The record-union., 1897-08-06

girl was not very young any longer,
had few partners, and l noticed that
when Victor Farquharson passed her
with a smiling bow she looked disap-
pointed Years ago that girl had had
what people call a disappointment. She
had loved some one who did not love
her. Perhaps she was all the more
panied by the marked neglect of an old
friend. I saw touch of sadness in her
eyes, and it made me realize sharply
that the attentive cavalier who was
asking so humbly what 1 would give
him had no real good nature.
1 knew by signs that he meant to be
even more empresse than usual. He
was so handsome that sometimes my
heart had beaten quite fast when he
had made love to me. He was standing
beside me with that devoted air he
can put on so well, when / suddenly
saw Dr. Maydwell. He looked older
and rather jaded; neat enough, but GER
tainly not fashionable at all. He was
very grave when he saw me. 1 sup
pose the young person in radiant golden
brocade was not quite the same as Kit
ty in her Liberty hat He just glanced
at Major Farquharson, and was obvi-
ously going to pass on without even
asking me for a dance! Then it flashed
across me that he had found out, and
that he was angry. He looked quite
stern. 1 dismissed Major Farquharson
Enthusiastically: Ten and eleven, if l am
here"
l did not care for his annoyance. He
had made Ellice Wedderburn unhappy,
and he was showing Mrs. Thesiger how
exclusive and superior he was, by be-
ing thoroughly useless. Just TO make
me a Peile- Farquharson by marriage
would be a supreme honor, he evidently
imagined. My own opinion was rather
different. / was not going to pay for
his hunters and other amusements in
exchange for that dubious privilege.
Then 1 held out my hand to DR.. Mayd-
well. Have you forgotten me alto
gether?" He did look stern; but it rather
became him.
I expected to meet a lady who is
not here, Miss Bellfield," he began very
coldly. This sort of thing is not much
in my way, and I think I had better
say goodnight. 1 could not resist a
chance of meeting Miss Kitty Bent
again, but as that is impossible the
sooner l get back to work the better.
1t was absurd of me to come at ALL
They were just beginning the Barn
dance, with that irritating. persistent
tune. I fixed my eyes on the swaying
figures, some of them so awkward.
There was lump in my throat, and /
really couldn't speak The remem-
Of (1l,z
the sunshine on it, came across to me.
He had looked so brown and cheerful
in his canoe; he was so pale, and so
evidently indignant now, that I could
hardly get the words out. l had never
been afraid of a man before. l was now.
He evidently quite meant what he said.
IF 1 ask you to stay and sit out the
Barn dance you will, surely. I-I-want
to tell you something"
He acquiesced so Jelly that I felt all
my courage vanishing. We found a lit
tie room that was empty, and sat down.
l caught him looking at my roses, but
he pretended he was doing nothing of
the sort. 1t was he who began, after
all, to the inappropriate accompaniment
of the Barn dance music
80 you were playing little comedy
down at Cherrington, and the Miss Bent
knew was purely imaginary person?
Surely it must be pleasanter to be the
Miss Bellfield, and to have all London
for your favor"
Major Farquharson had passed the
open door,, and given a surprised stare
at US, as he said this, and l felt that
hated him for such rudeness.
Il was sick of being myself; that was
why 1 did it. People pretended to like
me, and made so much of me, and I
knew it was merely money. money"
And you We're successful in finding
out if you were charming enough to
captivate without it?" His maner was
chilly sarcasm itself. A memory of all
the things he had said and looked over
came me.
You ought to know" I whispered.
1t was dreadful, but you see 1 saw now
that if he once went there would be
only misery for me.
He did not even smile. You sought
to break a country heart for pastime ere
you went to town." was his only re-
joinder.
Quotations are not in good taste made
like that. He hurt me; he misunder-
stood me. l have my faults, but / am
not heartless. l have done only as other
people do-in fact less than most of
them. l plucked up courage and tried
again.
Il think, DR.. Maydwell, you We're
as much as I was, or else
you really have become quite different;
you never talked like that when we were
boating on the Tarn.''
No; 1 made a fool of myself by talk
ing nonsense; most people do when it
doesn't rain in August
Now, could anything be stupider?
Here was Hugh Maydwell-a man who
had got gold medals in physiology, or
pathology, or mething-conducting a
conversation as if he had not two ideas
in his head.
''At any rate, you We're very much
more civil to Kitty Bent than you are
to Savanna Bellfield, yet they are one
and the same
Indeed, they are nothing of the
kind" he broke in, hotly. The one
was a simple country girl, full of pure
thoughts and high ideals. She was as
poor as l am: we met on the same level.
With Miss Bellfield, in her fashionable