Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-04-03

hAOA shu ""SSoe sNANS>~
slowly round that no item of her dainty
ball gown might be lost.
"My dear, you'll be the success of
the evening ard oh, what an exquisite
bangle that is?" and, with IN exclama.
ton of delight, Lady Carew caught her
cousins wrist, on which glittered a
magnificent bracelet set with diamonds
ard emeralds. "Surely that's new,
isn't it? 1t wasn't wedding present,
was it?"
Mrs. Fawcett flushed nervously.
"No; you haven't seen it before--I
only had it yesterday"
"You lucky creature, to get promis.
cuous presents like that Who gave
it you?"
The flush on Maggie's cheek deep
ened. eric, of course" she replied,
with laugh. Gle spoils me dread.
fully, you know"
Lady Carew's lips quivered into an
indefinnble expression.
"My DEAR" she answered, smiling,
"beware of a husbands uuprovoked
presents"
"What do you mean?" asked Maggie
quickly.
:'Only that their source is more Of.
ten guilty conscience than an over.
flowing affection"
'Laura, why will you say such
things? Come, tho carriage is ready. "
$50 am Il; but isn't Eric coming?"
"Not with us he was lun aching with
the Delawares, and sent over for his
things. He will 60 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 Trelour 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.
Maggie Fawcett's appearance at the
Hunt Ball was something of an event.
Sho was tho 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
her corner, the white fur of her wrap
nesting round her throat, and her
small head resting against the cushions
of the carriage. 1t struck her com.
panlon that the young wife's face was
u little pale, and that is wore look Of
suppressed excitement, mingled with
something which seemed almost like
anxiety. "What can be the matter
with the girl?" murmured Lady Carew
to herself. "She it evidently dis
turbed about something. How she
plays with that bracelet! I wonder -
but, mol Maggie is the best little
soul alive; and, besides, there isn't an
eligible man within dozen miles.
Still, I never should have expected
Eric Fawcett to have turned out a
model husband;'' and she laughed
softly to herself.
Laura Carew was good six years
older than her cousin, and she remem-
bered very distinctly that at the same
Dhll ldbt year DClol q 10 iiuN hNouS\'
upon his armament, Eric Fawcett had
been her very devoted slave, and natu.
rally she smiled at the recollection "A
l,ttlo pityingly, perhaps, for Lady
Carcw could not quite understand M
admlrer deserting 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 mod
crate 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 tc
be; for she valiantly resisted all efforts
to fill up two spaces which she insisted
on preserving.
She was standing by her husband IL
the midst of group of people. She
put her hand gently on his arm.
"Eric," she whispered, "I'vo KEEP
you two waltzes."
1.-TWO "a and he laughed AS lie looked
down at her. "Why, little woman
we can't dance together twice.
would be ridicnlous Here, I'll tak'
this one. don't suppose you'll hav'
any difficulty in filing in the other
you're looking very pretty tonight
1 must 60, dear this is my dance will
Laura"
Maggie Fswcett bit her lips. Sh
wouldn't have minded people seein.
that she was in love with her husband
|, and that she thought him the hand
soonest man in the room; but mel
were different-very different-an,
, her heart swelled as q rush of mem
\ ories came upon her. She answere,
her partners not very abtruse re
: marks mechanically. 1t was doubtles
! bad form. but her eyes sought he
., husbands figure; he was waltzin
q with Laura-it seemed to her that b
was always waltzing with Laura. But
: then. perhaps. Erso might be thinkin
the same thing of her for she ha