The Carlisle independent., 1909-02-18

being persuaded by a pretty niece to attend the ice carnival that evening.
 You simply must come. All you | have to do is to buy a mask; you needn't even bother about a fancy dress"
 Oh I'm too old
 Too old, nonsense. Besides, every body's going! Why. even that hideous Miss King with harelip is sure to be there, and she's about the limit. laughed the girl
 Thanks for chasing me with the l limit, but I'll go if only to keep you quiet-and who's Miss King. any way?"
 Oh an old trump who talks to mo- l body, and looks melancholy"
 An then it couldn't be the same. . remarked the major to himself.
 The lady in question was sitting in l her bedroom on the fourth floor with a mirror in her hand She was neith- CT so old nor so frumpish as she ap- peared to highly critical Is. but the | face she was looking at in the mirror was almost grotesque. Ten years ago she had been beau i tiful and had carried all before her. i Now naught remained of that beauty but the eyes. They were lovely still, dark blue and expressive Ten years 1 ago Hermione King had fallen face 1 foremost from a dogcart: her face had l hit sharp stone and the curious scar from nose to chin which appeared to l cleave both upper and lower lip in l two made her well-nigh hideous
 She had been on the point of being engaged to a prominent soldier when 1 fate dealt her this crushing blow. I She determined he should never see 1 her again.
 Had it not been for a frontier war and a hasty call to active service she might not have been able to carry out her plan, for the soldier was much in love; but things were made easy, and she was able to take herself out of his life completely.
 And he's arrived here of all places, ' she said 10 herself T might have known was bound to come across him one day. He shall not see me. | though. He loves me, then, but who could love this?' and she struck the image of her face in the glass with the back of her hand.
 And yet, the eyes are always the same. Who was the Frenchwoman who said: Give me a good pair of eyes and I'll do the rest?' I believe I could do the rest too"
 She sat thinking a minute.
 T will, I will, and it shall be to- night at the ice carnival He shall see me and-yes-he shall love me again just for an hour I'll forget these grim years-throw them off and be young again and enjoy I'll have just one hour back of my lost youth and beauty And afterward? We'll, what matter?"
 An, it's good to live again, and she laughed to herself as she went about her room. pulling drawers hastily out, searching for the articles she required for the fancy dress which was to conceal all that was repulsiye and only show what could charm and delight
 A cloudless sky, illuminated with a thousand stars, snow peaks towering on all sides, made a romantic setting for the brilliantly lighted rink. and the exhilaration had apparently en- 1 tered into the souls of the jewellers
 The yelled Turkish lady was un- doubtedly the success of the evening.
 Did you ever know a girl with eyes just like yours named Hermione King?" said Maj Wotherston, who had skated boldly up to the mysterious yelled lady.
 'Ah, monsieur," she replied. laugh. ing, and speaking in French, T don't understand one word In French please"
 "Oh-er-esker, esker. but I can't speak French. Dash it all, I know you are English, and do speak to me in your ns stural voice.
 An monsieur you are charming and so handsome I know under that mask, mais, quel dommage que je ne vous comprends pas."
 He looked long at her
 Tt is Hermione, There's only one pair of eyes like that in all the world The games up, Hermione; speak tc me and tell me where you've been al these years and why you disappeared out of my life"
 Why Because I chose; don't asI woman hSr reasons, for you're suT' not 10 hear the right ones"
 She sas speaking in her natura voice
 And now that I've found you, am to lose you again." he asked.
 Perhaps, who knows? It depend how glad you are to find me-
 Glad, Hermione. just the sight o those eyes sets me on fire again. Yol knew I loved you before I love vol more than ever today But come ava. out of this crowd and he led her t. a little deserted kiosk by the side o the rink
 The fun was growing fast anu fu rious. Brightly dressed figures wer darting to and fro-girls were laugh ingly and quite half-heartedly fieein l from the5- TnaGkpd purguaro apd