Gilpin observer., 1900-04-26
THE SCARLET SPIDER.

peeu apart wen TOO nne for either TO
see; but the strength of both will new
er be able to break it."
Who was he? She hardly knew. A
partner-she thought of him as moth
Ing else. All the women were given
partners as matter of course.
Dick" their host had said, will
you have the goodness to look after
my niece, Miss Blynn? Edith, let me
present Mr.. Kirkland" They bowed
They could not well see one anothers
faces there in the starlight. 1t was a
skating party, at Lake Geneva, Wis,
and two big companies had come down
for week of winter sports, throwing
open the houses which ordinarily
knew the sound of human voices only
in the summer time. The two parties
met the first evening after dinner on
the Ice. 1t was cloudy, with riffs of
indigo where the stars showed, and
there was gusty, cold wind from the
west. Now the ice looked bright-a
silver ribbon would appear to stretch
itself out waveringly-now it was
shadowy and mysterious.
Miss Blynn held out her hand auto
matically to the man to whom she
had been introduced
Il see your skates are on" she said,
indifferently. $50 are mine. Let us
skate rather slowly with long gsweep"
band began to play in the boat
house by the shore.
Il didn't know we were to have mu-
sic. 1t is waltz. Now / am ready,
Mr.. Kirkland
He took her mittened hand in his
firm grasp. They moved slowly away
down the cleaning floor. They crossed
the silver ribbon and entered the
shadows.
I'VE shall presently be out of sound
of the music" protested Miss Blynn,
gently. Not that she cared. She and
her new companion were moving along
with perfect rhythm.
Perhaps If we listen hard we shall
hear the music of the Spheres" he
said.
"The shadows are black" she re-
marked. And the wind is cold Aft
er all, this is too serious for pleasure.
1t is hard to be frivolous in place
like this. See how forbidding the trees
look on the shore, and how solemn and
menacing the Sky is. This is a SER
months winter night. Or it is
tragedy. Let us go back to the house
where the lights are burnig"
There is fire in the boathouse. 1
heard your uncle say coffee was to be
served there. But if you are too much
oppressed l wish you would listen to
the tragedy little longer
Listen to it? l look at it. 1t is a
tragedy for the eyes, not for the ears"
They swung along together with fine
momentum. They were conscious of
their youth and strength and vigor.
Miss Blynn gave voice to her thoughts
in an indirect fashion.
Some people, she said, ARE old
and weary, and sit by the fire and
wonder if the winter will never pass
They both laughed at this-it made
a harmonious but startling duet, that
laughter, and it echoed from the wood
ed shore.
Some people," he responded, "go to
winter and drag him out of his den,
and shake him out of his sulks and
make him dance like a trained bear"
They laughed again, though neither of
them had been witty.
Il have been skating with you an
hour" he said at length, "and l have
not an idea of how you look"
81 have been skating with you an
hour" she retorted, "and l do not
know whether you have red curls or
black elf locks"
n tho hon ha
gested. "and see."
They went in where the fire cracked
and where their friends stood in groups
drinking coffee and chatting. He un-
did his cap with it's ear laps; she un-
tied her scarlet velvet hood. What she
beheld was young man Of "a or 25,
with deep-set gray eyes, dark skin,
dark hair, heavy brows. a smooth face,
and large and sensitive mouth.
What he beheld was a woman with a
snow white skin, black eyes, melan-
choly and timid in their expression, a
high brow. abundant dark hair and
mouth that, essentially serious. broke
into unexpected, Illuminating smiles.
at would be rude of me to say what
service the light has done me-" he
said stupidity.
"The light has told me a number OF
things" she responded daringly.
"What?" he importuned.
"That you have been student, low
ing solitude; that you are melancholy
oftener than you are merry, and that
you like good book better than
good friend"
mo. no! not the last!"
She laughed. and took the cup of
coffee he offered her. He took note OF
her gray skating frock with it's edg-
ings of black fur, of her scarlet velvet
vest and little hood, and the white,
pensive face peering above her volum-
inious boa. She fell to talking with