Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-20


Stood Marian Devereux.
then down the steps, between the line
Of guests arrested In their descent.
came a dark laughing girl in the garb
of Little Red Riding Hood, amid gen.
eral applause and laughter.
IT'S Olivia! She won the wagerl"
exclaimed the specialized gentleman,
and the girl, whose dark curls were
sheken about her face. ran up to us
and threw her arms about him and
kissed him. II was a charming pic
ture-the figures on the stairway, the
pretty, graceful child the eager, happy
faces all about. | was too interested
In the scene to be uncomfortable.
Then, at the top of the stair, her
height accumulated b. her gown Of
white, stood Marian Deyereux, hest
tating an instant, as q bird pauses be-
fore taking wing, and then laughingly
running between the lines to where
Olivia faced her in mock affection.
To the charm Of the gil in the wood
land was added now tho dignity of
beautiful womanheod, md nay heart
leaped at the thought that had ever
spoken to her, that | was there be-
cause she had tainted me with the
risk of coming.
Above, on the stair landing, a deep-
toned clock began to strike midnight
and every one cried Merry Christ.
mas!" and "Olivia's won't and there
was more hand clapping. in which
Joined with good will
Some one behind me was explaining
what had Just occurred. Olivia, the
youngest daughter OF the house, hat
been denied a glimpse Of the ball
Miss Devereux had made wage
with her host that Olivia would ap
pear before midnight; and olivia, de
feating the plot against her, gainei
the main hall at The stroke Of IL.
Good night. Good night" callet
Olivia-the real Olivia--in derision t.
the company. and turned and ran bacl
through the applauding, LAUGHING
throng.
The specialized gentleman was Olly
las father, and he mockingly rebuke
Marian Devereux for having encoul
aged an infraction Of parent disc
pline, while she was twitting him upo
the loss of his wager. Then her eye
rested upon me for the first time. Sh
| lifted her brows slightly but contir
. ued talking placidly to her host TIL
situation did not please me; had nc
led ~
, tered Doctor Armstrong; house 1
, quest OF a girl with blue eyes merel
, to stand by while she talked with al
: other man.
r I drew nearer, impatiently; and wa
} conscious that four other young me
, in white waistcoats and gloves quit
! as irreproachable as my own stoo
: ready to claim her the instant she wa
: free. I did not propose to be thwarte
by the beaux of Cincinnati and | AZ
!? dressed my host boldly.
. Il beg your pardon, Doctor"
said with an assurance for which
2 blush to this hour.
q "All right, my boy; I, too, have bee
y in Already" he exclaimed in cheerfl
v apology, and she put her hand on m
: arm and led her away.
a He called me my boy so I must /
: passing muster" l remarked, not da
, ing to look at her.
? Hes afraid not to recognize yo
v His inability to remember faces Is
a town joke"
a We reached a quiet corner of tt
= great hall and found seat for her.
7 you don't seem surprised to sc
!. me,-you knew ! would come. I shouI
have come across the world for thi
q for just this"
y Her eyes were grave at once.
"Why did you come? did not thir
you were SO foolish. This Ia all
wretched. You didn't know that NJ
PiCkeTfng-Mr. Pickering"
She was greatly distressed and tn
name came from her chokingly.
3 YES; what of him." laughed. Fl
Il Is we'll on the way to California,-ar
:. without youi"
"No-you don't know--you don't u
r derstand-he's here! He abandon'
}. his California trip at Chicago; he tel
q graphed me to expect him-here--t
night! You must go at once
, once!"
:. "Ah but you can't brighten me-"
y said, trying to realize just what NEE
t Ing with Pickering In that house mig
\