Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-08-18
AT A HUNT BALL.

81 declare you're the most punctual
girl alive, Maggie, and how sweet you
look!"
Lady Carew surveyed her cousins
figure approvingly, as Mrs. Fawcett's
maid put the last touches to her toilet.
do you really like me?" and Maggie
F'awcett 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, o, what an exquisite
bangle that isl" and, with an exclama-
ton of delight, Lady Carew caught her
cousins wrist, on which glittered a
magnificent bracelet set with diamonds
and emeralds. Surely that's new,
isn't it? 1t wasn't u wedding present,
was it?"
Mrs. Fawcett flushed n~ervously.
mo; you haven't seen it before-I only
had it yesterday"
"You lucky creature, to get promis-
cuous presents like that! Who gave it
to you?"
The flush on Maggie's cheek d~eepened.
Eric, of course" she replied, with a
laugh. He spoils me dreadfully, you
know"
Lady Carew's lips quivered into an in
defnable expression.
"My DEAR" she answered, smiling,
beware of a husbands u~nprovoked
presents"
What do you meant" asked Maggie,
quickly.
"Only that their source is more often
- ,.,l&- no,e.,a,oa chan IN ararAartp
affection"
Laura, why will you say such things?
Come, the carriage is ready"
$50 am /; but isn't Eric coming?"
Not with us; he was lunching with
the Delawares and sem over for his
things. He will go with them, and he
goes back there to sleep"
The two women then look their places
in the snug brougham. 1t was a 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 between its occupants,
and also because Maggie Fawcett knew
of old tina Lady Carew hated to tire
/ ucTScll oui Will buihibS oVioiS ~ q"
rious business of the flirting and waltz
ing began.
Maggie Fawcett's appearance at the
hunt bail 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 then Lady Carew glanced at
her cousin. Maggie leaned back in her
corner, the white fur of her wrap nest
ling around her throat and her head
resting against the cushions of the car.
riage. 1t struck her companion that the
young wife's face was a little pale, and
that it wore a look of suppressed ex-
element, mingled with something
which seemed almos like anxiety,
What can be the matter with the girl?'
murmured Lady Carew to herself.
"She is evidently disturbed about some
thing. How she plays with that brace
let. Iwonder-but, no! Maggie is the
best little soul alive; and, besides, there
isn't an eligible man within a dozen
miles. Still, 1 never should have ex'
pected Eric Fawcett to have turned out
a model husband;" and she laughed
softly to herself.
Laura Carew was a good six years
older than her cousin, and she remem-
bered very distinctly that at the same
ball last year, before Maggie bad
flashed upon his armament, Eric Faw'
cett had been her very devoted slave
and naturally she smiled at the recollec'
tion-a little pityingly, perhaps, fol
Lady Carew could not quite understand
an admirer deserving her for Maggie
and, though she was fond of her cousin
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 moder
ate estimate of Maggie's powers of at
traction, her car was full before she
had been in the room ten minutes-as
full, that is, rs she would allow it to be
for she ~valiantly resisted all efforts &c
fill up two spaces which she insisted or
preserving.
She was standing by her husband in
the midst of a group of people. She put
her hand gently on his arm.
Eric" she whispered. I've kept you
two waftzes."
"Two!" and he laughed as he looked
down a her. "Why, little woman. we
can't dance toeether twice-it would be