The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-03-31
Ariel was grateful for him.

4 Z
The orchestra iiourisLed into la
Paloma;' he put his arm monfnfuIly
about her and, taking her right hand
with his loft. carried her arm out to d
rigid right angle beginning 10 pump
aud balance for time. They made
three false starts and then got away.
Ariel danced badly; she hoped and
lost tho step. but they perseyered.
humping against other couples contIn-
ually.
She caught her partner making u
burlcsque face OF suffering over her
shoulder and, turning her head quick
ly, saw for whose benefit bc had con.
structed II. Eugene Bantry, nying on.
pertly by with Mamie. was beatowing
upon Mr.. FlItcroft q condescendingly
commiseratiye wink. The next In
stant she tripped In her train and fell
TO the door AZ Eugene's feet. carrying
her partner with her
There was q shout Of laughter. The
young hostess stopped Eugene, who
would have gone on, and he had no
choice but 10 stoop TO Ariel's assist,
ance.
III seems to be habit OF mine"
she said. laughing loudly.
She did not appear 10 see the hand
be offered. but got 10 her feet with.
ont help and walked quickly away
with Norbert, who proceeded to live
up to the character he had given him.
self
sPsrhaps We had better not try II
again" she laughed.
'Weli. should think not" he re
turned. with the frankest gloom.
With the air of conducting her homo
he took her TO the chair against the
wall whence he had brought her.
There his responsibility for her seem.
Cd to cease. "Wili you excuse meT'
be asked. and there was no doubt that
he felt that he had been given mor1
than bis share that evening. even
though he was fat.
Ariel sat through more dances, In
terminabie dances and intermissIons. In
that same chair, In which. II began to
seem. she was to live out the rest OF
her life. Now and then II she thought
people were looking at her as they
passed she broke into laugh ana nod.
ded slightly. as II still amused over her
mishap.
After a long time she rose and. laugh.
ing cheerfully to Mr. FlItcroft. who /
was standing In the doorway and re-
piled with wan smile. stepped out
quickly into the hall. where she almost |
ran into her greatuncle. Jonas Tabor. |
He was going toward the big front !
doors with Judge Pike. having just
come out Of the latter's library. down !
the hail.
Jonas was breathing heavily and was
shockingly pale, though his eyes were |
very bright He turned bis back upon
his grandniece sharply ind went out
NJ the door. Ariel turned from him
quite as abruptly and re-entered the
Dom whence she had come, Sic laugh. |.
ID again to her fat friend as she passed
aim and, still laughing. went toward
he fatal chair, when her eyes caught
light OF Eugene Bantry and Mamie
,omlng In through the window. She
vent to the window and looked out.
rhe porch seemed deserted and was
aintly Illuminated by few Japanese
anterns She sprang out, dropped upon
he dlyan and, bury'ng her face In her
lands, cried heartbrokenly. Presently
he felt something alive touch her foot,
ind, her breath catching with alarm,
he started to rise. A thin hand, issu-
ng from a shabby sleeve. had stolen
ut between two Of the green tubs and
vaH pressing upon one Of her shoes.