Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-02-14

He gazed at her open-eyed, drink
ing in her loneliness, falling down be-
fore it, mentally, and worshipping it..
Could it be possible that this lovely
creature had condescended to love
him, to tell him SO, to promise to be
his wife?
Then all in a moment chill struck
him. She was dancing with another
man, his arm was round her waist her
head was resting on his shoulder.
And that man was-Guilford Bertoni
Love is unreasonable, illogical 1t
never occurred to him that, being there,
Norah could scarcely refuse to dance
because her lover-who had left her
for nearly a fortnight without word
Of explanation-was absent! He did
not think of that. but stood still, and
suddenly grew cold-not hot-with nm
conscious Jealousy.
MIR. Burne, and at last How UNI
kind of you to keep away from us all
day,"
1T is my fate that is unkind, Lady
Ferndale. / assure you"
Never mind. shall keep my scold-
ing until after supper. and so give you
time to invent some pretty excuses.
But now you have come, you must
dance. Let me see."
She looked round, and saw Becca
standing looking on with glitterlng
eyes, her small foot softly tapping Il e
ground impat.ently, and her ladyship,
thinking cat any rate. have found a
handsome partner for him." went t,>-
ward her.
There is young lady-that pretty
ono with the black hair. VIII you
dance with her?'
Il will dance with any one you are
good enough to choose for me-" said
Cyril, and he went up to Becca, cast
ing longing, wistful thought If not
wistful glance, toward Norah.
Becca blushed becomingly, and her
dark eyes grew radiant She had
thrown over her last partner, whose
clumsy movements had threatened
the destruction of her frock, and had
been dying to dance. And now Nc.
Burne, real gentleman-though an
artist-had chosen her.
Becca could -Santlelgh ana
Ferndale girls took to 1t naturally
Just rs the children of the Pacific Is.
lands take to swimming-and to her
delight, Mr.. Burne was simply a per
feet waltzer. Blushing with pleasure
and pride, she went two or three times
round the room with him, then ,he.
smile on her parted lips and in her
glittering eyes died away, and size
stopped
What is the matter? Anything
wrong? Haven't | got your step,
Becca?'
Oh, you dance beautifully. beauti-
fuly, Mr.. Burne," said Becca. But
but | want to pick up my dress"
Bat It was not to arrange her train
that she had stopped When she ,,ad
started for the ball that evening Becc,
was perfectly satisfied with her dress.
but dcplored the fact Of one thing be-
ing lacking-she had no jewelry All
the ladies would. she thought he
smothered in diamonds. and most of
the village girls would have brooches
or bracelets or earrings and she had
nothing, not even a.
Then, suddenly there flashed upon
her the remembrance of the ring She
had found beside Cyril's watch.
Now, man, IL he had stolen n
would never have dreamed of wearing
1t In public, Only woman--and only
a woman Of necca's type--would have
had the courage and audacity of even
entertaining the thought.
She looked at it. put it on, held up
her hand before the glass, and-went
to the ball In et!
She had ii on when Cyril entered
and had meant to take 1t off, but when
ne approached her and asked her to
dance she forgot the ring IN h,s
hurry and fluster of pride and gratii.
cation, and only remembered IL after
the third turn.
She stopped down. found the ar.
rangement of the train SO difficult
that 1t required both hands, and man.
aged to take OF the ring and slip It
into her pocket.
I'm all right now, sir she said
looking up at him.
Poor Cyril danced like machine
In perfect time and harmony. but
neither his heart nor his brain was IN
i, and all his soul was intent upon his
beautiful sweetheart.
He watched her. sometimes directly
sometimes over his shoulder. and ne
saw her walk of on Guilfcrd Berton's
arm. They disappeared for time
and then when he saw them next lie
dark-faced self-possesesd Berton was
still her companion.
Cyril wondered whether they had
ben dancing together before. whether
they had spent the evening" In each
others company. and his heart ached
and burned as he tried to tax tc
Becca, who was really dancing beauti
fully. and deserved on that account
little attention.