The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-08
AT THE HUNT BALL.

approvingly as Mrs. Fawcett's maid put
the last touches to her toilet.
"Do you really like mep' And Maggie
Fawoett turned slowly round that no item
of her dainty ball gown might be lost.
"My dear, you'll be the success Of the
evening, and, oh, what an exquisite bangle
that isl" And with an exclamation of do
light Lady Carew caught her cousins
wrist, on which glittered a magnificent
bracelet set with diamonds and emeralds.
"Surely that's new, isn't it9 1t wasn't a
wedding present, was it?"
Mrs. Fawcett flushed nervously. "No.
You haven't seen it before. only had Il
yesterday"
"You lucky creature, to get promiscuous
presents like that! Who gave IL your"
The flush on Maggie's cheek deepened.
"Eric, of course, she replied, with a laugh.
"He spoils me dreadfully, you know"
Lady Carew's lips quivered into an In.
deflnable expression.
my dear" she answered, smiling, "be.
ware Of husband s unprovoked presents.
"What do you meanr' asked Maggie
quickly.
"Only that their source is more often a
guilty conscience than an overfowing af
fection."
Laura, why will you say such things.
Come, the carriage is ready"
$50 am !. But isn't Eric comingY"
"Not with us. He was lunching with
the Delawares and sent over for his things.
He will go with them, and he goes back
there to Sleep"
The two women took their places in the
snug brougham. 1t was fairly long
drive to Treloar Hall, where the Darshire
hunt ball was to take place, but there was
absolute silence in the carriage, partly
because, as cousins and intimate friends,
there was no necessity for conversation be.
tween its occupants, and also because Mag.
gle Fawcett knew Of old that Lady Carew
hated to tire herself ont with talking be.
fore the serious business of the flirting and
waltzing began.
Maggie Fawcett's appearance at the
hunt ball was something of an event. She
was the bride Of the occasion. Early in
the spring she had married Eric Fawcett,
and this was the first winter she had spent
on his estate In Darshire.
Now and again Lady Carew glanced at
her cousin. Maggie leaned back in hen
corner, the white fur Of her wrap nestlinR
round her throat, and her small head rest
ing against the cushions of the carriage. II
struck her companion that the young
wifes face was q little pale, and that II
wore q look Of suppressed excitement,
mingled with something which seemed al.
most like anxiety. What can be the mat.
ter with the girl?" murmured Lady Carew
to herself "She is evidently disturbed
about something. How she plays with
that bracelet. wonder-but, no! Maggie
Is the best little soul alive, and besides
there isn't an eligible man within dozen
miles. Still, never should have expected
Eric Fawcett to have turned out model
husband" And she laughed softly to her.
self.
Laura Carew was good six years older
than her cousin, and she remembered very
distinctly that at the same ball last year,
before Maggie had flashed upon his firma-
ment, Eric Fawcett had been her very de.
voted slave, and naturally she smiled at
the recOllection-a little pityingly perhaps,
for Lady Carew could not quite under
stand an admirer deserting her for Mag
gle, and though she was fond of her cous-
in she was rather sorry for Eric. Women
generally are sorry for the men who marry
some one else
But in spite of Lady Carew's moderate
estimate of Maggie's powers of attraction
her card was full before she had been in
the room ten minutes-as full that is, as
she would allow it to be, for she valiantly
resisted all efforts to fill up two spaces
which she insisted on preserving
She was standing by her husband in the
midst Of group of people. She put her
hand gently on his arm.
Eric" she whispered, "I've kept you
two waltzes.''
"Twov' and he laughed as ne looked
down at her. "Why, little woman, we
can't dance together twice. 1t would be
ridiculous! Here, I'll take this one l
don't suppose you'll have any difficulty in
filing in the other. You're looking very
pretty tonight. must 60, dear. This is
my dance with Laura"
Maggie Fawcett bit her lips. She
wouldn't have minded people seeing that
she was in love with her husband and that
she thought him the handsomest man in
the room. But men were different-very
different--and her heart swelled as a rush
of memories came upon her. She answered
her partners not very abtruse remarks
mechanically. IL was doubtless bad form,
but her eyes sought her husbands figure.
He was waltzing with Laura. II seemed
to her that no was always waltzing with
Laura. But, then, perhaps Eric might be
thinking the same thing of hcr, for she
had certainly danced great many times
with this Mr.. Dobson-Dodson-sh was
not ut all sure of his name, and she really
did not care mt all who was her partner.
The Darshirc hunt ball wns not amusing,
she thought, and 1t was little embsrrass.
ing that so many people noticed and al.
mired her bangle. She touched u doubt
fully, twisting 10 on her arm 40 that the
diamonds flashed i'm her eyes. IL WAS very
pretty, but
Maggie seems to be putting In n very
good time tonight" observed Lady Carw
~ she strolled into the conservatory with
Eric Fawcctt. "She appears to I've enjoy
ing herself tremendously"
Not half ms much a. L am, " replied
Eric, with laugh. 1T IL quite like old
times, isn't ~" he added, drawing low
scat forward for his companion.
"Oh, my dear Eric, don't try to be SEN
timcntsll But really begin to think my
warning TO Maggie was not uncalledN--
"Eh, what warninRy"
y ssvVcl1 ~ afhor sccna In mo that the