Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-30


turned, with the frankest gloom.
With the air OF conducting her home
he took her to the chair against the
wall whence he had brought her.
There his responsibility for her seem
ed to cease. "Will you excuse me?"
he asked, and there was no doubt that
he felt that he had been given more
than his share that evening, even
though he was fat.
Ariel sat through more dances. In
termlnable dances and intermissiOns, In
that same chair in which, 1t began to
seem, she was to live out the rest Of
her life. Now and then If she thought
people were looking Mt her as they
passed she broke into laugh and nod
ded slightly, as If still amused over her
mishap.
After n long time she rose and. laugh
ing cheerful.y 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 hall
Jonas was breathing heavily and was
shockingly pale. though his eyes were
very bright. He turned his back upon
his grandnlece sharply and went out
OF the door Ariel turned from him
quite as abruptly and re-entered the
room whence she had come. She laugh
ed again to her fat friend as she passed
him and, still laughing went toward
the fatal chair, when her eyes caught
sight Of Eugene Bantry and Mamie
coming in through the window. She
went to the window and looked out
The porch seemed deserted and was
family illuminated by few Japanese
lanterns. She sprang out, dropped upon
the dlvnn and, burying her face in her
hands, cried heartbrokenly. Presently
she felt something alive touch her foot.
and, her breath catching with alarm.
she started to rise. A thin hand, issu-
ing from shabby sleeve, had stolen
out between two of the green tubs and
was pressing upon one Of her shoes.
"Sh!" said Joe. "Don't make a
noise! What were you crying about?'
Nothing" she said, the tears not
ceasing to gather in her eyes.
II want to know what 1t was" he
insisted. Didn't the fools ask you
to dance? Well, what do you care
about that for?'
IL DON'T" she answered; II don't"
Then suddenly. without being able to
prevent 1t. she sobbed.
She gave way all at once to gust of
sorrow and bitterness. She bent far
over and caught his hand and laid it
against her wet cheek. "Oh. joe" she
whispered brokenly, II think we have
such hard lives. you and I! 1t doesn't
seem right while we're so young! Why
can't we be like the others? Why can't
we have some OF the fun?"
He withdrew his hand with the en-
barrassment and shame he would have
felt had she been boy. Get out!" he
said feebly.
She did not seem TO notice, but still
stopping, rested her elbows on her
knees and her face in her hands. II
try SO hard to have fun, to be like the
rest, and it's always a mistake, al
ways, always, always!" She rocked
herself slightly from side to side. II
am a fool, it's the truth, or wouldn't
have come tonight. WANT to be at
tractive. want to be in things. l
want to laugh like they do"
"I'll tell you something" Joe whis-
pered, chuckllng desperately. "Gene
made me .unpack his trunk, and I don't
believe he's AZ great man at college
as he is here. I opened one of his
books, and some one had written in 1t.
'Prigamaloo Bantry, the Class Try-to-
Bep He'd never noticed, and you
ought to have heard him go on! You'd
have just died, Ariel. l almost bust
wide open. It was mean trick in me,
but couldn't help showing 1t to him."
Joe's object was obtained. She stop
ped crying and, wiplng her eyes, smiled
family. Then she became grave.
you're jealous Of Eugene" she said.
He considered this for moment.
eyes," he answered thoughtfully: Il