The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-08-04
Captains Double


voice that was delightful to the ear OF
those who listened to her. Il thought
ycn were going to pass me without
word"
People like to hear themselves call
ed the best friends of other people.
Few men would quarrel with the term
as applied to them by a woman lovely
and charming as Countess llka. It is
true Winstanley could not feel himself
honestly entitled to so pleasing a
name, but that made it all the more
fattering. He was more Countess
Ilka's friend than he had any idea OF.
He stopped, arrested in his flight over
to Ursula-and produced his card. Il
could not think of passing you without
a word, when have such an fmpor-
tant one to say" he. answered. There
are some dances to my share, or am
hoping too much?" -
"Oh, yes, there are dances. " you
care to have them. I am keeping them
especially for YOU" Winstanley un-
derstood how much was meant by that
word 'keeping," and was grateful.
Countess Ilka's dances were more
sought for that winter than those of
any woman in Portsmouth.
She had come in late, with the slow
and leisurely grace that always mark
ed her movements, and she had been
received with rush of claimants for
her waltzes almost before she was
we'll within the door. She did not need
to come almost before the hour of in
vitation, like the eager Southsea girl,
in order to fill her card. She could
have filled it thrice over, and Winstan-
ley knew it quite well. 1t made it all
the more agreeable to feel that she
had kept dances for one, when they
were so difficult to keep.
He looked kindly down at the sleek,
black head, shining with jewels, and
the exquisite gown that spoke Worth
to every woman present who had ever
seen a creation of that artist. (Which
waltzes are you going to be good
enough to give me?" he asked, hold
ing ready his card. The first dance
with Ursula was just beginning to
sound it's dreamy notes, and even to
dance with Countess 1lka would not
lose one turn of that waltz.
She threw a quick glance over his
card as he held it. He could not see
that she saw the names written on it's
white surface, but her eyes were keen
There were six spaces filled with two
initials. Did Countess Ilka know
whose they were? 1t could hardly have
been by accident that she said, with
out hesitation, II can give you two and
seven and ten and nineteen-and an
extra or two as WELL if you like"
Winstanley flushed a little. 1t was
odd that she had selected the very set
he had taken from. Ursula. I'm so
sorry; I'm engaged for all those" he
said. MAY tell you my disengaged
ones and hope that you can give me
those?"
There was certainly shade of con-
straint in her voice as she agreed.
Could she fancy that he was lacking in
keenness over her card? He was self
reproachful, and aware that he was
quite the only man in the garrison at
that moment who would have shown
any want of enthusiasm. The fear
that she thought him cool over her
kindness made him put tritle more
ardor than he felt into his next words.
They made out three dances for which
they were both disengaged, and then
he bowed and smiled himself away.
The first dance with Ursula - the
dance he and she had both been look
ing forward to so oeagerly-was almost
halfway through.
Ursula's face cleared when he came
hurrying up to claim her. She had
been looking a little depressed as the
strains of the Red Marine band went
on and still he did not appear. She put
her hand under his elbow with little
tender pressure as he whirled her into
the midst: of the crowd. i" had a let
ter from daddy this morning." she
said che expects to land at Plymouth
three weeks from Friday. I am going.
to meet him, and. then he will come
back with me4to the 'shuttlewaites''.
Don't you congratulate me?" :. s.: (
:'1 hope to congratulate myself a
great: deal more presently 4 he
breathed into her ear, significantly:
She laughed and q colored,= anr said,
flush, hush e quite deliciously: They
forgot the rest Of the crowded bali.
room; they forgot the mixed assembly.
and Miss Jones, and Miss Brown, and
Mr.: Smith. and the restsof them; they
were alone in the garden where grows
the Eden rose. S .5S == >@ - . 5=:
Its not the end already! What
idiot ever wrote ~ waltz - short as
that .It was u INST tanley VIII ex-s