Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-08-18

now and again of the tagging Clara or
Harry, she could nevertheless Reep a
sly eye on the strangers equal prog
ress. The fash of jet, and the volu-
BILE, substantial shoulders of the lady
SO p~rofusely introducing him, were an
assurance of how that pilgrimage
would terminate, since 1t was Ella
Butler who was parading him. She
even wondered before which OF the
ford pictures at the far, other end OF
the room, as before a shrine, the cere-
mony would take place.
She kept her eyes fixed on the
paintings before her, and as she
moved down from n to another, and
the voices of the approaching group
drew nearer, one separated itself from
the general murmur, so clear, so res
onantly carried, so clean-clipped off
the tongue, that it stood out in sylla-
bles on the blur of sound which was
Ella Buffers conversation. 1t had
color, that voice; 1t had a quality so
sharp, SO individual that 1t touched
her with a mischievous wonder that
he dared speak so differently from all
the world about him. Then, six pic
lures away, she heard her own name.
"Why Flora Gilsey!" 1t was Elias
husky, boyish note. i've been look
ing for you all the evening! How
d'y'do, Harry?" She waved her hand
at him. "Why, how d'y'do, Mrs. Brit
ton? l wouldn't let papa go to sup
| per until I'd found you. Papa l said,
| wait; Flora and Harry will be here
I Besides" she had quite reached
Flora's side by this time and commu-
nicated it in an impressive whisper, Il
want you to meet my Englishman."
She looked over her shoulder, and
largely beekoned to where the blunt
and ford Butler and his companion,
with their backs to what they were
supposed to be looking at, were ex-
changing an anecdote Of infinite
amusement.
Buffers expression came around
slowly to his daughters beckoning
hand, but the Englishman's face
seemed to flash at the instant from
what he was enjoying to what was
expected Of him. In the flourish OF In
Productions, 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 interest with which he
took in the whole room, "as IT," she
put 1t vexedly to herself, II were
specimen poked at him on the end o.
a pin" 1t stirred in her a vague re
sentiment; and involuntarily she helt
him up to Harry. The comparison
showed him a little worn, a little bat
tered, a little too perfunctory in man
ner; but his genial eyes, deep undel
threatening brows, made Harry's eye
seem to stare rather coldly; and tn
fine form of his long, plain face, AM
the sensitive line Of his long, thin lip
made Harry's beauty look-well, hov
did 1t look? Hardly callous.
!, This mixed impression the two me-
gave her was d~isconcerting. She wa
: all the more ready, to be wary of tn
stranger. She had begun with him |
, the way she did with every one-ir
: stinctively throwing out a breastwor
/ Of conversation from behind whic
. she could observe the enemy. Blu
2 though he had blinked at it, he ha
{ not taken her up, nor helped her out
but had merely stood with his head
: little canted forward, as If he watche
s her through her defenses.