The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-09-23

mon vieux, you have shown your fangs
too soon. I"
CHAPTER K.
The curtain had fallen upon the last
act. The applause had been riotous and
unstinted-not Of the claque species
genuine. Stornmouth conducted Doxie
behind the scenes and presented him to
Constance, who, rad4..4tly happy,
beaming with girlish relief, her eyes
moist with grateful tears was sur
rounded by crowd of stocl1holders-
men with waxed mustaches and eyes
like the congested orbs of vultures. AS
her gaze fell upon Stornmouth she step
ped forward with both hands outstretch-
ed. He grasped them warmly. "I have
seen tonight" he began, triHe awlz-
wardly, after he had offered his warm
est congratulations, IAN old friend of
yours, who begs reintroduction.
Contance smiled. 81 cannot imagine
whom you mean," she said carelessly.
She stopped short as her glance fell
upon Doxie.
There was a sweet volatile flush
which dyed her cheeks an instant; then
both little hands outstretched again.
"You-in Paris?" she calculated.
Stornmouth could hear her heart beat
through the words, but Doxie took her
easeof manner as sign of Indifference.
Loyerlike, he attached the wrong value
to outward appearances.
81 came" he answered quietly.
with Mr.. Stornmouth. He brought me
here tonight" He stopped. His hands
were grasping those other dear, longed
for ones SO fast. He had wholly forgot
ten that they two were not alone.
But she, womanlike, mindful of curl
GUS gazers, withdrew hers with slight
frown which was essentially bewitch-
ing, since it belied the act respectfully,
and said to Stornmouth, "When shall /
see you again?"
stornmouth' S eyes twinkled.
"We are all going around to supper
now, " he remarked, looking everywhere
except at the two somewhat agitated
faces before him, which, quite futilely,
were SO bravely endeavoring to conceal
any evidence of emotion, sat Miss Del
nos; you, to meet those arrows Of out
rageous fortune, the eritics-according
to Miss Priscilla's idea they must be fed
and wined in order to award you your
just merits-ourselves, to look on at
your triumph and applaud grit and
pluck after the same honest fashion in
which we have been applauding them
all the evening. DoAie, will you escort
Miss Brandford? I must return and
fetch the ladies'
Before Do2ie could answer, Stern
mouth had vanished.
Come" said Doxie, in strange,
smothered sort of voice. The light and
the heat dazzled him. The figures of
the coryphees hurrying to and fro past
and behind them, in and out of the
wings, seemed like so many noisome
insects let loose to upset his newly
found peace. Was it peace, this ham
mering, thudding anguish of impatience
in his veins?
II must fetch my wraps and change
my Dress said Constance family.
StWait for me. will you?'
II have waited, returned Doxie per-
tinently. Then, considering that he had
made an impression which could not be
misunderstood, he seated himself quiet
~, while Constance went off to change
her splendid bridal attire for little
brown homespun which looked to Doxie
like something his mother used to wear
when he, lad, ran to her weeping for
comfort. In reality the fTock in ques-
ton was the girls best, marvellous
creation by little Partisan dressmalzer
who had worked on it reverently,
dreaming of its, being worn by great
prima donna of the Opera. But Doxie
was man and lover.
When they arrived at the Avenue
Montaigne, Constance was seized by
Aunt Mildred, rapturously embraced
and placed in the seat of honor at the ia
BILE, surrounded by ALL the best known
newspaper men of Paris, eager to ex-
change word with the coming spoiled
child of the public. Constance was
strangely, dreamily content. Her nerves
were steadied by that hand clasp of Dox-
les Quite simply, he had held her
hand in his while they had driven from
the Opera to Miss Delno's and she had
poured out to him running river of
her relief, her past struggles, her life
Size had not yet had time to think out
the sweet promise of his coming, the
sternly controlled look in his glad face,
the sense Of help and protection the
mere fact OF his presence brought her.
She put it all Gil one side with an eff.
fort, as something delightful to be
dreamed about with the rest of her tri-
umph of that evening.
Storniaouth, one of the most sought
for of after dinner speakers, man of
une world IN the best sense, diplomat
of no mean merit, astonished Priscilla
with his French, which all at once, to
her surprise, he turned on, with a mis-
chievous look i'll his eyes, for her spe-
cial benefit. Up to now she had not at
tributed to him any linguistic ability
whatsoever. He was the main prop to-
night, the most inspiring element of the
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