Arizona republican., 1909-06-15
CHAPTER XXI. An Invitation to a Ball.

generations of goldfish swan about.
 Only the old gardener knew the
 secret of how these fish lived through
 the chill FlOrentine winters. Yet
 every spring, about the time when
 the tourists began to prowl round,
 the little goldfish were to be seen
 again, ready for bread-crumbs and
 bugs of suicidal tendencies. Forming
 d kind of triangle about the basin
 were three ancient marble benches
 such as the amiable old Roman sena-
 tors were wont to lounge upon dur
 ing the heat of the afternoon. or such as Catullus reclined upon while read
 ing his latest affinity. At any rate
 they were very old, earth-stained and
 time- stained and full of unutterable history, and with the eternal cold
 touch of stone which never wholly warns even under warmest sun. The kind of bench which Alma -Tadema usually fills with diaphanous maidens.
 At this particular time a maiden,
 not at all diaphanous. but mentally and physically material, sat on one of these benches, her arms thrown out on either side of the crumbling
 back, her chin lowered, and her
 eyes thoughtfully directed toward the little circle of water where the
 goldfish were urging for the next crumb Now, as Phoebus was some where near four in the afternoon, he was growing ruddy with effort in the final squirt for the western hOri- zon. So the marbles and the foun- tain and the water and the maiden all melted into a harmonious golden tone.
 Merrihew was not so pOetical as to permit this picture to go on in- definitely, so he sto,e up from be- hind with all the care of a prac- ticed hunter till he stood directly behind the maiden She still dream cd Then he put his hands over her eyes. She struggled for a brief moment, then dcsisted.
 Tt is no puzzle at all," she de- Clared. q can smell horse, horse, and again horse. Mir Merrihew-"
 "Yes, I know all about 1t. l should have fatched along a sachet- powder. l never remember anything but one thing, Kitty, and that's you" He came round and sat down beside her. There's no doubt that l reek of the animal. But the real question is, bluntly. "how much longer are you going to keep me dangling on the 1 string? I've been coming up here for ten days, now. every afternoon"
 Ten days Kitty murmured- She was more than pretty today. and | there was malice aforethought in all the little ribbons and trinkets and furbeIows. She had dressed express ly for this moment, but Merrihew | was not going to be told so. Ten days" she repeated; and mentally she recounted the pleasant little jour neys into the hills and the cherry pickings.
 And dangling, dangling. I've been hanging in mid-air for nearly a year now. When are you going to put me out of my misery" His tone was and moody.
 But am I to be blamed if. after having refused twice to marry you. you still persist2" Kitty assumed a judicial air.
 "All you have to do," sadly, "is to tell me to clear out"
 That's just it," cried Kitty wrath fully. 'If l tell you to go it will be for good; and don't want you to go that way. I like you; you are cheerful and amusing. and l find pleasure in your company. But every day in the year. breakfast and dinner!" She appealed to the god in the fountain. What unreasonable be- ings men were!
 But you haven't refused me this time"
 Because I wish to make it as easyl as possible for you" Which of the two meanings she offered him was ost upon Merrihew; he saw but one, nor the covert glance, roguish and withal Come, let us pc sensible for ten minutes"
 Merrihew laid his watch on the bench beside him. Kitty dimpled.
 Don't you love it in Florence?" ihe asked.
 "Oh, yes" scraping the gravel with iis crop. "Hillard says I'm finish ; ng my balIy education at a canter.
 can tell a saint from a gentleman [ n a night gown, a halo from q ,arrel- hoop, and I can drink Chianti without making face
 Kitty laughed rolIickingly. For be- leath her furbelows and ribbons and : rinkets she was inordinately happy ( md light of heart. Her letter had .ome; she was only waiting for the z lay of sailing; and she was to take I ,ack with her the memory of the arest adventure which ever befe,l I person, always excepting those of { he peripatetic sailor from Bagdad. Z 'I want to go home," said Merri- ( lew. when her laughter died away n a soft mutter What leave this beautiful world i or the sordid one yonder?" V ''Sordid it may be- but it's home. can speak to and understand every { nan 1 meet on the streets there; I here are the theaters and the club nd the hunting and fishing and all l hat. Here it's nothing but pictures C nd concierges and lying cabbies. If
 could collect all my friends and ' liant 'em over here, why, I could tand it. But I'm lonesome. Did you c yer try to spread frozen butter on ot biscuits? Well, that's the way eel"
 This metaphor brought tears of nerriment to Kitty's eyes. She would ave laughed at anything this day. s Daniel, you are hopeless" 'I admit it."
 How beautiful the expresses are
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