Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-11-28
"I-." She hesitated and glanced


around.
She smiled again, and held out her
card 81 can give you No. s. she said.
''Will you put down your name?"
mo. is also Free" he said.
May I-?"
"You may"
The words seemed the frankest and
most delightful he had ever heard.
There is nothing in the world so Wv
flying as hope Cranfeld gave the next
three dances to Lady Marche. His las
situde was gone. In single moment
the shifting crowd had become the uni
verse, and he had found its core. Like
wonderfully deferred dream, the fifth
dance came around, and waiting was at
an end.
Mine, 1 think" he said.
She folded her fan, smiled at the
man beside her, then laid her hand on
Cranfields arm.
shall we dancer he asked.
"Oh, please"
He hid his disappointment, though his
ideas were curiously upset. She seemed
so .enthusiastic-so buoyantly young
He had never believed that married
women came to dances just to dance.
She glanced up at him, unconsciously
answering his thoughts.
81 think dancing is the loveliest thing,
on earth-or nearly. Don't you?"
He said nothing, but he slipped his
arm about her. In a moment they had
drifted into the circle of whirling feet.
The music had quickened to it's end
when he swung her out of the crush.
His brain was still swaying to the beat
of the tune as he drew her down a
passage to d distant seat. In ten min
utes of companionship she had grown
straight into his life.
The carpet of the passage was very
soft; the light of the hanging lamp was
very dim. 1t seemed to him that he had
only existed until now. He arranged
the cushions on the divan and she sat
down.
I do you believe in infatuation?" he
asked suddenly. Il suppose infatuation
is the word"
He felt afraid of what he was going
to say. He felt that his principles, his
honor-he used the word boldly-all
staple things were drifting from him
like a mirage. He sat down beside her
and strove to call the thought of Creigh-
ton to his mind.
Have you ever heard Of a man go
ing off his head in a single night?" he
asked afresh.
With a rush the music came to an
end.
She looked up at him, and behind the
uneasiness in her eyes he felt that she
was measuring him, inch by inch.
I'D like to ask you something" she
said, .if you don't mind"
Some women ignore difficulties; the
method, if unscientific, is concise.
He felt rebuffed and bent his head.
She glanced down, then once more
glanced up.
Il want you to tell me your name"
! He met her gaze in blank surprise. 1t
was hard to be rebuked; it was inhu-
man to be forgotten-wiped off her
memory in six weeks.
She unbuttoned and buttoned her
glove.
You've been puzzling me the whole
night" she said. 'Of course, l know
that you're some friend of Tommy's;
but what friend-and where l met
you-.'' She broke off sud
denly and looked at him once more.
please do enlighten me. I'm just dy-
ing to know"
He had a vague idea that she was
talking against time. Desperation seiz-
ed him.
Il suppose you're laughing at me-
he said. Il suppose you think that be-
cause you're $3.50 horrible pretty you
can turn a mans head just for sport.
But it isn't sport; at least, not for me.
I'm handicapped every way" He came
to sharp stop.
The music of the next dance began.
1t appeared distant and much subdued
His balance and his nerve seemed lost
He rose slowly.
AT least" he said, grasping at a
thread, "at least, say that you remem'
ber giving me tea-Bisherthrope and