Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-10-05

rted for greater reasons than these.
She only wondered sometimes II he
did not stand out more brilliantly
against Clara and the others than he
intrinsically was. But these moments
when she was obliged to defend him
to herself were, always when he was
not with her. Even in the dusky car
rage she had been as aware of the
splendor Of his attraction a. now
when they had stopped between the
high lamps Of the club entrance, and
she saw clearly the broad lineo Of his
shoulders and the stoop of his square
set head as he stepped SWIM ,ly to
the pavement. After all. she ought to
be glad to think that he was going to
stand up as tall and protectingly be.
between her and the world, as now
he did between her and the press Of
people which. like tide of water.
swept them forward down the hall.
sucked them back In its eddy. and
finally cast them, ruined like birds
that have ridden storm. on the
more generous space OF the wide, up
ward stair.
From here. looking down on the
current sweeping past them, the little
islands Of black coats seemed fairly
drowned in the feminine sea around
them-the flow Of white, of pale blue
and rose. and the high chatter, like
cage of birds, that for the evening
held possession.
Ladies' Night" Harry Cressy
mopped his flushed face. '.1t's aw-
full"
Flora laughed In the effervescence
of her spirits. She wanted to know,
teasingly, as they mounted. II this
were why he had brought two more
to add to the lot. He only looked at
her, with his short note of laughter
that made her keenly conscious Of his
right to be proud of her. She was
proud Of herself. inasmuch az her.
self was shown in the long trail of
daring blue her gown made up the
stair. and the lpowdery blue OF the
aigrette that shivered in her bright.
soft puffs and curls-proud that her
daring. as it appeared In these things.
WAS still discriminating enough to
make her right.
She could recall time when she
had not even. been quite sure Of her
clothes. Not Clara's subdued hustle
at her side could make her doubt
them now; but her security was still
recent enough to be sometimes con-
scious OF itself. It was so short
time since all these talking groups,
that made parsonage of her. had
had the power to put her quite out OF
countenance. The women who craned
over their shoulders to speak to her
how hard she had had to work to
make them see her at all!
And tonight it was not the picture
exhibition, nor the function itself
that elated her, but the fancy she had,
as she looked over the moving mass
below her that the browning excite
ment of the day. the vanishing mys-
terry. lowered over them all 1t was
fantastic. but 1t persisted: for had
not the Chatworth ring itself proved
that the most ordinary appearance
might cover unimaEined wonders!
Which of those bland. satisfied faces
might not change shockingly at the
whisper "Chatworth" in its ear? She
wanted to conflde the naughty thought
to Harry. But no. he wasn't the one.
II Harry were apprehensive Of any.
thing at all it was only Of being
caught in too hot q crush. He saw
no possibilities in the mob below ex.
cept boredom. He saw no POSSIBLE
tiles in the evening but his conven-
tional duty; and Flora could read In
his eye his intention of getting
through that as comfortably as pos.
sibie. His suggestion that they have
a look at the pictures brought the two
women's eyes together in rare CLEAN
Of mutual mirth. They knew he sus.
pected that the picture gallery would
be the emptiest place in the club.
since to have look at the pictures
was what they were all supposed to
be there for.
cTo BE CONTINUED