The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-11-12
\ MES 1RlUM PH.

By THE AUTHOR OF FAIRY GOLD.
y 9 seen Mildred looking brighter,
napier, fiandsomer, many a time than
she 9 that evening-a belle and
beauty IN her glistening nznre satin and
lace q white roses. He hated to sec
mat hard arrogant smile on her fn,sh lips.
tnats upercilious droop OF those l,aughty
white eyelids which was becoming so
nabitual She looked fevared andiestless,
TOE all her beauty and gaity. He llntcd to
think Of gay, high-spirited, proud, warm.
hearted, beautiful young Mildred being
transformed into one Of those cold. hand
some, heartless, fashionable women whom
Madam Vivian appeared to consider the
perfection Of high-bred womanhood, He
mated to seen Henry, Lord Mountreyor
with his arm around that girlish supple
watst-a man he knewto be an effeminate
dandy n a rOu6 of tho gracefully-im-
moral, elegantly-knavish type, with not
brains enough to be u very great or clever
knaye, but with inclination enough to be
addicted to a great deal of knavery and
immortality OF a neutrality-suspicious., rose
color-velied quality, and with intelligence
end ability enough to enable him to keep
the outside Of his own particular sepulchre
fairly whtted. There was not any great
or particular wlckedness In the polished
nobleman. nor any particular good worth
mentioning, w his intense aud faithful
admiration Of Mildred Tredennick. But
Stephen Tredennick hated to think of his
beautiful young Cousins bartering herself
for = share Of that mans name, and being
crowned with the glory of a coronet from
his hand.
Perhaps she knew what was passing in
the Captains thought, from that calm,
grave expressive face of his. and the anx-
ions looks that followed her from his kind
dark eyes. Certain it IL that of the three
dances she had promised him, Stephen got
but one, aud thcn Mildred went down to
supper on Lord Mountrevor's arm. Az.
forwards her cousin caught but an occa.
sional glimpse of the brilliant, excited face
and tall lissom t1gure-in pauses OF the
dance, in momentary smiling encounters
in the large. well-filled saloons, through
the tlo~wer-laden branches of exotics
aud he misty perfumeyl air, amid the
CLEAN and glow, and flash and glitter,
with the soft, sweet, measured, ringing
music throbbing in unison with every
pulse of gladness in ones being, until The
gray summer dawn crept through the cur
tanned windows, and the rolling away OF
Carriages with their occupants left the
great saloons more sparsely filed, and
bare spaces Of floor here and there and de-
serted inches in corridors and boudoir
showed the notsam and jetsam of the eb.
bling tide-fallen faded flowers, scraps OF
hhsn and lace, long remnants Of tulle, q
dropped cobweb of a gauzy handkerchief
spangles and trinkets. The tide ebbed
away faster with the first tremulous gold
en- rays Of the new day, and presently the
last ball OF the season was over.
Thank goodness, it is overt" said Steph-
on Tredennick, with relief, as he followed
his aunt and cousin, carefully escorted by
Lord Mountrevor, to the waiting carriage,
and saw the peer, as he pressed Mildred's
hand, petition quite f%ascinntingly for q
gift which she seemed scarcely willing to
give, though it was but one dropping
white rose from her fading bouquet. But
he obtained 1t, nevertheless; and, as Mil
with the soft white rose dropping in his
hand as they drove away her cousin saw
aquick. passionate reyulsion of look and
manner come over the girl as she took the
rest OF the flowers from the gold bo,t-
4utSsSf 0AA hA3 sACAA q ptyOuN vi
the street pavement from the carriage
window.
Madam Vivian had fallen asleep, muf1led
up in a crimson downy-wadded so,tie du
bal, and there was none but Stephen Tired
ennick to see.
why did you do that, MildredE" he
asked, grayely, almost sterny.
The brilliance and glow and pride were
fast fading from the girls weary pale face.
Her bright eyes filled with sudden tears ut
her cousins question.
II was sorry l gave him one," she said,
with a c%ontemptuous backward glance
and gesture toward Hollingsley house.
"They were Bertie's favorites. He gave
mo a cluster Of them one evening, just be-
fore he went away. He liked white roses
better than any other Howers-Bertie did. /"
CHAPTER XVIII.