Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-02-22
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER WI.
1t is quite among the small hours
when the Dalton carriage dashes up
the avenue. and Mr.. Dalton-looking
very sleepy and red, but by no means
unhappy Che has made an excellent
supper and won five shillings and six
pence at the whist-table), and May en-
tiers the house.
Oh, youth! thy limbs are pictured as
of the softness and tenderness of a
childs but surely they are of stoutest
wood and sternest iron! May has
been on her feet for hours. and those
feet have scarcely been still for thirty
consecutive minutes; she has danced
nearly every item of the long pro-
gramme. has promenaded miles around
the beeswaxed floor and gallery and
still keeps WEAKNESS at arms length
Papa Dalton rubs his eyes and gapes
aloud, the huge footmen yawn behind
their gigantic hands like exhausted
Cog ana Magog, but May stands erect
her checks flushed, her brown eyes
shining like diamonds, her lips half
apart, her heart still beating with the
rapid pulsations of pleasure and ex-
element.
Mr.. Dalton eyes her with sleepy ad-
miration, and with a novel and en-
barressed respect It is the first
time in his life he has been aroused
to the fact that this daughter of his
possesses something more than a bad
tember-beauty At intervals he had
uaid visits to the ballroom, and had
seen her dancing. walking, laughing
with the great Sir Heron; and. sleepy
as he is, his brain is full of ambitious
dreams.
ahem!-you'r looking well
tonight, May" he says. 81 hope you've
enjoyed yourself. 1t was a capital
ball think"
WAS it not?" says May enthusiastic
cally. where were you, papa? did
not see you. T.
quite forgot me, dare say" Mr..
Dalton, with a chuckle. quite right.
my dear-quite right But l didn't
forget you. saw you-saw you dane
ing with Sir Heron. He seemed
| ahem.-veiy attentive, polite, and, er
all that"
oh, very" says May, with little
| laugh, as she remembers the long,
stalwart figure on its knees.
Sir Heron is ais one of the most
influential men in the county" con-
{ ~
the most influential. 1t gave me
great satisfaction to-er-to-"
ITO see me dancing with him, -
says May. with a little extra color.
Proved that we were almost respect
able, did it not?" she adds.
Mr.. Daltons face grows redder than
before
Il don't know what you mean" he
says angrily. That's a most extraordi-
nary speech. Respectable"
Yes, says May, CURLY. 1T is very
evident that they did not think so be-
fore, considering that they have for
two years persistently ignored their
nearest neighbors' existence.
Il think We had better go to bed. y
ut is almost time" May says gay
/ ly, glancing at the clock, which solemn
/ ly strikes two. Don't be angry,
papa she adds. as she kisses him.
'Of course. Sir Heron Letchford was
polite, but it was the county ball, you
know, and peers may dance with
peasants on this occasion. Good-
night" and she runs up the stairs on
tipt0e, that she may not awake Carrie;
but, futile precaution! as she passes
down the corridor, tie door next her
own is opened and a wideawake voice
from behind it calls her name.
you wicked child" exclaims May,
as the young lady thus adjured springs
into bed again, and sitting up with the
clothes drawn around her, holds out
! her arm.
oh, May. what time you've been.
| kept awake as long as l could, and
then fell asleep and slept for days,
Isn't it morning yet? and you don't
look bit sleepy. Tell me all about
it, May. Sit there, where / can see
you. Was it nice-quite a nice
ball and did you enjoy yourself? Now
it's no use saying you didn't. because
can see your face How beautiful
you look And where's your flower,
May"
MY flower? I must have lost T."
Never mind the flower, May" says
Carrie. impatienuy; tell me al about
the ball What a shame j. is that
just because l am few yc4rs younger
than you, I CO ildn't e., Nobody
would have noticed me, and l would
nave kept quiet in a corner; but never
mind, yod must tell me all about it.
Who vas there? All the people we
know? And did you dance much,
May2"
VERY much"
And did you have good partners?"
Some good. some bad. and some
very Indifferent" answers May, smll-
ing. as she thinks OF the perfect waltz
with Vane, and the very imperfect ones
with Sir Heron.
and we're the Letchfords there?"