Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-04-19

stepS ana sent MIN SpraWI1ng on the.
deck, whence two deck hands pickeffI
him up and carried him below. It all.
went too quickly to seem real to Ran.
do1ph, and he stood, almost wonderinss
while the girl was quietly thanking
him for his bravery.
TT wasn't anything, you know heE
said afterward, as he recounted the.
occurrence to his friends at the club.
Il just gave him push and he went
over, and there she was thanking me-.
as though I had done something" |
The boat steamed slowly into the,
harbor, with Randolph and the girl|
together on the deck, she telling him
how she had missed the lady she ex-|
pected to meet at the boat, and so had
come alone, thinking that in the hurry
and confusion her friends might have
become lost in the crowd.
.'I'm very glad that I could have;
been of assistance to you," said RAN
dolph, simply. ;.
He handed her into a carriage at
Holyhead and on arrival in London
found himself listening with unac- ,
countable curiosity for the address she !
gave the driver of the cab which she
engaged. !.
Mrs. Arsdales place, by Jove!" he !,
said, '.and she must be the niece {!
think shall go there next week. i
=
"a social junction." Jack observed.
as he dismOunted from his carriage on
the night of Mrs. Arsdale's dance, els
never a success unless the people are
comfortable
He fought his way through the
crowds coming in and going out and
met her on the stairs. There was no.
mistaking the fine face, and as she.
passed him he received little smile
and half-nod of recognition.
When he reached the room the
crowd had increased and dancing had
begun, so that he had no chance to be
Immediately presented to Mrs. Ars-
dale's niece. That lady's aunt re-
GREETED, with much volubility, that he
had not come earlier; she promised,
however, to rescue the damsel at the
earliest opportunity and retain her un-.
til Randolph should meet her.
The. latter fancied two or three times:
that he caught glimpses of the face he
was looking for over the shoulders Of
the crowd, but the great wave of dan
GERS and dowagers would swallow her
up.
u. Toward the end of the evening he
cave up looking for her, as the surest
way to find her.
''The watched pot never boils," he
said. II shall see her surely before
the night is over. Meanwhile l Will
bear my cross with patience"
He wandered out into the conservQ;
tory and lit cigar surreptit1Ousiy.
Through the half-open door came the
sound of the music, half-drowned by
voices and laughter. Through the
riffs between the houses opposite
shone the white light from the lamps
| of the street behind, and over all was
the clear, cold atmosphere of Lon
don October. Idly he threw the cigar
away and turned to go back.
| The girl of the steamer was in the
doorway as he passed il. She was
| dressed in quiet, high gown, which.
he reflected, was In mNeh better taste
than those Of tho LADIES' he could see
through the doorweE behind her. And
again he received the same shy, half
/ nod Of recognition. But this time he
was not going to let her go without a
word.
eve been looking for you all the
evening"" he exclaimed. 'I wanted to
be introduced, you know, but Mrs. Ars-
dale had lost you. And now stopped
you-because I was afraid of losing
you-and we hardly need another in
PRODUCTION. do we?"
Again the same quiet nod of assent
and the half smile about the finely
chiseled mouth.
"Shau I get you an ice or some
thing?" he asked, "or do you prefer tt
dancer"
She shook her head slowly.
.'Please let me pass" she said. Tn
Miss Beatrix's maid, and / have t
help in the dressing room, you know.
She went, and Randolph just thel
saw Mrs Arsda1e beaming a beckon
ing smile and holding by. the hand
fabby faced girl in very pronounce
evening dress.
He turned and walked deiiberatel
into the conservatory again, thinkin
} what joke the boys would cOnside
, it all if they only knew.
He wondered whether Mrs. Arsdal
| had seen him few minutes before.
( It might be rather awkward if sh
| had, but
SsStill, I'm not sorry they raisse
that boat" said Jack Randolph
thoughtfully.-A. Cleveland, in i
lustrated Bits.