The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-12-01

,.hr- Miranda 81 d, then stop
y .-,;nr She was so little used to
having p'r her wishes come true.
D, ,,.rsnda loved color and Eight and
.,. m, somewhere in her pedigree
n,ro mist have been strain of trop
,,ood else how account for her de
'as any more than for her silky black
'a,r her liquid black eyes. her fine
D n~o skin touched with scarlet? Her
,'aoinr rs well was wholly untaught,
u~ ~tin,eI save by the sweep of the
uI fine lulIng patter of raindrops
,to cottage roof. She danced only
vi v,ben she thought herself alone. Her
..ardfather. the minister, thought
sancipc Of any sort deadly sin.
VI ue had heart kind and true, this
hent white haired old gentleman, and
. s loved his one grandchild. 1t was
tis creed. not himself, which forced
him 70 deny her the things her youth
oroved lie did not understand her
any more than he had understood his
rife her glandmother, who had died,
having behind a baby girl that grew
nm tbe feminine counterpart of its ia
+ ther.
If was a queer, piteous jest of fate
that gave her, woman born for the
missionary cause, such piece of quick
,f;-.,,,i, for n Ja11rbfar How,
tbe Girl came by the quicksilver except
through the grandmother was a puzzle
of heredity Her father was a mission
ary. meek in all things except regard
ing his chosen work. There he had a
lions heart, a Spartan's endurance.
Thus Miranda had been left behind
when her parents went to the far east.
That was ten years back-so long ago
they were little more to her now than
memories.
Miranda picked up her mothers lat
est letter. The paper was thin, the
writing fine and grabbed, but she was
able to read an account of the dancing
girls in one of the heather temples.
After the third reading she shut her
eyes Her mother had dwelt feelingly
upon the horror, the impiety of it all,
but somehow there had crept between
the lines enough of the east to bewitch
the reader. She seemed to see it all
the crowd, the lights, the wreaths of
smoking incense, the figures swaying
in time and tune And as she thus saw
mentally there came to her a longing
not to be resisted to dance, dance,
dance, the night away.
1t was evening. Her grandfather
was away at a special service in his
mission chapel. She had been left be-
hind to finish some slight household
tasks. Half mile down the street
the BriXton fancy ball was in full
blast. She had card to it-one she
had not dared to display. Now, insane
ly, she made up her mind to go-not-
outstanding her formal regrets She
would not go as Miranda Acton-rather
as a dancing girl from a world I'M
known.
Her mother had sent home a COM
plete outfit to be sold at the Twelfth |
Night ST. BarnabaS fair. With shaking
hands she huddled herself into it, then
looked at herself in the glass. The eff
feet startled her, but it convinced her
there must be further disguise. She
caught up her water colors, gave her
self duSky complexion, carmine
cheeks and heavy black lashes. She
stained her arms, her ankles, her bare
throat.
By the time it was done the clock
was striking 10. In half ain hour her
grandfather would be home For a
minute she hesitated, then, almost be-
fore she knew it, she had goloshes over
her sandals, and, well wrapped in her
long macintosh, was out in the street
Presently she found herself in the
BriXtons' library. She had crushed
through a great multitude of figures
nearly as much out of the common as
her own. She remembered, too, having
dropped frightened courtesy to state
" Nine BriXton, who had stared at
her, then smiled a kindly welcome, and
let her slip away in the crowd.
The band was playing. In the room
beyond all sorts and conditions of folks
whirled madly about Miranda glanc-
ed at them and shrank back. They
We're dancing two and two-she could
only dance al0ne-and dance she must.
The stealing music said so beyond per-
adventure The library was empty.
HAN unconSciously she began to foot.
II over the polished floor, weaving back
and forth, bending, swaying, balancing
upon one foot arms up, arms down or
extended as though in entreaty.
on, on, on. she bent and swayed, now
stamping one tiny foot, now pirouetting
win untaught grace, unconscious that
TWO pairs Of eyes watched her from the
Of heavy curtains swung across
deep window seat. They were mas
cullne eyes-Tom Brixton and his city
friend, Just back from globe trotting,
mad found harbor there. They gazed
spell0ound at Miranda, then breathless-
" at each other.
II IS miracle" Tom whispered at
iast' one that shows how blood win
.eH' know our dancer. She's old
rarson Carriers granddaughter, the
prettlest girl in the county. Let's go
out ana take possession of her. We
Understand but if the others saw-myl
inere would be kettle of fish,
be still! 1t is sacrilege to think of
s.vppihg her." Landon, the city friend,
sa'u' breathing hard, "and it would be
c corse sacrilege to let her stay here.
oon you see her, dancing on a floor Of