The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-08-18

/ down his arguments-being indeed. for
the moment really gay, since had not
Z this business OF the attack she
never gave il any more definite name
I tiGed her safely over those terrible
/ blank spaces? She insisted on return
| ing 10 mingle at once with the crowd;
and when Betty. an hour later, ven
/ uled a low-vOiced remonstrance.
I ounded on her friends air of sup
/ D. essed suffering. she was Tepulsed
/ with:
Ny dear, it's not civil to tell people
they are too ugly TO be abroad. If
had a cough which disturbed the COM
| pa1y's peace of mind. would retire at
once" C"Thank heaven, my ailments
have never taken such tangible form"
she thought to herself) But in this
free country l presume a woman may
be permitted TO look as Ill as she likes"
When Major Everard stepped out of
his hanson at Lady Holmwood's door
the following evening. he felt certain
miserably certain-of finding Eve
among her guests. There had been
strong and serious purpose underlying
his cousins light speech. Something
very far removed from reckless love OF
ly upon this suicidal course which he
and every other human being save one,
stood powerless to arrest.
Dance music was sounding as he
crossed the hall; but just as he reach
ed the foot OF the staircase it ceased,
sharp, suddenly, in the middle of bar.
And his first sight of the ballroom on
the upper floor showed him no array of
ordered couples but veritable mob Of
black-cOated men and bare-necked. be-
jeweled women pressing toward door
way at the further end, with subdued
EXPLANATIONS Of:
shes dead. NO. no-it's only a
fainting fit" Heart. I suppose; she
looked appalling i'll at Preston House
last night" Is her husband here?"
No, yet: coming on later" Someone
ought 10 send for him"
With scant ceremony Tom Everard
elbowed his way through the swaying.
murmuTing throng into the little room
-draped and shaded to a soft gloom
for "sitJers out"-where. on a heap OF
cushions. Eve Ai,onby lay white and
moJion!eSs. An elderly mana great
physician who had brought mis- daugh-
tiers to the ball-bent over her. holding
her left wrist in his fingers. Lady
HOLLYWOOD. pale and shaking, was at
the head OF the couch; at the foot knelt
Betty crying helplessly.
A. Everard. walking like a man in a
dream, came close TO the group. the
elderly man drew back. with an omin-
GUS shake Of his gray head; and the
still figure on the cushio.s, stirring
slightly, opened it's eyes. STOPPING in
his turn, the major caught the old, pitt
full whisper:
ITS nothing-overtired I shall be
better-presently."
A pause follOwed-a moment long as
an hour to the man whose heart SEEM
ed TO stand still in breathless waiting.
Then the pale lips moved again-for
the last time:
Don't let-my husband know"
Poor thing, she courted her fate!
Her folly was positively criminal. She
knew from DR.. Carmichae!-whom it
seems she had consulted without tell
ing any Of us-that her heart was all
wrong. And yet on the day of her
death she rode in the park, went to
Sandown with her husband, and dined
Out sDiIeN IcIe--gelOFe coming on to
the HOLLYWOOD dance, Of course one
feels immensely for him; but it's diff
cult to be very sorry for a woman
who delibe' ately threw away her life
for the sake Of a few parties"
This is Mrs. Cottereli's verdict
generally allowed to be just by the ma
jority Of Eve Allonby's acquaintance.
Allonby himself, while missing his
wife terribly. cannot altogether shut
his eyes TO the recklessness of the be-
hayior which deprived him of her; in
him. too a recognition of her folly has
Gone something to soften the edge of
grief. There are, however, a few
/ soft-hearted persons-among them Ma
ior Everard and little Betty-who. all
| her errors Notwithstanding, find it
easy TO mourn poor Eve. And these
/ give that folly" rightly condemned
/ OF their less indulgent fellows another
/ and 4 gentler name.-The Argosy.
oNIp II iGuc cor not off tbic n ftor