The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-05

1
sive. She had not known before
whether she quite approved of them or
not, but now she was quite sure she
had done right to go with Dycey. But
she did not like IL when Mary allowed
| her eyes to widen little at the news
| of the afternoons escapade.
| II don't know whether that was
| quite wise, Lois, though a good many
girls do so. Don't follow their lead too
| far"
| When the day of the concert came
Lois sang well, and there was quite
a throng of admiring friends round
her when she finished. who kept up a
little buzz of compliments. Dyceys
| quiet THAT was good" pleased her
| most: II sounded sincere.
| At the close of the party she was
left alone in the back drawing room
while Lady Beauchamp was saying
| farewell to her guests. She was stand
ing by the piano, tidying her music
when Roland Grey came up to her.
Thank you so much for your sing
ing. never enjoyed anything so
much" he said earnestly.
| Lois smiled. II am glad you liked
it. But are you not rather extrava-
CANT in your praise?"
NO" he replied, ut was not a COM
| pliment," and he stood lingering the
music nervously. At length he con-
tinued, II suppose Dycey plays very
well?"
| Lois looked up. 81 have never met
any one who accompanies so SYM
| pathetically. 1t makes one sing"
| Roland dropped a piece of music and
stopped to pick it up again. "He went
s.l a,
| terday, did he not?"
Lois was determined not to appear
| ashamed of her conduct, and so re-
| piled: Yes. Mary was Unexpectedly
| called out of town, and Mr.. Dycey,
| thinking 1t pity / should miss the
concert, kindly came here and took me.
1t was very good of him." she added,
| with a little squirt of defiance.
Grey lost his air of embarrassment
| and became grave. DO you like that
| sort of person." he asked suddenly.
Lois flushed. What do you mean?"
| she demanded.
He looked at her earnestly. II
| thought you agreed with me little
| time ago that the teaching of that
| particular set of self-styled cultured
| people was no. very wholesome. Have
you changed your mind?"
81 don't know when / said anything
| of the kind. / certainly think them
much more interesting than common
place people"
"Oh, the poor, maligned common
| place!" exclaimed Grey. What fear
| full crime it is nowadays to be dull and
respectable!"
II cannot think what we are quar-
relling about, or why you should be
displeased that 1 went to the concert
with Mr.. Dycey," said Lois, letting
her vexation get the upper hand.
1T was open to misconstruction,"
he said, drily, and then putting his
elbows on the piano, he leaned toward
her, Lois" he said, 'for the sake of
old times you must forgive what /
say, but 1 wish you would keep clear
of that kind of thing. People are al
ways so ready to gossip"
The girl threw her head back an
grily. II don't know what you mean,
or why you should talk so to me or
listen to gossip. Why should a girl
not have men as friends without peo-
pie talking?"
II hate to have you spoken of as
Dyceys new discovery and to hear
people asking whether you will do.
hate the humbug of this intellec sual
flirting" he said, with sudden wrath.
Lois kept silence, and he was con-
scious that he had lost his self con-
troll.
IT am sorry to have hurt you" he
said. II have said more than l ought;
forgive. OF course, l have no right to
speak to you So" and, turning quickly,
with a bow, he left her
Howard Dycey was coming up from
the tea room, and as they passed on the
stairs he noted with a certain enjoy
ment Greys evident discontinue, while
Lois, hearing Dycey's voice, escaped to
her own room. There she flung herself
on her bed in a storm of tears. Her
pride was bitterly wounded, and she
was furious with Roland. Soon. how
ever, with the remembrance of his face
at parting her anger melted away She
began to realize how dear his esteem
had been to her. He had said that he
had no right to speak to her thus. But
was that true? Had not her silence
given him the right that day, last au-
tumn. when, in a sudden rush of feel
ings he had spoken of his cherished
hope Of winning her for his wife? True,
he had not allowed her to answer, say
ing that everything was to remain as
if he had said nothing till she had seen
more of the world and he had made a
position. How faithfully he had kept
his word, never allowing his own feel
ing to appear or trying to influence
hers. Last autumn Lois had been glad
that she was not forced to answer.
She had felt that he was dear friend,
to whom it would be painful to say
Nn nj Gho Col ha L.,
what. Only the thought of saying mo"
made her shudder.
What did she care for Dycey? she
asked herself He was clever and mu-
sical, but that was all. He was not a
real man. like Roland. And to be
spoken of as "Dycey's discovery! She
pictured to herself Dycey saying to his
friends, "Oh, I've discovered a new
girl; not bad little thing. Fairly
amusing, and sings we'll" Her cheeks
tingled, and she buried her face still
deeper in the pillow. Suddenly she re-
collected, with start. that they were
going to the opera, and that she must
dress at once. Roland Grey had said
he was going to the opera, too. She
would try and speak to him and make
friends. 1t was childish to show tenn
per because he had criticised her con-
duct, an it was consoling to feel that
he would not have done so had he not
cared.
The opera was excellent, but Lois
could not enjoy the music; she was so
eager to discover Roland Grey. After
some time she perceived him In another
box, with party of people she did not
Know. She was almost sure he had |
seen her, but would not look her way.