Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-11-05
FROsTBURG, Md. SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 5, 1904

He hated dancing. as Wen he might.
seeing that he danced so badly. George
Gilbert, contrariwiSc. might have been
wing footed, so lightly did he move in
such perfect time and tune. Music, i'll
deed. was in the Gilbert blood. EStcllc
danced. if anything. better. When they
waltZed together other couples stopped
to see Indeed they kept on and on
and on until they had the whole crowd
staring as alone they whrlcd and
wheeled over the waXed floor of the
hall
"Stop, EStelle." Bronson inlplored in
a loud whisper as the couple whrled
past him. George smiled broadly. rs
telle, dismaycd, put hand up to her
face. AS she took it away two pimplcs
and half dozen freckles came with it.
George saw them and quickly guided
her out of the light
"Go wash your face!" he commanded
impcratively. ".And the next time YOU
want to 20 masqueradin= let me help
you make up. | know heaps of better
Disagreement. Besides. grease paint
is fearfully unreliable when one loves
dancing as we do"
Il forgot-I ought not to have
danced" Estelle said cOntritely; then
with swift change of mood. But YOU
wouldn't have known If | had been Il
little wiser"
Indeed l would. | went 800 miles
last summer just to see YOU" George
half whispered. so l understood the
minute | looked mt you tonight. You
wanted to disgust me. to make me
lose wife and Il fortune. | don't
blame you. Women have to fight i'll
Justice with their own weapons. Still
l wish you hadn't done it. You can
say NO to me this minute if you like
and get back more than all the money
you lose by saying it tomorrow
II see You want to invest in DreS-
den china" Estelle interrupted autla-
ciously. so of course | don't want to
say it-not now, at least"
THAT must be quite as you please"
George said, smiling over her head.
"You will have to 20 straight home,
he added masterfully. "Ciian|in% low
ers would be nothing beside the scan
dal of changing countenaHces this way
in the face of everyDod!.'
Il know it," Estelle said sorrowful-
ly. Fate is playing me trickS-puttin;
all the trumps in .Adela's hands
Not quite. You forget | shall make
your excuses and take you and Mrs.
Warren home" George said. Don't
keep me waiting either I'm all impa-
tience to see your real self"
GraSShopc had no end of sensations
through the next six weeks The first
came when George Gilbert broke the
prearranged engagement, the next
when it was seen that he WIS diSput-
ing with Reed Bronson for first Place
in his cousins regard, and the third
and greatest was to find the strange
Gilbert girl truly Il beauty, with no
end Of fine feathers and Il most ell
chanting way of wearing them. Adel;l
Evans looked faded and insignificant
beside her, although away from her
she was easily the prettiest girl in
town. But Adela was spiritlcSS these
days She no longer had hopes of
catching George. He WAS eagerly,
desperately, in earnest about Estelle,
although she had given him back, as
in duty bound, rather more than half
the money Reed Bronson was no less
earnest, SO between them they kept
public interest ut fever heat.
Estelle was nobly impartial. At first
she had thought herself really in love
with Bronson. That was what had im-
PEELED her to the maSQuerauinS. But
somehow Georges grave, hurt face
had made her very much ashamed,
although she would have died rath-
er than admit love at first sight. Then
his freeing her and settling down to
court her anew appealed to something
in her of like fiber. Altogether she
was hard put to it to decide.
The strain of it all bore hardest on
Bronson. His temper. never sweet.
became abrupt and uncertain. He was
barely civil to other women. George,
contrariwise, continued to be Il but
terfy among the social flowers.
Upon one of those spring days that
seem made for love the three rode
together through DlosSomy lanes.
Bronson rode but clumsily, so when
presently his mount botcd it was all
he could do to keep his seat. George,
a hOrscman born, was after the run
away in Il minute, caught him and
checked him SO sharply that the mad
creature reared, kicked savagcly and
at last fell backward. taking tie other
horse with it in struggling, plunSing
heap. That anybody came out of it
alive was little short of miracle. But
there was nothing worse for either
than Il broken arm. AS Bronson stood
ruefully nursing it he said, looking
straight in Estclle's eyes: You needn't
take the trouble to tell me anything.
| saw your face as we were going
down. You found out whom you loved
just then-George."
YES, George" EstClle said. flushing
like rose.
A Peculiar Fish.