The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-09
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10 THE DAILY STORY c
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Without Introduction
(By Clarlssa Maeklel


asGed ainilessly down the softly light-E
Cd scstfidof The alIuring strHins pl
waltz music arose above the slip oil
feet on the polished floor and thet
rustic Of silks and satns.
The ball room provided so manyl
ccsy ante-rooms for quiet talk or fir
tftion that the corridor was quite de-
serted. AT the farther end Charming
paused abruptly before narrow
doorway nung with dark velvet A
faint pencil of light shot from be-
tween the nangings and from the
opening the music of the orchestra
came softly.
He pushed the curtains aside and,
passing up a winding stairway, STEP
ped into small balcony overhang-
ing the ball room. Behind high
bank of palms and oIeanders he was
screened from the throng below.
Charming looked down on the mov-
ing, shimme2ing crowd below, now
and then picking out a familiar form
as 1t whirled along. His hostess,
Mrs. Bowring, splendid in violet bro
cade, was dancing with Ellery Bee.
The diamonds in her white hair
sragkled with thousand points OF
flame as she. nodded and smiled. Her.
daughters, Evelyn and Florence, fash
Linnable prototypes of fashionable
mother, waltzed their way under his
vision, flashing and sparkling and
VERY gorgeous as to rainment.
1t was not until he looked about for
/ a chair that Howard Claiming dis
covered that he was not alone. Sit
ltlng among the oleanders, looking
| wistfully down into the room below,
was a girl, slender and graceful ana
very lovely, with softly tinted cheeks
cupped in her slender white hands,
1 Her gown was of some soft green
stuff that melted into the foliage OF
the oleanders and palms. 1t was no
wonder she had been undiscovered
until now.
At the same moment she looked up
and saw him, and wave of crimson
swept her face from brow to chin
The wide brown eyes had frighten'
ed look, and Charming saw that she
vas young.
Il am afraid | startled you,' ne
said courteously. Il did not see YOU
thought was quite alone"
i Il did not hear you come in, she
said in low, embarrassed voice. III
did not occur to me that any one
/ might come here. You need not leave
Il shall go away presently
1T is your retreat by right of
Lrior occupancy" he said with one
O, his rare smiles. 81 came to get
away from the crowd He found a
chair and seated himself behind the
green screen.
i The girl turned her small we'll
poised head away from him and re-
!, sumed her observation Of the dane
ers.
Charming Watching her charming
profile. marveling that one so young
and so beautiful should voluntarily
become an exile from the gay scene
below
pardon me, but ! am sure you are
one of Mrs. Bowring's daughters,
he ventured TO say after many min
, utes had passed. 81 am Howard
Claiming
She turned quickly. 81 knew that
/ recognized you at once" She col
ored adorably at his surprised glance
. "You are very good" he said, puz
3 zled. a know could not have for
A gotten YOU II we had met
! 1--WE haven't met-I have seen youI
picture she confessed. Mother has
SO many photographs, and Florence
has told me all about the originals
that Is how know you
"Then YOU are Mrs. BOwrlng
caughter?' nc asked once more.
= The girl nodded, with little fIient
|, smile that went straight into
/ Channlng's hitherto imperyious heart
:. 81 am Nan--the Youngest, and not 81
: very young, at that! I'm not out yet
!, you see, so simply have to stea
/, these little pleasures. Mother woui!
|. not hear of my watching the bal
from this balcony After II had be
: gun, Just slipped on one of Evelyn
!, gowns. / mad to have green one Sc
, I, I might not be discovered. suppose
YOU think I am very deceitful.'
Claiming was thinking at that mo
ment several highly important things
y Cne was that he was glad that M
had come to the Bowring ball; an
other that he had stolen away to th'
balcony, and again he was thinkins
that Nan herself looked very mucl
n like a pink oleander blossom set II
i The foliage Of her dark green gown.
l. "Now that you are here, you MAJ
d as well enjoy the ball" he said hur
riedly. "Next 10 the dancing one en-
Joys something good to eat, At leas
, do
, Il don't lave MANY opportunities
) 10 taste ballroom fare" said Nan mis-
, Eclievously: but of course, you know
, schoolgirls are always hungry, ant
know the supper is to be delicious
tonight"
"We will have our share saio
Claiming decidedly. 81 will return Il
few minutes. If you will wall. HI
S was gone then, and Nan looked afte
his tall form with growing admira
ton. For several years she ha'
been familiar with Howard Chanil
ing's name. She knew that of al
the eligible men her clever mothe
had in mind as possible husbands TO
Evelyn and Florence, Charming stoo'
. highest In Mrs. Bowrlng's esteem.
II was tedious waiting for The tw'
older girls to marry and make wa
for her own appearance on the soeia
stage. She was twenty now, yet Mrs