Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-09-24
BY Elsie Carmichael


really wouldn't have come If / hat
known had to inhict myself on yol
In this way" He offered his arm
looking at her downcast, piQuant ltttl,
face with a world Of pity in his eyes
Don't take II 50 hard, DEAR he whis
pered
She raised her head and flashed hin
defiant look You forget" she saif
icily. "Don't take advantage Of oul
having to sit next one another through
long dinner to treat me SO. / dom
see what Mrs. Clarke was thinking Of. :
Don's eyes twinkled. We'll, real
"" he said, Il don't see that Mrs
| Clarke can be blamed How could she
know that you had refused me last
evening? If you don't want to talk tt
me you can talk to your other neigh
| bor.n
Nan looked at the fat, stupid old gen.
| tleman on her other side and made a
little moue. He is certainly the lesser
Of two evils,s she said and turned hel
round white shoulder to Don.
The latter, with seeming eagerness,
talked to gay young widow on his
other side, and Nan listened with wan
dering attention to the dissertation OF
the elderly gormand on the delights Of
pate de foie gras.
The conversation between the widow
and Don Yaxed most frivolous. Nan
felt the angry tears coming to her
eyes. 1t was not fair to treat her so.
Never since she had known him had
he deliberately turned his back on her.
Every one would notice 1t. She hated
that widow.
"Ah, that will be gloriousi' cried the
latter. 'sWill you come for me at 8.
and may really drive those grays Of
yours all the way out to the club? I
long to feel the reins In my hands
again. haven't driven good horses for
so long. Most people are afraid to let
me try. but you know can drive,
don't you, Don? Do you remember
long ago, in those good old days, how
we used to go spinning out to the
Country club and" Then her voice
dropped. and Nan heard no more.
Oh. II only Archie or Dick or Mall
calm were next her, wouldn't she show
Don how little she cared? But this
stupid old Mr.. Jones could hardly be
induced to take his attention from his
plate for a moment She talked excit-
edly, the color mounted into her cheeks,
and Don, who watched her surrep-
titiouslys thought be had never seen her
50 charming It was bittersweet
thing just to sit next her this way, even
Il she would not speak to him.
He listened only half mechanically to
what Mrs. Wright was saying. His
mind would wander back to that last
evening when he had finished that de-
hciosls waltz with her and they had
strQllea into the conservatory. he
could stilI hear the last strains Of The
music die away, sobbingly sweet She
was radiant In ner uimy rose coiored
gown that be told her looked like q bit
|of sunset cloud She had seemed happy
end content until he had made the mis-
fake Of telling her he loved her. and
then the whole radiant world was
suddenly turned to cold gray tones, as
when the evening colors In the sky fade
Into the twilight.
The hostess rose, and he stood back
to let Nan pass. She had never q look
for him, but chatted gayly with Madge
Trelawney as they left the room. Then
he threw himself back in his chair and
smoked In silence, not listening to the
talk about him.
Txys,,., ~, <sx,.r<1fga $40 ~ 15,.oz,,;,,c,
room half an hour later Mrs. Clarke,
who was near the door, held out a de-
tanning hand. Il want you to take Nan
into the library to play pingpong," !" she
said.
But perhaps she won't want tt" OBJ
jected Don. Mrs. Clarke looked at him
shrewdly.
Don't you think know that you
and Nan have quarreled7' she asked.
Am | blindY Be good boy and
make It up"
4 am willing enough to, Mrs. Clarke"
he said SO earnestly that his hostess
felt as though he had taken her into
his confidence and led him up to the
low couch near the fire, where Nan was
still talking to Madge Trelawney. The
color had gone from her face now, and
she looked tired and listless.
Take Mr. Prentice into the library
and make him play pingpong, Nan,"
begged Mrs Clarke. Things are go-
ing very duly tonight, and I want
some one 10 start them up bit. :
Nan WaIs surprised to find herself q
moment later alone Ii the dimly lit IL
brary with Prentice. She had not In
tended to come Now that she was
there, however, she longed to sit down
on the low seat before the lickering
fire and have him tell her again how
he loved her If she could hear those
words Elow she thought her answer
would he different, He had taken her
by surparise last night He had takea
her lovAe too much for granted and
hurt heir pride. But ali that was over.
She dared not yield to the spell Of the
FIRE ngfat- She picked up racket and
tried t{ae delicate little celluloid ball on
the table.
sCofme on, she said. We might as
well tplay a set to please Mrs. Clarke. :
THEY played game absent minded
u. Love one : he said when they had
finished
4sBut 1t isn't pouted Nan. It's no
fusn to play with you. You never keeF
scspre right You won that game.
fOh. did / y be inquired. r ara ss1r-
pri5sed. You always win. Z
1Tvt,n i 2sF q cfra7 MAJ, ecornfys5lV