The Dickinson press., 1896-09-12
Spelling A SCHEME.
The crowd became thicker every

The crowd became thicker every
moment, until 1t became almost I'M
possible to move in the ball room.
The charity, on account Of which the
entertainment was being held, was a
popular one; some great ladies' had
taken the thing up and made 1t q sue
cess And as many of the men, and
nearly all the girls were in fancy
dress, the scene was striking and bril-
liant.
Among the Henrietta Marias, the
Amy Robsarts, Flora McDonalds and
other characters that filled the rooms,
Il girls face took my heart captive
the moment l beheld it. She did not
look o than seventeen, though she
may have been n year or two older,
fair, slender. with sunny hair and to
represent the Snow Image of Haw-
thornc's charming fantasy, and the
character suited her style of beauty
admirably. She vas pale as the snow
wreath that crowned her head. anu
she seemed almost as fragile as the
iciclcs that were her only ornaments.
The girls beauty was, indeed, re-
marLablc. People turned and looked
at her as she moved here and there;
and whenever she stood still she was
instantly surrounded by a small crowd
Of men, eager to get their names put
down on her programme. l hotlceu'
however. that there was 4 sad, an
stractcd look IN her eyes. Hell heart
was not in the ballroom.
In spite of all my efforts. l failed to
get an introduction to the girl VINO
had fascinated me. l failed, even, to
learn her name. But, none the less.
l had fallen in love with her-likc a
fool. l had fallen in love with a
strangcr-a vision that. in all llkell-
hood l should never see again, but
| would be for me as fleeting and unsuo-
stantial as the Snow Fairy whom she
represented.
There was one other person at the
hall who attracted my attention. rms
was a tall. dark man, with a thick,
short, black beard. a ran considera-
bly, over the middle height. and evi.
IDENTIFY possessing a strong will as we'll
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. III some
way. had cause to fear him. They
were evidently connected. but what
the relationship between them was !
could not be sure, for the nan seemed
too young to be her father. Surely. L
said to myself. with n Jealous pang.
surely. he cannot be her lover.
The whole evening l pestered my
friends in the hope of getting. in some
indirect way. an Introduction to the
girl who had fascinated me; but l was
quite unsuccessful. Once her eyes
met mine. What she read there l do
not know, but she suddenly turned
aside. her pale cheeks showing a sud-
den glow of rose color. VeXed with
myself for making her blush, I turned
away in the opposite direction, and 1
took care lot to approach so near to
her again.
The evening wore on, and 1t was evil
dent that my ambition was not to be
gratiticd. About 3 o'clock l left the
ballroom, and, mufded in my thick
ulster, was making my way along a
side street which led to the main
thoroughfare where hansoms were to
be found. when l heard a rush of fly
ing feet behind nc.
l turned. and there, close to Inc,
stood the Snow Fairy. n white opera
cloak wrapping her from head to foot,
and her sweet, sad face looking out at
me from within n hood of swansdown.
l stood and stared, too much Il r
prised to think or to form O conjec-
ture.
SIS there n letter box near" she
gasped out, fer she was breathless, as
much from excitement, it seemed to
me. as from the exertion of running.
"Oh. please, please tell me. Where
shall I look for one?' she went on,
without giving me time to collect my
thoughts.
Il don't know where the nearest let
ter box is" l replied. "but l a easily
find out. If you will entrust your let
ter to me l will see that it is posted"
mo; l cannot; l dare not entrust it
to anyone. Do try find out for me-"
The words died away on her lips,
for she. as we'll as I, had heard the
noise OF some II running up to us.
and the next moment the nan with
the short, black beard stood over us.
Rage knLtted the veins on his fore
head until they seemed to be near
bursting. Rage. for the space of two
seconds, kept him speeches.. During
these two seconds the girl crept per-
ceptibly nearer to me, and something
smooth, stiff. thin, like n piece of thick
pastcboard, vas pressed into my hand.
l slipped it at once into the pocket of
my ulster.
what are you doing hcre?" he said,
to the gi:3, in a tone Of suppressed
fury; aud before she Lad time to an
swer he turned savagely upon me.
How dare you speak to my daugh-
ter" lie demanded, advancing on INC
in a slow and threatening manner.
had just time to see n look of mute
duplication in the girls eyes. She
was e%ntreating me lot to betray her.
REALLY, Sir" l said, with as much
GOODNESS as l could command; ''really
you must pardon me for saying that
you seem a little less than reasonable
One is permitted to speak to a young
lady Mt a ball"
In the open street! In this clan
destine manner!"
1--WE were not in great privacy, to he
sure, but that might be urged in miti:
CATION Of the offense," l said, with 9
smile.
you shall not hoodwink me. What
was that she was saying to you wher
l came upY
"If 1 had been guilty Of an indiscre
ton, the fault is mine, and I am read!
to answer it; but you cannot expec'
me to repeat what trifles l have per
mitted myself to say to the young lady
whom, l fear, l may not have an op
portunity Of meeting again. No gen
tleman would be guilty Of such
thing; nor, l am sure, would you, Il
you had been in my place."
I saw by the mans face that I ha,
achieved my object. 1 had led him t
believe that there had been nothin'
more than O little foolish filtration be
tween the young lady and myself. Fl
seized the girls hand, tucked it undo
his arm and marched off.
H4S for HAVING m onnnrf11nitv ~