Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-05-26

cuD. AT O'Clock lie DreakfaSteQ Wild
them, his infatuati0n growing deeper
and stronger as he sat for the hour be-
meath the spell Of those eyes, the glOri.
GUS face, the sweet. imperial air that
was part Of her, strange and unaf.
fected. AS they were leaving the din.
ing room he asked If she would not
drive with him.
His ardent gallantry met with sur
prising rebuke. Her voice, moment
ago sweet and affable, changed its
tone instantly to one so proud and ar
rogant that he could scarcely believe
his ears.
Il shall be engaged during the entire
day, Mr.. Lorry." she said slowly, look
ing him fairly in the eyes with cruel
pOsitiveness. For q moment he dared
not speak.
81 have reason to feel thankful that
you are to be engaged" he said at last
calmly, without taking his eyes from
hers. 81 am forced to believe, much to
my regret, that l have offended when
l intended to please. You will pardon
my temerity."
There was no mistaking the resent
ment in his voice or the glitter in his
eyes. Impulsively her little hand was
stretched forth, falling upon his arm,
while into her eyes came again the soft
glow and to her lips the most pathetic,
appealing smile, the forerunner OF
pretty plea for forgiveness. The change
startled and puzzled him more than
ever. In one moment she was unrea-
sonably rude and imperious, In the
next gracious and imploring.
"Forgive me-" she cried, the blue
eyes battling bravely against the steel
in the gray ones above. Il was 80
uncivil! Perhaps l cannot make you
understand why I spoke as did, but,
let me say, l richly deserved the re-
buke. Pray forgive me and forget that
have been disagreeable. Do not ask
me to tell you why l was so rude to
you just now, but overlook my unkind
treatment of your invitation. Please,
Mr.. Lorry, beg of you'll beg for the
first time in my life. You have been
so good to me, be good to me STILL"
His wrath melted away like snow be-
fore the sunshine. How could he resist
such an appeal? "T beg for the first
time in my life" whirled in his brain.
What did she mean by that?
81 absolve the penitent," he said
gravely.
~ thank you. You are still my ideal
American-courteous bold and gentle.
I do not wonder that Americans can be
masterful men. And now l thank you
for your invitation and ask you to let
me withdraw my implied refusal. II
you will take me for the drive l shall
be delighted and more than grateful"
"You make me happy again." he said
softly. as they drew near the elder
members of the party. who had paused
to wait for them. 81 shall ask your un-
Gle and aunt to accompany u.s."
"Uncle Caspar will be busy all day,
but am sure my aunt will be charmed.
Aunt Yvonne. Mr.. Lorry has asked us
to drive with him over the city, and l
have accepted for you. When are we
to start, Mr.. Lorry?
Mr.. and Mrs. Guggenslocker stared
In a bewildered sort Of manner at their
niece. Then Aunt Yvonne turned ques-
tioning eyes toward her husband. who
promptly bowed low before the tall
American and said:
Your kind offices shall never be for.
gotten, sir. When are the ladies to be
ready?"
Lorry was weighing in his mind the
advisability of asking them to dine In
the evening with his mother, but two
objections presented themselves read
ily-first, he was afraid Of this per-
verse maid; second, he had not seen his
mother. In fact, he did not know that
she was in town.
"At 2 o'clock, 1 fancy. That will give
us the afternoon. You leave at 8 to-
night, do you nOt?"
"Yes. And will you dine with US this
EVENING"" Her invitation was 80 un-
expected in view Of all that had hap
pened that he looked askance. Zach,
you must not treat my invitation as
did yours! she cried merrily, although
he could detect the blush that returns
with the recollection Of reprimand.
"You should profit by what l have
been taught" The girl abruptly threw
her arm about her aunt and cried as
she drew away in the direction Of her
room: "At ., then, and at dinner this
evening. 1 bid you good morning, Mr..
Lorry."
The young man, delighted with the
turn Of affairs, but dismayed by what
seemed summary dismissal, bowed
low. He waited until the strange trio
entered the elevator and then saun-
tered downstairs, his hands In his
pockets, hts heart as light as air.
In an hour he was at home and re-
lating to his mother the story of his
wanderings, neglecting for reasons best
known to himself the events which oc-
Cured after Denver had been left be-
hind, except for casual allusion to "a
party Of foreigners" At 1 o'clock,
faultlessly attired. he descended to the
brougham, telling Mrs. Lorry that he
had invited some strangers to see the
city. On the way downtown he re-
membered that he was in business
the law business-and that it would be
we'll to drop in and let his uncle know
he was in the city. On second thought,
however, he concluded it was too near
2 o'clock to waste any time on business,
80 the Office did not know that he was
in town until the next day, and then to
no great extent.
For several hours he reveled in her
society. sitting beside her in that roomy
brougham, Aunt Yvonne opposite, ex-
planning to her the many places Of in
terest as they passed.
Their dinner was but one more phase
Of this fascinating dream. More than
once he feared that he was about to