Catoctin clarion., 1908-10-29

seven. Will you come with us to meet
him?"
Lowe shook his head slowly and with
much deliberatiOn.
"He will find Lena changed" said
Lowe, knowing that he was broaching
pleasing subject
Eyes, he will find her grown. She Is
young lady now, and quite-quite-"
"Quite able to take care Of herself"
suggested Lowe. Mrs. Wright turned
and their eyes met. loves were
grave; but there was about the lines Of
his face faint suggestion of smile.
That was the best he could do In the
way of smiles, by reason of the long
white mustache that hid his lips.
"Yes l hope so," said Mrs. Wright
seriously. She knew that her daughter
was fair, and also that it is the faircst
who find the saddest lives here. She
knew the thousand temptations that
beset the path of a beautiful woman
the thousand little slips so easily made,
the thousand hands ever ready to push
the stumbler down the hill. But her
faith in Lena was very great.
While these two old travellers were
ness of the road they had long since
left behind, the object of their solic-
itous thoughts made her appearance at
the end of the corridor-a dainty vision
of soft white muslin, with broad yel-
low sash round a slender waist. Lena
was attended by huge cavalier Of
peaceful but distinguished appearance.
AS she came lightly along the corridor
she was busily engaged in putting back
over her ears sundry little stray wisps
and tendrils Of hair These particula.
little curls were almost golden, while
above them the heavier coils darkened
into living brown. She was smiling
and breathless, and just little flushed.
Lena's eyes We're in striking contrast
to her hair and fair complexion, for
they were hazel-a dark, deep hazel
full of ready laughter, capable of
sparkling with unbounded mischief:
but in repose they were as demure and
illegible as those of nun. At the
present moment they were soft and
glistening with excitement and weari-
ness; dangerous eyes for man to look
into, especially amid the surroundings
of odorous flowers within sound OF
slow dance music, for the next waltz
had begun.
The big man. upon whose arm she
was leaning. was tanning her with
great sweeping strokes. so that the lace
upon her dress fiuttered in the breeze.
"Oh, Charlie" she was saying, that
was lovely! do not think that I ever
danced like that before. The music
seemed to stop suddenly, to die away
into nothing, and then we came to
EARTH Why was it so lovely-why was
it so lovely"
The big man continued tanning. He
looked down at her with n slow, grave
smile, such as one expects to see on a
Saxon face.
"And why" he said. "did we come
down to earth again."
They both had seen Mrs. Wright and
Laurance Lowe. and they both knew
that they were within earshot, but that
appeared in no way to interfere with or
restrain their conversation. They ad-
vanced slowly along the corridor,
Charles Mstley taking one stride to
every two of Lena's.
1t was, perhaps, no coincidence that
when Lena and her partner approached
the two elder folks looked up, not at
her, but at Charles Mistley. Some
thing, some vague and doubling won
der, must have prompted Mrs. Wright
to do this, for every mother looks ten
times at her own daughter in ball
room for every once that her eyes rest
Oh some other persons offspring. They
can no more help it than an artist can
resist the magnetic attraction which
draws him to the contemplation of his
own picture in a gallery full of SUI
p2rior works. But this good lady
looked at Charles Mistley, her eyes
resting on his strong, clean-cut face
with Il wistful. questioning expression
which seemed almost to SAVIOR Of fore
holing. Laurance Lowe gaZed ut the
young fellow with those keen blue
eyes Of his, aud his face bore absolute
~ 10 expression whatever. 1t was
merely the calm, impassive contempla-
ton of an Indifferent looker-one. The
young sailor looked down Oh then,
from his exceptional height and smiled
quietly. Charles Mistley's smile was
a pleasant one to meet. 1t seemed.
somehow, to bring him down to a low
er level and smaller. palmer men fe.t
lerr inferior. 1t was ready smile,
too. and women liked it for its sin
certy.
II have" he said, Glanced Lena into
state of sentimentality. She requires
bringing down to an everyday level,
so brought her to her mother"
You are very useful. at all events
said Mrs. Wright, favoring Mstley
with smile. II am very grateful to
you, Charlie" she continued, for dane.
ing with that Baroness de Something.
l have had great difficulty in finding
partners for her; the young men nowa-
days are so hard to please, and tind Il
growing tendency among them to d.
vide the program among four or five
partners at the most"
Charles Mistley smiled. That smile
of his came in frequently, very profita-
bly,. in place of words.
Yes said Lena musingly. with ali
the wisdom of her first season, IL am