were travelling, ha(
made strong CT impression upon the audi
| ences of the provincial towns to which
it had been presented.
They were going north, and there wa'
a wait of four hours in one of tn,
,lrearicst of the Lancashire manufactur
/ ing towns. The company's carriage hat
been detached from the train and shunt
ed OH to siding to wait for the earl,
morning train which was to take it OF
to FALSELY.
The men of the company had all 20
out as soon as the train drew up at tn,
| III search OF some establishment. no that
! ter how lowly, which would open its
doors to them and give theln refresh
! ment.
Thu ladies. five in number; reiiiainet
| in their compartment; hiiddled iib ii
| their Warmest cloaks. trying to yet i
| little sleep. But it would not do; il
NtS tot tOiu. liz, Olu NOlllin, Wnt
WAS really old. rubbed her eyes ti1iser
| ably.
"They'vc all got off: I si1pgose!' SHE
yrumhled. "And of course they never
! thiuk of u.s..
A bright young girl from whose cheeks
not even an all-night journey tould take
| the roses, sprang to her feet and le,
| down the nearest window.
''They shall think of us, thought criet
Shn sho thrn.t bn, bnoI o,I
| out of the window. Come and let III
! out! Come and let us out, some of you
| any Of YOU cried she. inlpcriously. An,
| the next moment, catching sight, on tho
| dimly-lig hted platform. of Il figure SHE
knew, she cried: Mr.. Ardener! Mr.
| Artlener! Come and have pity on us
! We are locked iii like wild BEASTS; lind
assure YOU we are getting very nearl.
as savage. We've been kept too lon.
without food. You See
The person addressed stepped nimbl,
down from the platform and picking his
way i'll the dark across the lines to the
siding.
\ tall, well-made young man. with 1:
kindly. open face. Cyril Ardener looked
what he WAS. Il really nice fellow. a ia
vOrite with his own sex and with tho
| other. AS the girl above him looket
down into his face, it was easy to see
that she was one of those upon whom
the "juvrnile Lead had made il deep I'M
preston.
Miss Lillian Fairbrother Cas She wa.
called upon the programmes had gol,
on the stage against the wishes of hel
family, of course: but not without some
lDon Cyril the smile of Il practiced ant
all-conqueering tiirt. But he shook :
warning head.
, You had much better stay where you
are" said he, persuasively. THE Other
fellows have gone wandering about in
search of drinks. And as they are max
ing a great noise and disturbing every.
body, without succeeding i'll their quest
l should advise you to give them IL widt
berth for the present.
Never mind, I'm coming out" said
Miss Fairbrother, with the Obstinacy OF
the sRoilt beauty. open the door
You'll have nobody to talk to- per
sisted Cyril, as he took out the key.
Not even your"
Not even me. I'm going off to try
and keep the others ont of mischief"
The door was opened by this time, and
she was preparing to descend She
graciously allowed Cyril to assist her
and rewarded him with another smile.
Come along; said she, rather impa:
tiently. For Cyril was lingering to cast
shut the door. AS his eyes rested upon
a pale, worn, refined face, that of the
leading juvenile lady change came ovel
II wish i could get you a cup OF
hot coffee, Miss Wells" he said.
But before she could thank him the
impa tient Lillian had pulled him by force
away from the door, crying out in pre-
tended terror that she heard train com
ing along. The face of Constance Wells
flushed slightly as she settled herself
again in her corner. Miss Browning
the ''old woman gave snort Of indig
nation.
''Train coming, indeed!'' cried she
"That young lad~ can make trains anC
everything else come and go to suit hel
purpose; ! call it disgraceful. the way
in which she's got hold of that young
Mr.. Ardener, flirting all the time will
two or three of the others! Mr.. Ar
dener never had word for anyone bu
you, Miss Wells, till she came into thu
company. She doesn't wait for him t.
follow her about; she follows him.
company who were present glanced ap
prehensively at Miss Wells. OF course
everybody knew that she and Cyril Ar
dener had been something very like low
ers before Miss Fairbrother's coming
and had discussed among themselve.
the Check of the newcomer, and tn,
quiet way in which Miss Wells took hel
desertion. But the subject had never
before been mentioned in her presence.
Now that it was mentioned, however
Miss Wells was quite equal to the occa
sion. She laughed a little, and said
| easily. with more of her art than of he
| nature in her tones:
very cruel of him, isn't it? Or a
least it would be cruel if I minded. Blu
l don't, you see."
"Of course not. OF. course you don't,
said the other ladies.
1t was about an hour after this wher
| they heard steps on the line again, ant
| somebody mounted and looked in
| Through the steam on the glass the fac,
of man could be dimly seen. HI
tapped softly at the window in Miss
| Wells corner.
A deeper flush came into her whit,
cheeks as she came face to face will
! Cyril Ardener.,
Wont you ladies come out?" he said
I've found fire, Il real fire.
| But they refused. preferring the ILL
they had to suffer to trudging over tn
rails in the keen outside air. Miss Wells
however, had not spoken, . w c
stance?" said he, in lower voice.
A SILVER ran through her, not caused
by the cold. 1t seemed long time sine
Cyril had called her by her Christia,
| name.
She hesitated, and then said: YES"
Cyril helped her out, and led her across
the lines back to the platform. Then sh'
asked suddenly:
where's Miss Fairbrother?"
"She's gone off with Glynn," sal!
Cyril, smiling. AFTER quarreling witt
me-
"Ahw said Constance.
| Cyril could detect jealousy. pique
pride, in the simple utterance. The.
walked along the platform in silence t
the office Of the ,station-master, where 1
bright fire was blazing. 49,,
With cry Of delight Constance wen
down, on her knees before it, and sprea'
out her stiff fingers in the .welcom
warmth. Cyril stood near, looking dow
at her delicate, worn face, in which til
blue eyes looked preternaturally large
After a. long silence he said suddenly:
You think l asked you to come on
because I had quarreled with that littl
flirt? You are wrong"
Constance flushed slightly, but did no
~ aslrad vou horn ,1se, tl1at little COOS