The Van Buren press., 1903-06-13
at the HizOrd
COtillion
BY NELLIE
CRHVEY CIhnMORE

Copyright, 1905. by Daily Story Put. Coz


T He crowded corridors, parlors anC
verandas Of the Royal Poincian,
presented a scene scarcely TO be sur
pas sed anywhere for wealth and splen
dor. There was the usual fash GnC
sparkle Of jewels; the magnificent dis
play of costumes, beautiful women
bare Of bosom and shoulder, and impos
ing men.
The quintessence Of ingenious taste
reigned supreme. The ballroom
schemed to typify a tropical wildwood
presented vast aspect of tangled TO-
liage, brilliant with native blossoms
Fastened to the network Of vine and
tree, with slender, almost invisible
cords, the world Of Lacertiliae diSport.
ed itself at will Some, gorgeous in
their livery of brilliant green, were
sprightly, inquisitivc, courageous, but
entirely harmless. Others, shy and
crusty-coated, nibbled assiduously
upon the food provided for them, OF
shrank back in modest retirement
There were flying brakes, frilled, blind
and hedge lizards, monitors, geckos
some Of the waterspecies and innumcr
able little house lizards, bright and
variable in color.
Tavarcs and his friend Jack Erickson
made their way toward the ballroom
The first figure was already in prog
reSS.
"Wcl watch this out" said Tayarcs
"and afterwards | intend presenting
You to Mrs. Mainwaring. She is that
tall, lovely blonde standing just
outside the door talking TO the mar
with the orders on his coat
Erickson followed the others gaze
and his heart gave a sudden, tumultu
Gus bound as he recognized the won.
an. The light from the rose-cut chan.
delier above fell directly over her
changing the pink, flesh tint Of her
neck and arms to dead white marble
The gown she wore was Of delicate
mauye, and dropped about her in be.
Mainwaring was a woman who not only
could carry such things, but become
them.
For years Ericsson had pictured to
himself a possible meeting with the
girl who had made all the love-dreams
Of his youth and later manhood, but
il had never been anything like this
The reality far eclipsed every inyesti
ture of the ideal
But Mrs. Mainwaring was another
mans wife!
At the conclusion Of the figure
Tayares dragged him across the floor
TO where she stood. Ericsson had framed
a dozen commonplace remarks Will
which to greet her, but they all seemed
20 stick stubbornly in his throat a,
he once more gazed into the purple
pansy eyes that had kept him bach
elor for the past ten years.
This is an undreamed Of pleasure,
he managed to say at last, clasping tn,
hand she extended.
AT the sound Of his voice, Mrs. Main
waring bent a swift, startled glanc,
upon him, her color changing quickly.
Jack Ericson-of all pcoplc!" sh,
exclaimed. "Why, thought YOU were
in Germany studying" She broke oN
and bit her lip in some veXation foi
having betrayed the fact that she hat
given so much thought TO any one man
and that man-him.
81 have been in Germany for gooG
many years" he explained, taking W
her words. engaged in the study OF
mineralogy. ! have but just arrived
and tomorrow shall leave for tho
west, where ] hope to make pract'cu
use Of the knowledge have spentye
trying to perfect
Tavares had vanished, and they stood
there longer than either knew, TALKING
and taking no note OF time, Presently
Mrs Nninwaring recalled herself win
start.
"You must let me find you part
ner," she 0pologi2cd, 81 quite forgot
for the moment that was monopoll
ing you, when all this time ! am sur,
you have been dying to join th,
dancers,'
But Ericsson made a decided protest
against any such inclination.
Indeed, would far rather not h,
insisted, eagerly, that is, ifyou thinl
you can put up with my society It'll,
while longer
"Oh, perfectly well" She responded
with smile, "but for the next hall
hour | shall have to devote myself to
some Of the guests, When you see m,
dsengsgcd, come"
when Mrs, MHinwarng had disnp
peured in the crowd. Ericsson took M
lis position in the shadow Of hug,
bank OF palms where he could obscry,
all that was going on, without him
self being observed,
Now for the hrst time he gave hlsut
tcntion TO the dancing Fayors wer,
being distributed for the third figure
tiny yari.colorcd chameleons, fas
tened with silver chains. Some Of thes,
chung tennciously to the women
shoulders, dartng with llghtning.lik,
rapdity their cNicnsilc, cmb.shapct
tongues half out Of their hidcous bod
uJlInT GIiTrT