Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-08-02
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CHAPTER xvii.-continusd.

then down the steps. between the limo
Of guests arrested In their descent.
cam. a dark laughing sirl In the sarb
of Little Red Ridins Hood. amid gen.
Ogai applause and laughter.
-it'n Olivia, She won the waser!-
exclaimed the spoetaeied gentleman.
and the siFi. whose dark euFis were
sh.ken about her lace. ran up to us
and threw her arms about him and
kissed him. u was n charming pic
turc-the figures on III. stairway. tho
pretty. graceful child. the eager. happy
faces all about. was too Interested
In the seen. to be uncomfortable.
Then. at tho top of III. stair. hcr
height accumulated by her gown Of
white. stood Marian D-yereus. hesi.
tatins an instant. as n bird paus.s be-
fore taking wing. and then iaushinsiy
running between the lines to where
Olivia faced her In mock AFFECTION.
To the charm Of tn, siri In tn. wood.
land ~as added now tho dignity Of
beautiful womanhoosi. and my heart
icapcd y, the thought that ! had ever
spoken to her. that ~as there bc.
cause she had tainted me with tho
risk Of coming.
Above. on the stair landing. n deep
toned clock began to strike midnight
and every one cried Merry Christ.
mas!- and ''oiivia's wont" and there
was morc hand ciapp!n.. In which
Joined with good will.
Some one behind mc was explaining
what had lust occurred. Olivia. the
youngest daughter OF the house. had
been denied glimpse Of the ball:
Miss Dcvcrcux hai made wager
with her host that Olivia would ar'
pear before midnight: and Olivia. dc.
fcating the plot against her. gained
tho main hall at tho stroke OF i:.
Good night! Good night" called
Olivia-thc real Oiivia-in dcrision To
the company. and turned and ran back
Arcugh Shc nppiaudins. laughing
rhron..
The apcctacicd gentleman was Oliv.
las father. and he mockingiy rcbukci
Marian Dcvcrcux for having encour-
aged nm infraction OF parent disci.
piinc. while she was twitt!ng him upon
tho loss Of his wager. Then her eyes
rested upon me for the first time. She
lifted her brows slightly. but contin.
ucd talking placidiy to her host. The
situation did not please me: had not
Travelled so far and bnrglariously en-
tered Doctor Armstrong; house In
quest OF girl with blue eyes merely
TO stand by while she talked with IN
other man.
drew nearer. impatiently: and was
conscious that four other young men
In white waistcoats and gloves quite
as irreproachable as my own stood
ready to clam her the instant she was
free. ! did not propose to be thwarted
by the beaux OF Cincinnati and ad.
dressed my host boldly.
Il beg your pardon. Doctor" l
sail with an assurance for which I
blush to this hour.
'All right. my boy: I. too. have been
in Arcady!" he exclaimed in cheerful
apology. and she put her hand on my
arm and led her away.
HE called me my boy so / must be
passing MUSTER" I remarked, not dar-
ing to look at her.
Hes afraid not to recognize you.
His inability to remember faces is
town joke"
1--WE reached quiet corner of the
ESeat hall and found a seat for her.
0You don't seem surprised to see
mc,-you knew would come. should
have come across the world for this.
for just this"
Her eyes were grave at once.
"Why did you come? did not think
you were so foolish. This is all--so
wretched You didn't know that Mr..
Pickering-Mr. Pickering"
She was greatly distressed and this
name came from her chokingly.
Yes; what of him?" laughed. "He
is well on the way to California,-and
without you!"
"No-you don't know-you don't un-
derstand-he's here! He abandoned
his California trip at Chicago: he tele-
graphed me to expect him-here-to-
night! You must go at once-at
once!"
"Ah, but you can't frighten me-"
said, trying to realize Just what meet
ing with Pickering in that house might
mean.
"No,"-she looked anxiously about,
they were to arrive late, he and the
Taylors; they know the Armstrong;
quite well. They may come at any
moment now. Please go!"
But have only a few minutes my
self,-you wouldn't have me sit them
out in the station down town? There
are some things I have come to say.
and Arthur Pickering and are not
afraid of each other!"
But you must not meet him here.
Think what that would mean to me!
You are very foo1hardy, Mr.. Glenarm.
] had no idea you would come"
But You wished to try me,-you
challenged me-"
THAT wasn't melt was Olivia"