The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-05-12
Copyhghl - by Bo1s.Msrrin 81.

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then down the steps, between the lin,
Of guests arrested in their descent
came a dark laughing girl in the CARL
Of Little Red Riding Hood. amid gen
eral applause and laughter.
Its olivia! She won the wager,'
exclaimed the specialized gentleman
and the girl, whose dark curls were
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 or the stairway. the
pretty, graceful child. the eager. happv
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 l~aughingly
running between the lines to whore
Olivia faced her in mock AFFECTION
To the charm Of the girl in the O
land was added now the dignity Of
beautiful womanhood, and my heart
leaped at the thought that | had ever
spoken to her. that l 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 n cried Merry Christ.
mas" and "olivia's wont" and there
was more hand clapping, in which l
Joined with good will.
Some n behind me was explaining
what had just occurred. Olivia. the
youngest daughter Of the house. had
oeen denied a glimpse of the ball;
MISS Deyereux had made a wager
with her host that Olivia would ap-
pear before midnight; and Olivia, de-
leaung the plot against her, gained
the main hall at the stroke of II.
Good night! Good night" called
Onyia-the real Olivia-in derision to
the company. and turned and ran back
through the %applauding. laughing
throng.
The specialized gentleman was DIV.
fa's father, and he mockingly rebuked
marian DeYereux for having encour-
aged an infraction of parent disci-
pine, 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.
ued talking placidly to her host. The
situation did not please me: 1 had not
Travelled so far and barglariously en-.
tered Doctor Armstrong; house in
quest OF a girl with blue eyes merely
to stand by while she talked with an
other man.
nearer, impatiently; and was
that four other young men
In white waistcoats and gloves quite
as irreproachable as my own stood
ready to CLAIM her the instant she was
Tree. did not propose to be thwarted
oy the beaux of Cincinnati and l sd.
dressed my host boldly.
1 beg your pardon. Doctor"
said with an assurance for which I
blush to this hour.
"Al right, my boy; I, too. have been
IN Arcady!" he exclaimed in cheerful '
apology, and she put her hand on my !
arm and led her away. 1
he called me my boy so / must be I
passing muster" l remarked, not dar- t
ing to look at her.
He's afraid not to recognize Won
his inability to remember faces is a
town joke" 9
we reached a quiet corner of the
ereat hall and found a seat for her. {
iou don't seem surprised to see q
%4-you knew / would come. l should b
Aase come across the world for this. y
for just this"
ner eyes were grave at once. a
why did o come? l did not think s
sou were so foolish. This is all-so Z
nnaeeehed. You didn't know that Mr..
fiekering-Mr. Pickering" a
one was greatly distressed and this b
~. came from her chokingly. n
les; what of him?" l laughed. He o
: wen on the way to California,-and =
without you!" n
No-you don't know-you don't I'M II
S,a Scand-he's here! He abandoned T
Salifornia trip at Chicago; he tele- Il
n,att' me to expect him-here-to- W
You must go at once-at W
s.,s an but o can't brighten me-" al
Ins trying to realize Just what a meet. a
mean. !" 'na' MUSE might =
she looked anxiously about.
ICY We're to arrive late, he and the Iii
they know the Armstrongs
wen. They may come at any al
epe4t now. Please go!"
,e, DuI | have only a few minutes my. tn
. wouldn't have me sit them liz
rs lhe station down town? There rt
ns sumo things l have come to say,
.nur Pickering and 1 are not bu
,u Of each other!" tn
'h,rS, you must not meet him here. it.
'on what that would mean to mel de
had ore very foolhardy. Mr.. Glenarm.
aRn. no idea you would come" 20
haIsr you wished to try me.-you =
he "S. wasn't melt was Olivia" Phi
laughed. more at ease. IT OF
what did you think-that I m.