St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-01-11

| seeing that he danced so badly george
Gilbert contrariwise, might have been
wing footed, so lightly did he move in
such perfect time and tune. Music, In
deed. was in the Gilbert blood, Estelle
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 whirled and
wheeled over the waXed floor of tho
hall.
"Stop, Estellev Bronson implored in
a loud whisper as the couple whirled
past him. George smiled broadly. Es-
telle, dismayed, put a hand up to her
face. As she took it away two pimples
and half dozen freckles came with it.
George saw them and quickly guided
her out Of the light.
"Go wash your facet" he commanded
imperatively and the next time you
want to go masquerading let me help
you make up. l know heaps Of better
disagreement Besides grease paint
is fearfully unreliable when one loves
dancing as we do"
81 forgot-I ought not to have
danced" Estelle said contritely; then
with a swift change of mood, "But you
wouldn't have known if l had been
little wiser"
Indeed I would. l went 500 miles
last summer just to see YOU George
half whispered. 80 l understood the
minute l looked at you tonight. You
wanted to disgust me, to make me
lose a wife and a fortune | don't
blame you. Women have to fight in
justice with their own weapons. Still
/ 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
81 see. You want to invest in Dres-
den china,' Estelle interrupted auda-
ciously. $50 Of course l 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 go straight home"
he added masterfully. Changing low
ers would be nothing beside the scan
dial Of changing countenances this way
in the face Of everybody"
81 know it," Estelle said sorrowful-
ly. Fate is playing me tricks-putting
o1l in A fe, ho Hof
Not quite. You forget l 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"
Grasshope 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 was 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 a beauty, with nc
end Of fine feathers and a most en-
chanting way of wearing them. Adela
Evans looked faded and insignificant
beside her, although away from bel
she was easily the prettiest girl il
town. But Adela was spiritless thes'
days. She no longer had hopes o.
catching George. He was eagerly
desperately, in earnest about Estelle
although she had given him back, a!
i'll duty bound, rather more than hal
the money. Reed Bronson was no les
earnest, so between them they KEEP
public interest at fever heat.
Estelle was nobly impartial. At frs
she had thought herself really in love
with Bronson. That was what had i'm
PEELED her to the masquerading. Blu
somehow Georges grave, hurt face
had made her very much ashamed
although she would have died rath
er than admit love at first sight. Thel
his freeing her and settling down t,
court her anew appealed to something
in her Of like fiber. Altogether sh
was hard put to it to decide.
The strain of it all bore hardest OF
Bronson. His temper, never sweet
became abrupt and uncertain. He wa
barely civil to other women. George
contrariwise, continued to be a but
terfy among the social flowers.
Upon one Of those spring days tina
seem made for love the three rod,
together through blossomy lanes
Bronson rode but clumsily, so whel
presently his mount bolted it was al
he could do to keep his seat. George
horseman born, was after the run
away in a minute, caught him an(
checked him so sharply that the mac
creature reared, kicked savagely an(
at last fell backward, taking the othe
horse with it in struggling, plungin:
heap That anybody came out of i
alive was little short of a miracle Bu
there was nothing worse for eithe1
than broken arm. AS Bronson STOOD
ruefully nursing it he said, lookins
straight in Estelles eyes: "You needn
take the trouble to tell me anything
l saw your face as we were coins
down. You found out whom you loved
just then-George"
Eyes, George" .Estelle said, fiushin.
like a rose.