The Press., 1901-11-28


centerpiece. Her cheeks and chin were
smooth anil pale. and near the corner
Of her mouth toward the chin was a
square piece Of black court plaster. :
Still smoothing back his mustache
with the napkin. Carroll looked at the
small black square. He would have
given years income If it would have
fallen off. He looked at: the shape and
set of her head. at the pose Of her fold
ed hands. 1t was the same, yet how
could it be? He looked at her cheek
and chin and then. lowering his eyes,
tried to recall the exact appearance Of
tic 'lleek and chin he had seen under
the masks undulating Zap. Then he
glanced up. 1t was the same there
could be no doubt And still 1t seemed
incredible. She was not more than
eighteen years old, and she looked SO
pensive and wistful. She seemed to
have forgotten his presence and to be
absorbed in her own melancholy pom
dersrgs. staring at the centerpiece with
thoughtful dark eyes.
"Mrs. I.afarge tells me-" he said sud-
denly, leaning toward her, that you
have only just come to town.
She started and looked up at him.
He even seemed to recognize the eyes
with their look of scared surprise. For
moment she seemed confused, then
she said:
Yes, but am going to stay for the
winter. My brother is here at college.
lave come to io,k after him. We are
orphans" ~a.
Having given her explanation she
looked away and seemed to be about to
once more relapse into silence.
you will be able to have a gay win
ter" he said, determined to make her
talk. you are fond of society, sap
poser
She was silent for a brief space and
then answered as If reluctantly: /
mo; don't care for going out"
Il 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 deep sigh: Z,
"Oh, yesv' =
1t there was anything needed to cen
firm him in his belief that this young
girl was one and the same as the woin-
an he had seen at the ball the sigh was
al that was necessary. AS it fell upon
his ear plaintively soft and melan-
choly, he seemed once more to be look.
ing through the gilded grating at the
masked figure and the f1uttering fan.
Full of conflicting doubts, he leaned
back in his chair to think. at the same
moment the lady on his other side turn
ed toward him with some laughing re-
mark which required a 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 a close
when his opportunity came. Every one
about them was talking or laughing.
The girl beside him alone was silent.
sunk in her brooding thoughts. With
out word of warning he suddenly
leaned toward her and said, almost in
whisper:
what were you doing Mt the masked
ball on Thursday eveningT' 49,
She turned pale. but sat silent with
out moving. He was silent, too, wait
ing for an answer. After few sec.
onds she said:
Il had to CO."
"You had to go?" he repeated in sur
prise.
"Yes. didn't know what else to do.
found out that Charlie-that's my
brother-ha,t gone. 1t was too late to
find him. aud anyway he would have
only got angry with me. He says 1 am
always interfering. But 1t isn't that.
There are only us two, and we have
to take care of each other. l must
take care of him and he Of me. knew
1t was a 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. Perhaps-Tm
afraid that he doesn't seem to know
very well how to take care of himself
like the others. But they've lived In
the city all their lives. and so 1t is diff
ferent."
She paused and looked at him with
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 l
went with my old nurse. l knew IL
could find him i could bring him back
with me. We got the masks and domi-
nos from a man near the door who
had them to hire. Then | went into
that empty box and waited till he
came by. because there was such
crowd. and the people couldn't see me.
Soon after you had gone he passed,
and then l called to him, and he came
and we went home"
She hesitated and stopped, then said
hurriedly: .. ~'--s- -->7 .r-'~
"When l saw you tonight, / knew
you again. and l thought you would
know me. l ran up stairs and put this
piece of courtplaster on the mole. L
was afraid Of your knowing me.
was afraid you would think badly Of
me for being there. :" .''' Il '.'r. ''.i-' '''
She was interrupted by the rising Of
the ladies. AS she turned to 60 she
paused and. looking at him with visit
full inquiry. said:
do your" :
He looked at her without speaking
but shook his head. tA F''2@et ''s't
Az tho mon SoftIo6 hoox into <hofr
chairs one of them, noticing Carroll
still standing gazing vacantiy at a win
dow opposite. cried laughingly:
"Look at the sentimentalist lost In
contemplation of the starsr'
Carroll started and. taking his seat,
answered quietly: rag ga - e '''|s
"Yes. I've been looking at o star"
Vt rsi