The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-03

of its warm, ironic mirth. The ques-
ton which naturally rose to Flora's
lips-"Who in the world is that?"-she
checked; why, she didn't ask herself.
She only felt as she followed Clara,
trailing away across the floor, that the
interest of the evening which had
promised so well, beginning with the
Chatworth ring, had been raised ever a
note higher. Her FESTIVE fancy was be
ginning again. All the footlights of her
little secret stage were up.
Clara turned to the right, following
a reckoning fan, and Flora, d~allying
with her anticipation, reasoned that
now they must circle the room before
they should face him-the interesting
apparition. 1t was a pilgrimage of
which he on the other side was per-
forming his half. Perfunctorily talk
ing from group to group, conscious
now n again of the tagging Clara or
Harry, she could nevertheless keep a
sly eye on the strangers equal prog
ress. The flash of jet, and the voluble,
substantial shoulders of the lady so
profusely introducing him, were an as
surance of how that pilgrimage would
terminate, since it was Ella Butler who
was parading him. She even wondered
before which of the florid pictures at
the far, other end of the room, as be-
fore a shrine, the ceremony would take
place.
She kept her Eyes fixed on the paint
ings before her, and as she moved
down from one to another, and the
voices of he approaching group drew
nearer, one separated itself from the
general murmur, so clear, SO resonant
ly carried, so clean-clipped off the
tongue, that it stood out in syllables on
the blur of sound which was Ella Bull
ler's conversation. 1t a color, that
voice: it had a duality so sharp, so
individual hat it touched her with a
mischievous wonder that he dared
speak so differently from all the world
about him. Then, six pictures away,
she heard her own name.
why, Flora Gilsey!" 1t was Elias
husky, boyish note. 1--WE been looking
for you all the evening! How d'y'do,
Harry" She waved her hand at him.
Why, how d'y'do, Mrs. Britton l
wouldn't let papa go to supper until
I'd found you. Papa / said, wait;
Flora and Harry will be here Be-
SIDES" she had quite reached Flora's
side by this time and communicated 1t
in an impressive whisper. Il want you
to meet my Englishman." She looked
over her shoulder. and largely beck
oned to where the blum and forid
Butler and his companion, with their
backs to what they were supposed to
be looking at, were exchanging an
anecdote of infinite amusement.
Buffers expression came around
slowly to his daughters b~eckoning
hand, but the Enslishman's face
seemed to flash at h instant
from what he was enjoy
ing to what was expected Of
him.. In the flourish of introductions,
across and across, Flora found herself
thinking the reality less extraordinary
than she had at first supposed. Now
that Mr.. Kerr was fairly before her,
presented to her, and taking her In
with the same lively, impersonal inter
est with which he tool in the whole
room, "as IT," she put it vexedly to
herself, II were a specimen poked at
him on the end of a pin" 1t stirred in
her a vague resentment; and ~involun-
tarily she held him up to Harry. The
comparison showed him a little worn, a
little battered. a little too perfunctopy
in tanner; but his genial eyes, deep
under threatening brows, made Harry's
| eyes seevo in stare rattle cOld1v;