The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-10-20
CHAPTER Iv-(Continued1

seeing you, Lady Jones, that for the
first moment, / hardly knew you," she
apologized. ''It seemed 50 stupid, but
unfortunately, / left my spectacles on
the garden seat below the magnolia,
and without them 1 am nearly blind;
/ am, indeed"
my eyes fail me, too, Miss Milford
but I'm sorry to say | don't wear
spectacles, but these awkward pinch
noses which my girls prefer, though
they fall from my nose as often as l
place them there"
but / notice that your-ahem-your
glasses are suspended from your neck
by a chain, which is so very convenient.
My spectacles frequently get mislaid.
1t is impossible" with Il gentle sigh,
ito attach spectacles.''
Mr.. Jones, to do him justice, was
behaving with tact; he looked as
though he was in the habit Of paying
afternoon calls with his mother, and
appeared quite at home on the tiny
chair in the corner, where he had re-
treated on his arrival, and from
whence, for the first few moments, he
watched the scene in silence.
AS soon as the elder ladies were fair
ly engaged in conversation, Helen
turned and spoke to this 'unaSSertive
guest; though she was conscious that
his eyes rested more perSiStently upon
her than was quite in accordance with
good manners, she no longer appeared
to resent it. If she had approved her,
soiled, weary, and travel-stained, as
she had appeared the previous day, it
was not probable that his admiration
would lessen on the second sight of the
girl, who, for some ineXplicable rea-
ho6 n
as she had improved her appearance
Yesterday he had fancied her gauche,
constrained, shy; now she was gracious
self-possesSed, and smiling, although
there was something III her ceremonious
ciVility which baked his endeavOrS to
arrive at that easy, hailfellOW-Well-met
stage of intimacy which he usually
adopted with those fortunate girls to
whom he took q liking; yet he was
not inclined to quarrel with her demea-
nor After all it was q change, and
variety is refreshing.
He had come for the purpose of in
viting her to the ball, and he saw
no reason for concealing his purpose,
so he Immediately approached the sub
ject.
MY mothers brought you a card"
he said, and then he urged her to &C
cept the invitation.
Her smiling Indifference to the whole
question was rather astonishing to one
whose desire, opinion or remark usual
" received the undivided attention of
the honored lady to whom it was di-
yulged.
''You don't care for dancing?" he
hazarded perhaps you don't go to
balls?"
II was at a ball last week." she re-
piled. "I am very fond of dancing"
Perhaps you have had too much of
it. One gets sick of anything"
She smiled at him without answering
"a provoking smile, because it was
ambiguous.
He thought those gray eyes Of hers,
with which she looked straight into his,
were very clear and cold, but wonder
fully pretty; he thought she looked like
a rose herself in her pink cotton gown
and her hands filled with roses; he
thought he should like to own that
ccloth-of-g gold bud with which she toyed
half absently while she talked. He
wished she would be less uni proach-
able and more responsive.
Perhaps" he began again, still
searching for a cause for her refusal,
''you don't care for a ball out of your
own neighborhood? Do strangers bore
you?"
ION the contrary, I like change, and
therefore a change of faces"
''Then, why" doggedly, won't you
come to u.s."
81 am so sorry" with that formal
air of politeness that was artificial, he
knew, and which annoyed him, that
I am unable to accept your kind in
vitation."
II am most unlucky," he returned,
with a smile; you will accept nothing
of mine-not even a lift in my dog
cart
IT was the first time he had alluded
to their prior acquaintance, ana she
blushed little when he did SO, though
she answered with that calm savolr
faire and self-reliance which seemed to
place her at a great distance Oft ana
reversed their former position, to his
advantage.
yesterday you were stranger 10
Eme,'' she said, demurely
$50 is cabman stranger; but yon
sdriye IL his cab all right.
Il pay a cabman.'
<.You could pay me, if you like"
81 have no money!
~ would have put it down." he said.
''sI would have taken out the fare ID
dances"
You were very kind" with a mis-
chievous twinkle in her eyes, ito pro
nase driving me. but you could hardly
eypect me to trespass upon yolr good
ness by accepting your Offer
1T was no case of treSnassing, ne
returned, answering the twinkle with
q laugh. 1.-THE cart was there and the
empty seat ready for you. Upon Wy
1900, ,,,;coro Ialo tba whole even