Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-11-02

quisitely for the Havertons' dance, and
yet with certain nervous abstraction.
! Now and then she would stand still lost
in imaginings. Then she would set her
| teeth and dress frenziedly for spell.
Clearly it was not easy to rehearse scene
of reproach and scorn and to put in judi
cious hairpins simultaneously But she
realized that perfect confidence in her
ewn appearance might materially infiu-
snce her courage when the moment for the
scene came, and that the moment should
come tonight and at the Havertons' dance
she was fully and desperately determined
Surely If ever man deserved punish
ment at the hands of woman that man
was Ashby Eldon. He had behaved unfor.
givably.
She had met him for the first time at
Nice in the early part of this winter She
was there with an eneryated aunt He
was there on mere pleasure and had given
her to understand that he had fled from
hothouse atmosphere of tiresome adulation
in London to bathe his soul in pure sun
shine He had talked culture and person
alities in perfect proportion. He had been
charming had worn striped linen, a point
ed beard and smile of fascinating fatigue
He had deluged her with expensive flow
ers. Al first these flowers had come with
mere card A little later the card was
often inclosed in a sealed envelope and
covered with some suggestive little quota
tion from the French OF German poets.
Still later the flowers had come without
a word, bearing their own message, and
when he noted spray or two in her dress
he would perhaps steady his eyes on hers
for moment, hold her hand the fraction
of second too long for mere convention
or tell her in n thousand wordless ways
that she was charming woman in his
eyes, and that he knew she knew it. And
never hint or sign Of his engagement to
that Miss Trevors! 1t was incomprehensi-
ble-unspeakable
1t he had not mentioned by chance that
Lady Haverton was his aunt, if on her
return from Nice she had not taken enor-
nous trouble to cultivate Lady Haverton
and lead her talk on to Ashby Eldon, she
might have dawdlod in her FOOLS para
disc to the day Of his wedding announce
ment.
Well, the days of woman's "silent suf-
ferings" were over now, thank heaven
She had been reading striking article on
this theme in some magazine only last
week. A woman was no longer a mans
prey-she was his equal, his rival, and to-
night she would prove it. She would
speak her mind honestly, grandly, without
fiinching. She foresaw every detail of the
Interview. He would be standing in the
doorway of the ballroom when she arrived.
She would pass him by. He would speak
to her, and she would raise her eyebrows
IN calm surprise, answering in icy terms.
But he should write his name on her pro-
gramme, and when his dance came around |
she would ask to sit it out. Silently she |
would lead the way to an empty room
the little boudoir at the back of the con-
servatory. And then
How she would tear him with her weap- /
ons of scorn and disgust. She would |
make him feel like a cur.
The hottest words seemed insufficient !
punishment when she thought what suf-
fering he might have caused her. It was
the merost chance that she had not lost her
heart to hm-the merest chance. Why
did the face in the glass twitch as she said
that? She would say it again and say it
out loud. 1t was the purest piece of luck
that she had not fallen in love with Ashby
Eldon He had done his best He was
brute. Yes he was. She didn't caro-. He (
was.
How hideous red eyelids could make one
look They took all the poetry out of
white cheeks Why had she been the fool
to choose her pink silk for tonight? And
what would 1t matter if she wore green
baize? Hateful world!
1t was packed at the Havertons. Eleven
D o'clock and he was not there.
She danced great deal.
Half past II and he was not there
She sat out great deal.
Half past 12 and he was not there.
She was getting too tired to smile.
She must go home no.
Good night, Lad adelight.
al eve" W" "a lit
jle out