The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-03-19

f~ed-three times a day, if work al
lowed.
A quick transformation from dining
room to theater was followed soon by
the arrival Of the audience from shop
and shack, from saloon, camp, distant
ranch-a human mosaic. Sally b.
made an effective speech Of welcome
and explanation; and the ball began.
The dare and dip of candles twin,
king in the green's; the twang OF id-
die; the scrape of heavy boots in bow
and swing" the few well-mated
couples that whirled in the dizzying,
old-fashiOned waltz, winning time from
the tired musicians because of their
grace and b~eauty-how fascinating it
all was! Stella had not before guessed
the possibilities of her little world.
Deal yer dances fair, Stella" Sally
B. whispered as she sailed by, herself
as popular as the ~light-foOted Viola.
Where women's skurce, Partially
breeds fights she added a moment
later, when her partner seated her
near Stella. An look out fur Gid.
He's got up to kill, hain't he? He'll
be jealous, whether We give him any
call or no."
Stella but half listened to Sally BIS
wise advice; her heart was out in the
wild with Alfred. She danced auto
matically, and forgot the warning be-
cause Gideon was quickest at her ell
bow.
You know no one else can give you
as good a dance as !, Stella" he
pleaded almost before another had
seated her, and bore her off in the
face of a dozen disappointed ones.
Ten o'clock! Half-past ten! Would
Alfred never come? Mr.. Crocker came
down to look on, and Stella wished
desperately, un~reasOningly, that he
had gone to bed. Was he only waiting
for Alfred? Would business chain
him? But surely Alfred would insist
on this one night-what little there
was left of it.
Ten-forty! A scared-looking boy
came in with a note for Sally b.
Stella, watching her as she read, saw
her face grow white, saw her whisper
to the boy and send him away. And
she noticed that Sally b.. danced and
laughed no more. B
Alfred came at last, painting, a red
spot on his cheek, his lips dry, his
boots ro~ck-scratChed and his TOuseTs
red with dust.
mo; no supper yet, there isn't
time" he said to Stella as she met and
questioned him in the hall. Yes, l
walked the nine miles, all that ! didn't
run" He saw the quick sympathy
leap to her eye, but went on quickly.
Make things ready White l change
and get my breath, You can begin
without me, cant yOu?"
She nodded, flushed at the look he
sent to her over his shoulder from the
stair and ran in to help Sally b. set
, the programme in motion.
It was better than the usual eX-
p]erience of amateurs, for Alfred was
practised in such work and had drilled
his mummers carefully. And the on
lockers were so ready to be pleased
that the fimsy house quaked with fire.
luNIl dpDlduN' anu ldIHCu I'll4C
needles and candle grease impartially
on silk and fustian.
All the evening Stella had looked
forward to the moment when she
might dance with Alfred. During the
programme Gideon had knocked at the
door Of grandma'am room, then the
green ROOM to ask for coming
waltzes, and had gone away scowling
at Stella's refusal.
Their brief players moment had
passed, when Alfred's eyes had burned
into hers, revealing his own heart in
Romeo's words.
Yet, now that it was over, it seemed
a dream, and Stella began to doubt,
to fear. No formal words could more
fully disclose them, one to the other;
still an intangible veil had dropped
between them. Alfred was withheld
from her; or did he withhold himself?
No matter what it was, this hour she
would claim. One dance! Once to feel
his arms about her, to fancy him her
very own-she would dare fate for
this; would borrow from the future
this one little bit of time, nor care
what usury she nus pay.
AS they neared Mr.. Crocker stand
ing by the office door the jam of
onlookers halted them. Some one ad-
dressed Stella and she did not hear
Mr.. CrOcker's low request for an i'm.
mediate word with Alfred. He told
her of it as they walked slowly down
the room.
She saw an angry CLEAN in his eye,
saw his set, stern jaw. but he spoke
hardly a word. Stella almost felt that
his anger was for her. In vain shelooked
for some tender glance, some whisper
that would explain. She could not
know that Alfred was fighting one of
the few fierce battles of his life; that
he was almost ready to strike out
with his fist for possession of her, to
defy Mr.. Croker, business, all the
sane and safe and dutiful things of
life. But the wild moment passed,
and more than once on his way to the
door he looked back tender messages
to her.
The supper hour came; but she
would not go with Gideon upstairs,
where it was laid in the corral fear
ing that Alfred, in his first search for
her, would miss her. Neither would
she dance afterWard but SAT ont a