The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-06-12

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knowledged
Beautiful woman. Kate. he thought
as she swept down the room one night on
her father arm at the latimers ball, her |
white shoulders cleaning like marble out
of their setting Of misty lace and pink |
satin. her sweet ynung face and earnest |
eyes alight with the beauty Of life. Jack :
heart was sore that night. He had been
foiled in his every attempt 10 see Elinor OF !
late
Ass that | am, running after a glrl
who has thrown me over, and wants moth
ing to do with me, he growled to him
self Hates cordial greeting was like
balm to his torturing Thoughts Something
Intoxicating came over his senses as Kate
smiled up at him. They plunged into the
dancers, and almost before Jack knew it
had led Kate away to little room removed
from the whirl of the dances, and was
pouring out a vehement tale Of love, which
Kate stopped with a look, half Of alnuse-
ment and half apologetic.
..Fie, Jack, she interrupted, 'tdon't
be reckless, 90 and tell this to Elinor =
Jack started at the name-''fo for it Is Eli
nor whom you love. | have seen it all
along. | knew the moment | saw you
together that there was something between
you. | have not been given my eyes and
heart for nothing, said this wise young
person, and, continuing hurriedly, net Civ
ing Jack chance to put in protest
Il have gone on encouraging your at
tentions that | might manage III some way
to get YOU to speak of your affairs, and
that l might tell you Elinor loves you,
and
'sNo, no, she doesn' t, Jack said gloom
lily. She only goes in for career.
s0f course she does, so do |, SAID
| Kate-though she didn' mention what;
but that will not prevent me from be
coming the happy wife of some good man
and living delightfully."- humdrum life =
just a slight flush dawning upon her
rounded cheek SO to Elinor and tell
her you love her
She would not listen to me, SAID
Jack
$50 to her and make her listen to you.
Oh, | see, you do not know women, Jack
dear, patrouizingly, as he shook his head
obviously. That is what we women
like, to be made to hear that man loves
US, smiling demurely
Il could never make her happy, pro
tested Jack in the sudden access OF meek
disparagement that man assumes in order
to hear it contradicted.
You could never make me happy,
then, said Kate slyly, 'besides--
Besideswhat
oh, nothing Il tell you some time.
Oh, turning suddenly, as someone ap-
peared at the door to claim their dance,
..you are coming in to dinner saturday
evening. Jack: don forget Go and see
Elinor tomorrow, she whispered in an
aside as she hoated out Of the door and off
on the arm of the someone. Jack did 90
the next day to see Elinor, but she was
not in; neither was she the next afternoon.
That evening was Kate dinner. Just an
informal affair, quite en- famille, she had
assured the favored few hidden, adding
SCIENTIFICALLY that she had something to tell
them. Many thought they knew the
something. Elinor had not seen Kate
when she ran in to invite her for the din
ner Kate left such a pleading message
that Elinor should not disappoint her, that,
despite very trying day, Elinor went.
Her pallor, accentuated by the scarlet of
her mouth and the flmy black gown quite
startled Jack as she came in, and Kate 5
conscience smote her. Kate had been so
taken up with her own affairs the past two
DAYS, she had not seen Jack, nor thought
to ask him if he had been successful.
But tonight will decide it surely,
Kate said to herself 1t had been ar
ranged that Jack, as usual, should take
Kate out to dinner Elinor found herself
being borne along ON the arm of Rob Wat
erman, who had Just returned from Lon
don. How thankful she was not to be
sitting next to Jack, for Rob Waterman
had the place at Kate S left. But then it
was no worse sitting next Jack than as his
Wis Wis, Elinoir found as she became
aware Of Jack searching eyes upon her
through the rose shades of the candelabra.
Kate brillancy outshone itself that night.
She looked a veritable goddess. She be-
slowed smiles alike at the man on her right
and at her left. The dinner had pro-
crossed delightfully."-. Bob Waterman had
much to tell of his late trip to Paris and
told it we'll He was pelted with ques-
tons on all sides. Elinor felt certain
relief in not having to invent small talk.
Yet she kept herself in touch. Such a
gay little dinner The last course was
being served Every one felt that the
something Kate had to tell was coming.
Even Elinor, who knew nothing, was con-
scious of the air of expectancy, when the
man at her left said under cover Of the
general chatter
''Have you heard that Kate is to an
nouDce her engagement at the end OF the
dinner to Jack Lawrence
Now Elinor had been schooling herself
; for this for weeks She had thought it
all over calmly, and reasoned herself into
looking at such happening indifferently,
but. almost before Jacks name had left
her neighbor' lips, she felt the world grow
black and slip from beneath her And
then-she became conscious Of a strong
arm about her and two familiar eyes look
. ing love into hers-Jack's eyes. 1t was
matter Of mystery to the guests how 1t
happened to be that Jack had Miss Greg
| ory in his arms before the men on either
side of her had chance to act. Jack
doesn remember himself how he got there.
1t is a dream, thought Elinor, and then
sitting up suddenly, it all came back
What did that look in Jack $ eyes mean
The guests crowded about, but Kate bore
Elinor off to her room, bathed her head
and made her lie down, and 'Ill have the
brougham for you directly, dear, she
said hustling about. 1t was selfish of
me to ask you to come when, of course,
you must be tired to death, but in my
happiness l forgot l have something to
tell you, dear, kissing Elinor, who re-
ceived the caress passively, but it will
keep until tomorrow Here, let me wrap
you in this fur; hear the carriage.