Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-08-28

| " y
we dance it through" she added.
| forcing Il smile.
by all means!" he said courteously.
And away they went again.
But our next dancer" he said grave
ly moment later. You will sit out
that with me? l have something to say
to you-something Of the greatest i'm
portance to me-"
A feeling of helplessness crept over
her.
Very well. them" she said trem-
blingly. Our next dance"
Presently, when the waltz was over
he had to leave her. Austin Drysdale
sauntered across to her. and at her re-
| quest took her to seat in one of the
corridors.
Il want to be quiet for a moment or
So" she exclaimed. 80 please don't
talk much. Austin. Mr.. DrummOnd is
my next partner"
He looked at her inQuiringly
why didn't the paragon take you
into the conservatory" he asked ban
| teringly.
she gave little sign.
oh the conservatory is due with our
next dance" she replied. and relapsed
into silence.
| A door a few yards away from them
! opened few inches, and the sound Of
mems voices broke upon their ears.
Il just came along from CranstOn's
dinner party, and we had quite dra-
matte little scene.' cried one. Young
| Rivington, who has been invaded
home, was there. and lot Of other
chaps. He drank champagne rather
heavily, and not being strong yet. 1t
went to his head, and he got excited
or course there was lot of war talk,
and ShentOn, the painter chap. made
some asinine, sneering remark about
| our fellows wOrk-said that II ever a
| man did Il brave action it was only
| because he hoped to get the V. G. for
| it,"
The voice paused for moment
| Drysdale glanced at Beryl, and saw
she was listening to every word. The
| voice went on:
Then young Rivvy sprang up, his
| face atiame, and told Shenton he was
as good as a liar; said there We're hun
| lreds of cases where men did big
things and kept it to themselves. Shen-
ton laughed. Rivvy grew madden STILL
and said he himself could give an in
stance. They We're out at Modder Riv-
er doing patrol work, and coming into
contact with the enemy had to get
under cover as best they could. 1t was
| Il fast thing, and in the scramble back
one of the subaterns fell and twisted
| his ankle. In wasn't noticed for some
| little time, then IL captain, finding it
| out. went back into the open and
brought him away under STORM OF
mullets. He got badly hit himself, but
| managed to do the trick Only Rivvj
and the subaltern knew what had hap
pened, and the chap who did it bound
them over to secrecy. and made them
promise to say nothing about it. He
only gave out that he had been hit by
stray shot
The voice came to a stop.
The dramatic part was that Rivvy
| in his excitement let out the name
| Who do you think it was? Why, old
| Lum. who's somewhere about here to-
night, and the subaltern was young
| Archie HeathcOte.
by Jove!" muttered Drysdale, sud
denly. He looked at Beryl and saw
| that she had grown pale, but there was
a sparkle In her eye.
What do you think Of that?" cried
| the voice in the rOOm
splendid" murmured the girl out
| side, clasping her hands.
From the ball room they heard the
sound of the music starting again. A
young man came and looked down the
corridor. then walked up to them. 1t
| was Cecil DrummOnd, her partner
nervous youth. who stood In cOnsid-
! cradle awe Of her. She went Off and
| danced with him. She hardly spoke.
and seemed deep in thought. Sudden
ly soft smile lighted up her features.
The wondering DrummOnd thought she
looked radiantly beautiful. and at once
came to the conclusion the earl had
| proposed to her What girl wouldn't
happy uuueT SUCH circumstances!
| She asked him to take her to the con-
servatory, which he did. There was
only one occupant-a man at the far
end. who was hobbling across to IL
chair. A light came into the girls eyes
as she saw him. She turned to young
Drummond with smile.
Would you mind if | left you. Mr..
Drummond? l want to speak to Cap.
/ tain Lumsden Il moment. He is an old
friend"
Cecil Drummond gaped in astonish-
ment, then. muttering Il reply, turned
and vanished. Left alone. Beryl walked
with Il light step down the conserva-
tory. Lumsden had just settled him
self with his stick beside his chair,
when she came upon him. He looked
up and saw a glorious vision in white.
He recognized hcr-the one woman he
had ever loved. She was smiling and
| holding out her hand to him.
Don't rise" she said, as he attempt
ed to move.
They looked at one another for a
| rOoIpnut without sneak nr T'han Sha