, 1908-04-16

At the Top Of the Stair, Her HeIaht
Accumulated by Her Gown of White,
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 wager,"
exclaimed the specialized gentleman.
and the girl, whose dark curls we're
sheken about her face, ran I'D to us
and threw her arms about him and
kissed him. 1t 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 accentuated by her gown of
white. stood Marian Devereux, hest
tating an instant. as a 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 girl in the wood.
land was added now the dignity of
beautiful womanhood. and my heart
leaped at the thought that I had ever
spoken to her, that I 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 midni-ht
and every one cried Merry Oh IS.
.ss' aal woa'' and VS. -
was more hand clapping, in which I
joined with good will.
Some one behind me was explaining
what had just occurred. Olivia, the
youngest daughter of the house, mad
been denied a glimpse of the ball;
Miss Devereux had made a wager
with her host that Olivia would ap-
pear before midnight: and Olivia, de
feating the plot against her, gained
the main hall at the stroke of IL.
Good night! Good night" called
Olivia-the real Olivia-in derision to
the company. and turned and ran back
through the ~applauding. laughing
throng.
The specialized gentleman was DIV
las father. and he mockingly rebuked
Marian Devereux for having encour-
aged an %infraction of parent disci-
pline, while she was twitting him Upon
the loss of his wager. Then her eyes
rested upon me for the first time. She
lifted her brows slightly. but contin-
e talking placidly to her host. The
situation did not please me; | had not
travelled so far and barglariously en-
tered Doctor Armstrong; house In
quest of a girl with blue ayes merely
to stand by while she talked with an
other a
I drew nearer, impatiently; and was
conscious that four other young men
In white waistcoats and gloves quite
as i~rreproachable as my own stood
ready to clam her the instant she was
free. l did not propose to be thwarted
by the beaux Of Cincinnati and I ad-
dressed my host boldly.
81 beg your pardon. Doctor" l
said with an assurance for which l
blush to this hour.
"All right, my boy: l, too. have been
in Arcady!" he exclaimed in cheerful
apology, and she put her hand on my
arm and | led her away
HE called me my boy so l must be
passing muster" remarked, not dar-
ing to look at her.
Hes afraid not to recognize you.
His inability to remember faces is =
town joke"
W. reached q quiet corner of the
great hall and l found a seat for her.
you don't seem surprised to see
me,-you knew | would come. l should
have come across the world for this.
for Just this"
Her eyes were grave at once.
why did you come? | did not think
you we're so foolish, This is also
~wretched. You didn't know that Mr..
Pickering-Mr, Pickering"
She was greatly distressed and this
name came from her chokingly.
Yes; what of him ;" I laughed. He
is well on the way to California.-and
without you!"
"No-you don't know-you don't un
derstand-he's here! He abandoned
his California trip at Chicago; he tele-
graphed me to expect him-here-to-
night! You must go at once-at
once!"
"Ah, but you can't brighten me-" j
said, trying to realize just what a meet
ing with Pickering in that house might
mean
"No,"-she looked a%nxiously about,
they were to arrive late, he and the
Taylors; they know the Armstro-