The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-21

scandalous-" and Aunt Eleanor sought
refuge in tears.
Before anything could happen the bell
rang and Mr.. Tillson Montague was an
! nounced. Aunt Eleanor rallied at once,
and said hurriedly:
Now don't, for PHYS sake, do anything
rash that will drive him away. At least
wait until you have a chance to become
acquainted with him.
And so presently they swept into the
parlor to greet Mr.. Tillson Montague, de-
| signed by the decree of Myrtle's aunt and
Montagues mother to become the hus-
band of the young heiress.
Myrtle was silent but not convinced--far
from it, as was demonstrated when, after
the introduction had been duly accom-
plished, she led him sweetly to the con-
servatory, and having gotten him into
| corner opened up the entire situation.
Il guess you are a very nice man
| everybody tells me So she said, "but I
do not love you a little bit, and never
could. l would hate you for the fact that
I don't believe you could help yourself
in this pickle. Now let's be good friends,
but marry whom we please"
The young man emerged at once from
! his apparent lassitude.
by Jove, you're brick!" he exclaimed
cordially. Hanged if I want to be dis
inherited or anything of that sort--but
hanged if l want to marry a girl I never
have seen. BY Jove-I beg your pardon,
you know, but I mean-that is, [ mean
that is I don't mean
81 understand she interrupted mer-
| rily. 'And 1 guess we understand each
other all right. We will be good friends,
but they can't make us marry, can they?"
Never" he replied, ferVently "Why,
hang it all, 1 want my fling first, don't
you know
"And I, too,'' she replied "And I need
it more than you because have spent all
my life in a convent" And so they part
| ed.
Now it happened that Myrtle was full
blooded little creature with all the spirit
that her full, rips lips and clear red
cheeks indicated. And all her life she
had been shut up in a convent with no
vent for her ardent young animal spir-
its excepting through the medium of her
ina gination-fed only by surreptitious
reading of smuggled novels. But that
was sufficient to people the young mind
with knights and lovers and champions
! galore.
! And it came to pass that the great mas
! Querade ball of the Sons of the Seventh
Daughters was held soon after Myrtle
| came home. It was to be swell affair
| and Myrtle was crazy to go. But Aunt
! Eleanor was Mortified and vetoed the bare
suggestion.
Then the spirit of the dead father arose
| in the daughter, and Myrtle resolved to
| go whether or no.
And she did It took plenty of schem-
ing and-alas. some lying, but she went
/ that day with a girl fried and arranged
with her 50 that she could slip in upon
! her return. Of course it was a very
! naughty and a very dangerous thing for
81 girl to do--and especially a young girl
| Just out of a convent, but only such a
one word have the nerve to attempt it.
She appeared as lady of the Eliza
! bethian period ana was one of the strik
! ing figures of the ball. No sooner had she
| appeared than a knight of the Crusaders
| approached her and paid violent court.
| He Was a most persistent knight, ana
| was not to be satisfied with one dance.
| but haunted the Elizabethian lady most
| ardently. And he was good to look up
| on, and most devoted and princely in his
| her veins as it never did before This
| foTsooth. was life. Marry Tillson Mon
| tague? Never. She would find a knight
| of her own who would choose her for
| her own charms, and not because mann
mas and aunts and dead people had will
| ed it-and she went whirling off on an
! other delicious waltz with Sir Knight,
| and even so far forgot herself as to re
| spond lever so slightly to the strong,
warm pressure of his hand.
! All too quick it came to an end-as
! all things do, even a girls first ball. And
when the time for unmasking came he
| was standing before her, begging for the
next dance.
"Ah, my lady, am at last to see
your face, he exclaimed"
mo, no. she replied hastily really
! l cannot unmask. Please take me to the
| dressing room"
He offered his arm, expostulating all
the time it was his privilege to see the
! face of the lady who had permitted him
to be her knight all the evening, and
| who had become the mistress of his heart.
But she was obdurate and they started
toward the dressing room.
| Alas for the honesty of mamie guild
| ed her. not to the dressing-room at all,
! but to coZy corner, far from the throng
| drunk with the excitement and surprises
| of the unmasking.
Fair lady," said he, g am but hui
man. am mad with the intoxication of
! your presence. If 1 do not see your face.
/ If you escape me now l will spend all
my life in fruitless search for you.
You are the one woman in the world for
me and | cannot let you escape''
"Oh, please do not she cried, throw
| ing up her hands to protect her mask