Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1910-01-14
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Between Dances .
By SARA CONE BRYANT
Copyright, BY Short Stories Co., Ltd.)

Anne Gregory sat in a corner O
frau Baumgarten's library listening
70 the snatches of talk and music
which penetrated the heavy draperies
between her retreat and the salon
and enjoying the moments stoler
respite from social duties all the more
LOT ner uncertainty as to how long II
| would last. Through the small gar
IN the portieres she caught fugitive
giimpses Of passing guests. One tall
square-shouldered, in the Prussiar
uniform, paused briefly, Just in view
Two charming English girls passed
and then q second tall mans figure. IL
evening clothes.
And then the draperies were gen
thy pushed aside, and Mr.. John Dur
ham came quietly in through the open
ing.
You'd much better go away, Jack
the girl murmured, lazily.
Thanks, awfully," was the cheer
ful response, since you are so press
Ing, will stay a bit" And he pro
ceeded to settle himself on chair
arm opposite the window-seat where
Anne had curled herself up.
Anne tapped her foot on the wood
en- edge OF the window.seat; finally
she laughted. Mr.. Durham looked gen
tly surprised. Then his face grew
quite serious. DO you like these Ger.
mans, Anne?" he said.
Too abstract. Make it concrete,
Jackie. and I'll tell YOU" I'd
Well. Won Hammerstein. for in.
stance?'
Certainly l d." promptly: don't
yoE!"
I don't think l know him quite as
well as you do"
III you did, you would" said Anne,
enthusiastically. "He $50 inter.
esting.".
Out of the corner Of her eye she
observed that her enthusiasm awak.
ened no response.
When Jack spoke 1t was on another
subject, though not unconnected
with the former: Pretty swell VIC.
lets you have on" he said. Made in
Germany" -.
What do you mean?" as
Il mean, am l the only man who
isn't allowed to send you violets
You are wearing some tonight"
Why, Jack!-Jack, don't you see,
you are the only man / know we'll
enough to ~ we'll - to advise for his
own good?"
Anne's face wavered between re-
sentiment and guilty amusement;
finally q reluctant smile crept toward
the dimple in her left cheek, and she
lifted reproachful eyes to his.
"Ah. Jackie. how mean you are!'
she said, in small voice she re.
served for him. u. :, .;.,,.. ,;s,
"Anne!" Her heart jumped with
the startle Of it. The voice was no
more Jacks familiar voice than the
stern white face was his face.
You have called me boy good
many times in the past. Anne" he
said. Il am not boy. The time
has come when you must understand
that"
Something in the low repressed
tones hurried the girls heart-beats
and made it hard to hold her eyes
level on his. She found her eyes
dropping till she could see nothing but
her own tightly clasped hands; at
that she was both angry and ashamed;
it had never happened to her before.
1T means something to me-" she
heard him saying, that you should
not think of me as a boy. find can't
stand it any longer. Anne, will you
look at me, please?"
Anne's ears were full at pounding
noises, and her heart was doing I'M
comfortable things out of due local
ity; as for looking at him!-she real.
lied suddenly that she was afraid to
look. Then she considered; afraid
of Jack-Jack? That was plainly ridi-
culous She would not yield to such
folly; she would look at him coolly
and say: "Well?" But she did not.
And then through the pounding the
voice came again, still lower, but
with quiet incomprehensible author
ty in it: Look at me, Anne!"
He had not moved, but 1t seemed to
her that he had taken her face in
his two hands and was lifting it; and
he rebellious eyes followed the same
power. A long minute she
ooked with eyes that could not es-
,ape the passionate holding of his,
while he gave her his soul to read as
man holds out his palm to friend
And when the minute was over, the
had crept through every
lber Of her that the face was indeed
lot the face of boy, but of a man.
Queen Anne-my queen!" he
)reathed.
The girl made a hasty, tremulous
notion, slipping to her feet as If to es-
ape some danger. The movement
rought her gown against him, and
9th his hands closed round the one
which hung at her side. The clasp
vas so unlike the friendly grasp of
be hand she knew as Jacks that she
bought she did not like It; little
asp came from her lips with the in
oherent words: "Oh, please oh,
ont, Jack; you make me very uncom-
,rtable-I don't want"
st must speak, Anne. How long do
GU suppose man can bear this sort
{ thing? If you have any mercy In
GU, tell me now"
'.Tell-you-what?".
whether there is any hope for
e or not. have waited till can't
ait any longer, little girl; I've got
!, have you-or-lose you, now. If