The San Francisco call., 1905-03-05


small drawing room, fitted in
copper-colored silken stuffs, and
overlooking the ocean Neither
Miss Belmont nor her aunt was present
and Rollins introduced Olive TO the as
sembled guests, with running footnotes
not intended for the ear Of the subject
Miss Lord, ,''-presenting Give TO a
tall handsome. scornful-looking girl
she tears out regulations with her
teeth. Miss Marter-a clever little
snOb, who is a JOY to iirt with be-
cause you know she is too selfish 10
Tall in love with you. Mrs Lent-an
army hirt, who has done much 10
educate the youth Of San Francisco
Mrs. Volney, a widow with COM
Inanding talent for marrying and
burying rich husbands. Miss Leon
ard. who plays better than any woman
In San Francisco, which is saying
good deal; a lovely girl, If trine
cold. Mrs Tower, a really charming
. young widow with a voice as merry as
her eyes. Miss West, who Is ha1I
Suanish q good deal Of 4. prude and a
most accomplished fiirt- Here comes
Ms. Cartwright, who has the honor OF
. being Miss Belmonts aunt, chaperon
and slave"
A r1iddle-aged lady-small, stout
but with much dignity Of bearing, her
dark face refined and gentle-entereo
and greeted Give with the rich South
ern brogue which twenty years OF
California had not tempered AS ne
EXCHANGED platitudes with her, she re-
minded him OF a gentle breeze whlcn
had wandered almlessly in, barely
touching his cheek. She talked IN
cessantly, and wholly without conse-
Quence.
ter among the women. Being sny
man, he was painfully aware that
every eve in the room was upon MN
and that he was being discussed be-
hind more than one fan. The other
men-society youths-had entered
and looked crude and new Desloe MIN
He had the straight ngure OF the alh-
Iete. and carried his clothes in man
rer which made Rollins feel, as ne
coufIded TO Miss Carter, like hItchlng
I'd his trousers. His closely cut nalr
was almost black: his mustache' the
color of straw and as uneven as ire
Guent confiagrations could make II,
fell over a delieately cut strong mo-
bile mouth. II had taken many gen
erarions TO breed his prohle-so deli
cate and sensitive was IL, yet SO
strong His eyes were graY ana wen
set, full Of humor and fire The chin
and neck Were 4 Irif1e heavy. There
was something very splendid about
the whole appearance of the man, ana
he filed the eye whenever he stood
in d room.
Mrs. Cartwright's huttering atten-
ton having been detected elsewhere,
he plunged his hands into his pockets
and talked 10 Mrs kolney, whose
crepe SCI of a pair Of shoulders OF
which he approved. She was re-
narkably pretty woman, with large
innocent looking green eyes and
golden hair. and conyersed with a
babyish infection which he thought
very fetching. In a moment ne for
got her, and went toward the door
with Rollins. Miss Belmont had en-
tered.
. The pink color in her face famed
for q moment, but her eyes lit with
an admiration so unmistakab that
Give. too. cOlored and laughed ner-
vously He wondered If his eyes were
IS frank as hers. Her tail, slim hg-
ure was very round; the delicate neck
carried no superfiuous flesh, but was
apparently boneless. The small proud
head was poised well back. Give
knew her features; but the rich ma
hogany- brown hair, crisp and electric,
and curling unmanageably. the dark
- blue eyes, the warm whiteness OF
skin, the pink Of cheek and lips, were
the splendid finish Of a hasty sketch.
Her white gown was Of some silken
stuff embroidered with silver, and
pearls were in her hair and about
her throat. She looked as proud and
calm and well conducted as a young
empress.
%Of course this is Mr.. Give" she
said. You are not at all necessary
Charley. I am so sorry Miss Gordon
is I'll Give me your arm; dinner is
ready. I know that you have not told
any one" she murmured, as they
walked down the corridor.
How do you know? II is a good
story and may have told it all over
I am sure you have not even told
Il to Miss Gordon"
.. Why Miss Gordon?" he asked,
smiling into her frankly curious eyes.
Are you engaged 10 her2"
He laughed but made no reply.
I don't believe you are, she said
abruptly, after they were seated. ''Yo ou
don't look the least bit as II any one
owned you"
Is. why did you make an English room
Of this2 Il might have been taken
bodily out OF some old manor house.
These Cinnamon in il are an anomaly.
. / should have thought you would
rather preserve the character Of the
country"
The old Californians had no taste
whatever about interiors-white-
washed walls and haircloth furniture.
Besides we have just about as much
of California out here as We can stand
and. like TO import something else into
II occasionally"
There were eigh-
teen people at ia 9ae0aNOo0ae
bic. The conversa-
tion was principal
" about other peO-
pie. -occaslonahy a For the
NAV captured 9 by offering
. few moments at best magazi
l A