Middletown transcript., 1906-07-14

ess was ilnpatiently conscious
of a wound Such action on the
part OF a visitor is inevitably
more or less ungracious, and
coming from SO well.bred man
as Judge Carroll, it was, to say
the least, chilling
Pardon me, Miss Deane. he
observed with elaborate courtesy
but the charms of yonr society
have made me forget an engage
ment ut your neighber's. Uncle
Ike is to come around with his
violin, and We are to dance, |
understand.
He arose, hat in hand.
Alicia forgot her mourning,
hich might account for the fact
that she was never. invited 10
these juvenile festivities; she
only remembered that here she
was considered passee she
whose partners were in the habit
of over running the limits of her
programme
Do not keep the young folks
waiting on ny account, Judge!
she rejoined easily, rising, too.
George Carroll glanced at her
keenly: with a vague disquiet.
Once, SO far as man may know
woman, he had known this charm
ing, elusive, rather contrary per-
son. AS she stood now, leaning
lightly against u pillar in the
bright moonlight, that battling
smile on her lips, her eyes evad,
ing his even as she herself had
evaded him in the past, the
attractiveness of her personality,
subdued to some extent and as a
rule by her present false social
position, was unusually in evil
dence.
He made sudden movement
toward her. In former days
these attacks of impetuosity had
been for this woman one Of his
chief charms.
Alicia he exclaimed then
checked himself. Forgive me
But if you knew how absurdly
at variance your words and your
appearance are you would not
wonder that the old name should
slip out unawares.
Her expression remained un-
changed. Miss Deane was ac-
customed to compliments, aud
valued them at what she sup
posed TO be their true worth.
He still fingered
Tell me something! he cried
again. Was itall-the big world, |
mean-as good as you expected? !?
Her eyes, no longer evasive,
but bright and mocking, met bis
full.
Do yon think that If it had failed
me | would tell you
So spoke those eyes, whilst
her smiling lips replied /:
The young folks are loolsing
for you, Judge
The glow in his face faded. OF
necessity, he smiled with her
then bowed himself away.
An hour later, her l5inswoman
having retired, Miss Deane sat
alone in the warm night beside
the rnnning water 1t was here
that she had made the great
effort of her life, and had shaken
off, as she believed for their mu-
tual advantage, the man who had
always attracted her more than
any other. And he was proud \
as are men of his race and breed.
She, too, was proud, as behooves
the true woman Not one step
would she take to win him.
Would he run the risk of being a
second lime discarded /? She
thought not-and yet
Her dreams, set unconsciously
to the strains of the dance music
floating out of the neighbours
house, were interrupted. From
the farther side Of The division
line Usage orange hedge arose
girls voice shrill, coqueltish,
rich in provocation -the voice of
Susie, the daughter Of that
house, and the plump and tenn
porary belle Of the community. |
In moment there flashed into
the Older woman's mind frag-
ments of gossip she had heard
the inriucibleyoung judge caught
at last, and 50 forth. Carroll's
low laugh, which still retained a !
boyish enjoyment, followed hard |
on tie girls speech
When the pair should arrive at
the edge of the creek they would |
perceive the third person. Two
is company; three is nome.
Alicia arose. AS she did SO, the