The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-03-20


might, ended with the perpetually fas.
cinating topic Of the city. Again and
again he was forced TO describe II for
her, while Esmeralda listened with un.
tagging attention, but when, TO amuse
her, he talked lightly and cleverly Of
the summer colony Mt Berkeley she
paid little heed TIL he mentioned the
flower cotillon, and then she was like
child In her eageruess.
would you like to gor asked Fan
shaw without waiting to consider the
wisdom OF the impulse.
Esmeralda was radiant, though Mrs
Farley was dubious concerning clothes
Yet when Fanshaw rode over next
morning It appeared that the question
had been joyfully settled, and Esmer
aida called to him from the upstairs
window that II he would only wait she
and Mrs. Farley would be down. Aft
er short pause they came, Mrs. Far
ley first In brown silk dress whose
sleeves and pauniers had graced fash
ions that held sway some ten years
ago, while Esmeralda's pale blue cash
mere belonged to an even earlier
period
They were so innocently pleased with
what Mrs. Farley termed "their Ak
ings" that HOLSTER Fanshaw had not
the heart TO protest. He tactfully sug-
gested that the road to the hotel was
long and dusty and would work havoc
xuft nni, af MI
sprigged muslins that Esmeralda wore
every day would do equally well,
wherest Mrs. Farley merely smiled
and produced two long black bomba-
zine cloaks antedating even the brown
silk and blue cashmere. These, sbe
said, would cover them from head to
foot so closely that not a speck Of dust
could penetrate.
For moment Fanshaw weakened
He had a fieeting vision OF these two
absurdly old fashioned figures among
the ultra smart crowd at the HillbrOok
Then his eyes met Esmeralda's, 30
a-sparkle with anticipation, and he in
wardly called himself coward and a
snob. Whatever the outward symbol
at Hillbrook who could compare with
this princess of curds and cream.
The night of the dance was clear
and cool. A breeze swept across up
land and meadow. Even the loqua-
cious Mrs. Farley seemed to feel the
summer silence and on the way from
the farm to Hilbrook spoke hardly a
NGDnnrn1In
From the folds of her all enshroudinG
black bombazine cloak her neck rose
white and slender. Her cheeks were
family flushed, her eyes like stars.
Never, thought Fanshaw, had she look.
ed more beautiful.
Some people on the broad hotel
veranda paused curiously to watch the
arrival Of HOLSTER Fanshaw and his
guests.
The moment that passed while Mrs.
Farley and Esmeralda removed their
wraps was n miserable one for him.
The world was full of snobs. Suppose
his dairy divinity should be sighted,
patronized.
glove" cried a man at Fanshaw's ell
boN, III htil-
syn was at Newportf'
Fanshaw stared. There, coming to
ward him. was a princess of curds and
cream-the cream of white, gllstening
satin, the curds of billowing lace.
"Oh," he groaned beneath his breath,
"what an unmitigated fool I've been
more stupid than the dullest dullard"
Yes" said Miss Van Remsyn, nod
ding, dull enough to prefer the socie-
ty of a poor little country glrl-dull
enough to be chivalrous, to ignore her
ineXperience, her ridiculous attempts
at dress"
Dull enough to be madly in love
with her" cried Fanshaw in half say.
age hopelessness.
II shouldn't call that dull" murmur-
ed Miss Van Remsyn, with a humor-
Gus upward glance.
"Do you mean that there'd be
ghost Of chance for me?" stammered
Fanshaw, suddenly joyful.
"Oh, HOLSTER, are you quite, quite
blind?" said Esmeralda the second