The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-09-24
! BETRAYED
By A MOLE
A Story Of q Masquerade Ball
and q Dinner Party.


denly, leaning toward her, that 20,
! have only just come to town."
She started and looked up at him
He even seemed to recognize the eye!
with their look Of scared surprise. Fol
moment she seemed confused, theI
she said:
Eyes, but am going to stay for thu
winter. My brother is here at college
| l have come to look after him. We are
orphans"
Having given her explanation she
looked away and seemed TO be about t.
once more relapse into silence.
you will lie able to have a gay win
ter he said, determined to make hel
talk. you are fond Of society, l sup
pose"
She was silent for brief space and
then answered as if reluctantly:
mo; don't care for going out"
II thought all young girls loved
dancing, parties, balls" he continued,
intently watching her.
"Others may; don't"
"You like the country life best?"
She turned her eyes on him and said
with a deep sigh:
ooh, yes."'
If there was anything needed to con.
firm him in his belief that this young
girl was one and the same as the wOm-
an he had seen at the ball the sigh was
all that was necessary. AS it fell upon
his ear, pla!ntively soft and melan.
choly. he seemed once more to be look.
ins through the Silded grating at the
masked figure and the hutterng fan
Full Of conflicting doubts, he leaned
back in his chair to think at the same
moment the lady on his other side turn.
cd toward him with some laughing re-
mark which required quick answer.
Then came challenge and retort from
farther up the table. and for some mo-
ments the conversation ran on bril-
liantly. Dinner was nearly at close
when his opportunity came/ Every one
about them was talking or laughing
The gil beside him alone was silent
sunk In her brooding thoughts. With
out a word of warning lie suddenly
leaned toward her and said, almost in
a whisper:
what were you doing at the masked
ball on Thursday EVENING""
She turned pale, but sat silent with.
out moving. He was silent. too wait
Ing for an answer. After Il few sec.
onds she said:
81 bad to GO"
"You had to go!' he repeated in sur
prise.
Yes. didn't know what else to do.
l found out that Charlie-that's my
brothcr-had gone. 1t was too late to
find him. and anyway he would have
only got angry with me. He says am
always interfering But 1t isn't that.
There are only us two, and we have
to take care Of each other. must
take care of him and he of me. knew
1t was wrong place for him to go,
but he was already gone. So | had to
go after him. 1t would be different
If he was not so young, and he's lived
IN the country all his life. And then
to suddenly come TO the city. and he
!. forgets about the money-that we've
only just got enough Pcrhaps-lm
afraid that he doesn't seem to know
very well how to take care of himself
liks-,he others. But they've lhed in
the city all their lives. and so it is DIFF
ferent."
She paused and looked at him with a
sort of pleading apology for the weak
boy. Then she went on:
1--WE come from our home to take
care Of him. The Others have mothers
and brothers. but he has only me- It's
hard to keep from making him angry
and yet to look after him, and so
went with my old nurse. knew If |
could find him could bring him back
with me. We got the masks and doml-
nos from man near the door who
had them to hire. Then | went into
that empty box and waited till he
crowd, and the people couldn't see me.
Soon after you had gone he passed,
and then called to him, and he came
and we went home"
She hesitated and stopped, then said
hurriedly:
"When | saw you tonight, I knew
you again, and thought you would
know me. ran up stairs and put this
piece of courtplaster on the mole.
was afraid Of your knowing me.
was afraid you would think badly Of
me for being there"
She was interrupted by the rising of
the ladies'. As she turned to 60 she
paused and, looking at him with wist.
full inquiry, said: -
"Do your"
He looked at her without speaking,
but shook his head
AS the men settled back into their
chairs one Of them, noticing Carroll
still standing gazing vacantly at win
dow opposite, cried laughlngly:
Look at the sentimentalist lost In
of the starsv'
Carroll started and. taking his seat,
answered quietly:
Eyes. I've been looking at star"