The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-06-19
At the nizQrd
COtil1ion
BY NEhhIE
CRHVEY GILMORE
Copyright, 1908. by Daily Story Pub. Co,

r HE crowded corridors, parlors and
verandas of the Royal Poi1fciana
presented a scene scarsel3 to be sur
passed anywhere for wealth and SPLEEN
dor. There was the usual fash and
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 tropical wildwood,
presented a 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, ~
tbe9' livery of brilliant green, were
| sprightly, inquisitive, courageous, but
entirely harmless. Others, shy and
crusty-coated, nibbled assiduously
upon the food provided for them, or
shrank back in modest retirement.
There were flying brakes. frilled, blind
and hedge lizards, monitors, geckos,
some of the water species and innumer-
able little house lizards, bright and
variable in color.
! Tavares and his friend Jack Erickson
made their way toward the ballroom.
The first figure was already in prog
ress.
''Well watch this out" said TaSares,
"and afterwards z intend presenting
you to Mrs. Mainwaring. She is that
btall, lovely blonde standing just
outside the door talking to the man
with the orders on his coat"
Erickson follo9ed tho others gaze,
and his heart gave sudden, tumultu-
Gus bound as he recognized the wom-
an. The light from the rose-cut chan
delier above fell directly over her,
changing the pink, flesh, tint of her
neck and &rms to dead white marble.
4'he gown she wore was of delicate
mauye and dropped about her in be-
witching cascades. Decidedly, Mrs.
Mainwaring was 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 aud later manhood, but
it had never been anything like thisc
The reality far eclipsedo dewey investi-
ture of the ideal
But Mrs. Mainwaring owas another
mans wife! q
At the conclusion of the figure
Tavares dragged him across the floor
| @0x ~ ctnnH E'r-ioSnn Il y fro ,aI
dozen commonplace remarks with
whiSh TO greet her, but they all seemed
to stick stubbornly in ibis throat as
he one more gazed into the PURPLE
pansy eyes that had kept hi0 a bach
elorOfor the past ten years.
This is an undreamed of pleasure"
he managed to say al last, clasping the
hand she extended.
At the sound of his voice. Mrs. Main
waring bent a swift. startled glance
upon him, her color changing quickly.
Jack Ericson-of all people!D she
exclaimed. why, 1 thought you were
inlGermany studying" she broke off
and bit her lip in some vexation for
having betrayed the fact that she had
given so much thought to any one man,
and that man-him.
Il have been i1P Germany for a good
many years." he explained, taking up
her words, engaged in the stuey of
mineralogy. 1 have but just arrived,
and tomorrow shall leave for the
west, where hope to make practical
use &C the knowledge have spent years
trying to perfect"
| Tavares had vanished, and they stood
there longer than either knepv, talking
and taking no note of time. Presently
Mrs. Mainwaring recalled herself with
a start.
you must let me find you aopart-
ner," she apologized, Il quite forgot
for the moment that was monopoliz-
| ing you, when all this time 1 am sure
you have been dying to join the
dancers" o
| But Ericsson made decided protest
againet any such inclination.
| Indeed. / would far rather not he
insisted, eagerly, that is, if you think
you can put up with my society little
while longer
"Oh. perfectly WE'LL" she responded,
with a smile, but for the next half
hour 1 shall have to devote myself to
some of the guests. When you see me
disengaged, come"
| When Mrs. Mainwaring had disap-
| peared in the crowd. Ericsson took up
his position in the shadow of huge
bank of palms where he could observe
al that was going on, without him
sea- being observed.
Now for the first time he gave his at
ten1ion to the dancing. Eayors were