The Irish standard., 1908-04-18

king in the green's; the twang of i'd.
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 beauty-how fascinating 1t
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, partiality
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. haint he? He'll
be jealous, whether ye 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 el-
bow.
"You know no one else can give you
as good a dance as l, Stella" he
pleaded almost before another had
seated her. and bore her off in the
face of dozen disappointed ones.
Ten o'clock! Half-past ten! Would
Alfred never come? Mr.. Crocker came
down to look on, and Stella wished
desperately, unreasoningly, 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.
Alfred came at last, painting, q red
spot on his cheek, his lips dry, his
boots rock-scratched and his trousers
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, 1
walked the nine miles, all that didn't
rum" He saw the quick sympathy
leap to her eye, but went on quickly.
Make things ready while / change
and get my breath. You can begin
without me, can't 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.
1t was better than the usual ex.
perience 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 flimsy house quaked with fre-
quent applause and rained pine
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 ANS 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
Romeos words.
Yet. now that it was over 1t seemed
q 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 1t 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 must pay.
As they neared Mr.. Crocker stand.
ing by the ONCE door the jam Of