Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-05-01
TRANSPLANTED.

1t was the biggest ball of the season and |
the assembly room of the fashionable wa
tering place was looking its gayest and |
brightest, thanks to lavish decoration and |
the Kaleidoscope effect produced by the
throngs of brilliantly dressed dancers as
they whirled round in all the infinite va
riety and picturesque incongruity of fancy
costume.
And yet despite all the life and color,
there was something fictitious and unreal
In the brilliant gayety of the picturesque
scene, Just as there was an undertone of
passionate pain in the sweet music of the
waltz which rang through the room an
undertone which seemed strangely out of
harmony with the superficial enjoyment
of the crowd.
Or was it only the look in a girls face
that was out of keeping and seemed at
once to give the lie to all the hollow pre-
tense of pleasure around herr To one un
observed spectator this idea suddenly oc-
Cured with the force of conviction.
1t was beautiful face, beautiful alike
in regularity of feature and exquisite del
icacy of coloring. But the smile on the
sweet mouth was forced and full of unnat-
ural gayety, while the great gray eyes had
a haunting look of WEAKNESS which gave
them an indescribable pathos. The girl
was tall and slight, and the white dress
she wore graceful though it was, seemed
almost too rich and elaborate for her slen-
der figure.
She was young-scarcely one and twenty
and looked even younger than her years,
and the man who was watching her drew
yet further back into the shadow of the
heavily curtained doorway as flood OF
memories rushed over him-memories
held in check till now by an iron will, but
released in moment by the sight of the
beautiful, sad face that was all the world
to him, though for four long years it had
passed out Of his life. How he had missed
herl Surely he had never fully realized it
till now.
A chance remark arrested his attention.
Two men near were talking together, COM
menting audibly enough on the scene be-
fore them.
"How charming Maud Carruthers Is
looking tonight That girl grows prettier
every time l see herP"
"Is it true that she's engaged to young
Melbourner''
Wants confirmation, 1 should say. He's
hard hit, and her people approve of him
naturally He's we'll connected and fabu-
lousy wealthy, but as to the fair Maud
herself-if she is engaged to him, she
might look little more cheerful over IL.
Eyes, shouldn't feel fattered in his
place, " the younger man assented. "She S
about; don't know why, but she seems
out of it somehow"
"Well, her story is rather an odd one,
you know"
the oddness come in. Her people are con
ventional enough"
Eyes but she never saw them till She
was Is or II, for her mother married be
meath her and was cut in consequence
FuL. t1t |
and Mrs. Carruthers died in Australia
where her child was brought up by thu
people with whom she was staying at thu
time; rather a rough and ready bringing
up, fancy"
"Then how does she come to be here ant
forgivenH"
ooh, it all came out somehow. Car
ruthers died and then inquiries were mau
as to the ohild's whereabouts, and she wa
transplanted over here; rather chang
from her experiences in the bush.
IAN agreeable one, 1 should think.
HIM, that depends on how you look a
1t! Now from her point of view we ma
be a little tame and commonplace. don
know anything about it, mind you, pu
it's lust possible she may prefer primitiv
nature to our enervating and oVeruoh
nineteenth century civilization. 10 III
mind the girl looks bored"
1T will merely be escape from the pre-
ent position. Since her grandfather deaf
a wear ago she has found 1T more wear
some than ever, or I'm much mistaken
She was really fond of poor old Draycour
but for the rest of them pom my sou
I'm sorry for the girlP'
The music ceased and the speake
moved away as the long procession
dancers began to pace out into the COOL
air of the long, flower deoked corridor.
But the man near them still Kept n
place in the deep shadow of the curtall
and watched with eager eyes to see tn
tall white robed figure pass through u
doorway.
But he watched in vain. He had 10
sight of her just before the dance end
and she had no doubt left the ballroom
some other door. From the station he hi
chosen he could command the whole ROOF
and he soon saw that Maud Carruthe
was no longer there.
And tonight he held every nome
wasted in which she was out OF his sigf
For the last time-it was for the last I'll
and already the precious moments we
slipping rapidly away
He must find her again, even though
order to do SO he must risk discovery a.
recognition.
Little risk that she would recognize b.
after four years ana In Sucn Wluely YIN
emit surroundings His dress, too with
heavy cloak and broad, somber hat, wor
surely be a sufficient disguise II she shot
still chance to retain slight recollection
her old friend and would be brother !
man under whose roof all her happy Chi
hood had been passed.
And even If she did know him, wi
thenY
He was surely capable of keeping
secret still, as he had kept 1t In the
days. She was little likely to guess 1t n
in all the pride OF her triumphant yo'
and beauty-now when SO many young
richer men were at her feet. Oh, he KIN
his PLACED And he smiled grimly to hi
self
Had not her self oomplaoent RELATE
been careful to point it out to HMM
considerably, no doubt-four years a
Certainly there was little likelihood OF
forgetting now. No, there could DO
real risk in the meeting should [