The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1906-01-12

VI WAAt0
ones touched with yellow. Ha had
wanted to use dahlias in their many
rlch shades. from pale yellow to
ofanse ana deep red, but Monty held
out for orchids. 1t was the artist. too,
who had found in q rare and happy
momen the massive gold candelabra-
ancient things of a more Luxurious
age-and their opalescent shades.
Against his advice the service, too, was
OF gold-"rank vulgarity," he called it,
with its rich meaningless ornamental
ton. But here Monty was obdurate.
lie insisted that he liked the color and
that porcelain had no character. Mrs.
Dan only prevented a quarrel by sug-
costing that several courses should be
served upon Sevres.
~Pettingil's scheme for lighting the
room was particularly happy. For the
benefit Of his walls and the four love-
" Monets which Monty had purchased
at his instigation he had designed a
ceiling screen of heavy rich glass in
tones of white that grew into yellow
and dull green. 1t served to conceal
the lights in the daytime, and at night
the glare Of electricity was immensely
softened and made harmonious by
passing through it. 1t gave a note of
quiet to the picture which caused
even these men and women, who had
been here and there and seen MANY
things, to draw in their breath sharply.
Altogether the effect manifestly made
an impression.
Such an environment had it's infu.
ence upon the company. 1t went far
toward making the dinner a success.
From far in the distance came the
softened strains Of Hungarian music,
n had the little band played
the "Nalse Anoureuse" and the "sValse
Bleue' with the spirit it put into them
that night. Yet the soft clamor in the
dining room insistently ignored the
emotion of the music. Monty, bored
as he was between the two most i'm.
portant dowagers at the feast, wonder.
ed dimly what invisible part it played
IN making things go. He had a vagrant
pAAN tiil "illlOltl IL lllClt WOUlu lave
been no zest for talk, no noisy COMPETE
ton to overcome, no hurdles to leap
AS 1t was, the talk certainly went well
and Mrs. Dan inspected the result OF
her work from time to time with smil
ing satisfaction. From across the ia
BILE she heard Colonel Drew's voice
Brewster evidently objects to a long
siege. lie is planning to carry us by
assault"
Mrs. Dan turned to Subway Smith,
who was at her right-the latest ad'
dition to her menagcrie. what Is
this friend Of yours?" she asked. 81
have never seen such complex sim
plicity. This new plaything has no rea,
charm for him. lie is breaking it tt
find out what it is made Of, and some
thing will happen when he discovers
the sawdust.'
ooh, don't worry about him." said
Subway easily. "Monty's at least 8
good sportsman. He won't complain
whatever happens. He'll accept the
reckoning and pay the piper"
1t was only toward the end Of the
evening that Monty found his reward
in a moment with Barbara Drew. He
stood before her, squaring his shoul
ders belligerently to keep away in.
truders. and she smiled up at him in
that bewildcring fashion Of hers. But
it was only for an instant, and then
came a terrifying din from the dining
room, followed by the clamor Of crash
ing glass. The guests tried for a mo-
ment to be courteously obliyious, but
the noise was so startling that such
politeness became farcical. The host
with a little laugh. went down the
hall. 1t was the beautiful screen neal
the ceiling that had fallen. \ thou,
sand piece; CT shattered glass covered
the place. The table was q sickenlne
heap Of crus,l"d orchids and srutter
ing candles. Frightened servants rush
ed into the room from n | just as
Brewster entered from the other. Stu
pefaction halted them. After the first
pulseless moment Of horror eXclama
tons of dislnay went up on all sides
For Monty Brewster the first sensa
ton of regret was followed by a Ola
bolical sense Of JOY.
'"rhank the Lord" he said softly II
the hush.
The look Of surprise he encountered
In the faces Of his guests brought hin
up with a jerk.
"That it didn't happen while we were
dining he added, with serene thank
fitness. And his nonchalance scored
for him in the idle game he was playing
ITO be continued.)
Dangers Of a Cold and How tt