Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-05-17


IN the younger Miss Deyefill's face.
Alias Treranion. in a demi-toilette
OF black and gold. scarcely improved
Miss James homeiy appearance this
evening. as. with her calm. ssit-pos-
s1ased manner. she sailed down the
long drawing room to receive her par
ents' guests.
Then she was Introduced TO Lord
Lyndon. and executed little haif-bo~
Tor his especial benefit. which had the
enec' OF reducing that amiable young
nobieman to a hopeless state OF Imbe-
eiii'y for the ensuing fiys minutes. AZ
ter that time had elapsed he gradually
recovered his wontsd eomposure. and.
srnmonins back his departed pluck.
took To staring at MiSs TreyanIon
every alternate fys seconds, with such
unmisiakabls admiration in his eyes
as caused DenzIl Youngc In the back
srouai to utter curses not loud. but
deep.
Miss IFcyanion VAS smiling very
sweetiy nj the new aFrlyai-Iar more
sw".'iy than she had ever smiled a,
him-Dcnzll: and he.-th. newcomer
was evidently enjoying to the full the
commonplace conversation he waS
holding with her.
Seeing this. Dcnzli fairly Enashcd his
teeth with excess OF jealousy. and con-
signed this harmless young lord to all
sorts OF dreadful places. while tcliin.
Nihs syivcTton. with his tendcrcR;
smile. how dear to his heart was n
crimson rose In masses OF fair brown
hair.
Who was 1, told me you preferred
great wealth OF golden haIrI'" she
rcjo!Rcd. miHchlcyously. while she
laughed .ood-naturcdiy enough. albeit
slightly mockinEly. aS Dcnrii eoiorcd
and flashed a glance at her. half
carnest. half reproachfui. from his
beautiful dark-biuc eyes.
Never mind" she whispered. laying
her hand with n gentle pressure on his
arm AZ he took her In to dinn.r-
never mind: am your fricad. you
know-so trust me-
whcrcupon Dcnxil returned the pres
sure very gratefully indeed: after
which these two fci, that they had
sworn a bond OF mutual good fellow
ship.
All through dinner Lyndon devoted
himself exclusively to Miss Trcvanion.
while shc-from what motive was n
mys;cry-came out from her habituai
coldness. and laughed and sparklcd.
and dnzzled her companion. until Den
zil-watchlng from the other end OF
the table-felt his heart ache opprcs-
ness OF things In general creep over
him.
Perhaps. had she vouchsafed him
even one gracious glance. even one
smile. not ut him. but In
his direction, Il would have
dulled the pain. but her eyes sedulously
avoided that side OF the room. while
new admirer with an assiduity that
made Frances Sylvcrton fairly wonder.
Once only. before she left the apart
ment. did Denzil meet her glance. and
then but for an instant, as he held the
door open for the ladies to pass
through. Mildred. who happened to be
last, having caught her light dress in
n slightly projecting corner OF the
wainscoating. he stopped to release
her. and as he rose again, their eyes
met.
In hers lay nothing but mute. cold
thanks: while in his-whatever 1t was
she saw in his. 1t caused Miss Trevan-
down the long hall, after the others.
with quickened, petulant steps.
Mildred. darling. how pale you
look" Lady Caroline said. anxiously.
as she Joined the ladies in the drawing
room. Are you cold, child, or HIP"
Come over there to the fire and warm
Yourself. These sudden chills are very
dangerous
Rut Miss Trevanion would neither
acknowledge to cold or go near the
pleasant, inviting blaze, choosing rath-
er to wander away vaguely toward
distant. heavily curtained window.
where she hid herself from the watch
fuI reading eyes Of Rachael Younge.
outside the window ran balcony,
cleaning marDie White III 'he o''''h'
moonshine. 1t looked so soft, SO sweet
so lonely. that Mildred. whose cheeks
had changed from palest white TO
warmest crimson, felt a sudden intense
longing to pass out and bathe her
flushed face in the cool pure light.
With noiseless touch she pushed
open the yielding sash. and found her-
self part of the silent. star-lit night
with a faint wind tanning her and the
deadness of sleeping nature all around.
A tall, slight. darkrobed figure she
stood with one hand-scarceiy less
white than the rays that covered It
resting on the balustrade' her eyes
wandering restlessly over the shadowy
landscape. A perfect queen OF hish.
she seemed. or very fitting Juliet had
there but been a Romeo.