Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-01-24
NOT TOO bATE

81 T was late when George Atwood
arrived at Mrs. Halleck's party.
There was quite a brilliant COM
pany present, and Mr.. Atwood stood
near the door to scan the throng.
Evidently he was looking for some
body-yes. for his eyes rested now on
a young girl.
A girl with a beautiful face upturn-
ed to a fair, handsome man, bending
over the back of her chair. She SEEM
ed in trance of delight. and wholly
unconscious of anybody's presence In
the brilliantly lighted parlors but the
man bending over her.
And the girl was George Atwood's
promised wife.
When his eyes rested on her an aw-
full change came over his face. the
rich, dark color fed. leaving it white
and rigid, and his lips formed a tense
line under his heavy, dark beard.
For days past George Atwood watch
ed Ida Challis. his intended wife. He
knew that Ida loved him devotedly,
and he tried not to watch her; he tried
not to notice Alfred Mays attention to
her, but as he caught sight of her
face when he entered Mrs. Halleck's 8
parlor he knew that he ought to have
kept better watch over her than he
did Alfred May possessed the fasci-
nation of serpent. and he had drawn
Ida into the meSheS.
George Atwood turned away with an
inward groan He loved Ida passion
ately; her love seemed lost to him, yet
he could not think Of giving her up.
MIR. Atwood is here" Alfred May
said. looking down at Ida Challis.
The radiant face grew pale, and Ida
shivered as she looked around her. She
had fallen from her world of bliss and
she was once more in Mrs. Halleck' S
crowded salon.
Did you say Mr.. Atwood was here
Where is hep" she asked. in a low
voice.
Yes: he was here a moment ago. l
saw him looking savagely in this di-
rection, but he has Disappeared; l do
not see him anywhere now," and Mr..
MAY laughed his musical laugh.
changed the conversation, and in an
other minute Ida's face was upturned
and rosy once more.
\ quadrille was forming, and a gen.
tleman came to claim Ida for the
dance. Away from Alfred May and
the glamor his presence cast over her
partly vanished-she thought of her
lover. Where was he? Did he no
tice anything wrong in her conduct to-
ward Alfred May? If he was in the
room why didn't he come to her?
These thoughts flashed through Ida s
mind as she waited for the first figure
to be called. and happening to turn her
head, she saw her lover standing on
the opposite side of the room. his eyes
fastened upon her. One glance at his
livid face and everything in the illum-
mated parlors seemed whirling round
her
The dance was over. Ida never could
tell how she go Through it. The heat
of the room was suffocating her, and
when her partner left her, after leading
her back to her seat, she rose and stag
gered over to one of the windows that
opened out upon the balcony.
AS she stepped into the deep recess
of the window she let the curtains fall
behind her, shutting in the light and
heat and whirl. How delightful and
cool 1t was out here. The shining stars
looked down at her from their deep
blue setting through the open window
But Ida did not shut herself out in the
darkness to gaze at the stars. She
threw herself into a chair which occu.
pied the recess and buried her face in
her hands.
"Oh. what a wretch l am" she
moaned. George suspects l think
more CT another man than I do of him
Heaven help me! How is this going
to end?"
Little Ida dreamed that before many
minutes she would know how 1t was
going to end. AS she asked herself
that question voices came to her from
the balcony without.
Ida'S head was erect in an instant. 4
lady and gentleman were speaking OF
the balcony. Ida did not wish to si
and listen to what va -ot intended