The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-14
The Seventh Waltz
By Olive Lethbridge

The orchestra was tuning up, but
she stood against the wall, memories
crowding upon her. She had never
danced number seven with anyone
since he left. 1t had been during the
seventh waltz that he had asked her
to wait for him (she had been fresh
and young and pretty them. She
could hear his pleasant, manly voice
still. 1T will mean a long, long en-
gagement, little girl, but it is that or
nothing, and l cannot let you co.
The next day he had sailed for In
dia.
That had been fifteen years ago,
and now tomorrow, tonight even, he
might be back. and she was afraid to
face him. Afraid for the sake of the
beauty that those years had robbed
her of. She had been of that fair,
delicate type that fades early, and he
had always set such store by her
looks. How could he tell that the lines
round her eyes were those that sor-
row brings to a woman? And IL he
knew, would that make any differ
ence? Men liked girls to be cheer
full
She sank into a chair. The same
old assembly rooms, the same corn
er; it might be even the same palm
behind which they had sat, only now
a younger generation. Girls who had
been mere babies when he left footed
it merrily in the ball room, and she
sat silent and alone and-old.
A morbid Imagination! 1t had al
ways been her failing. He had warn
ed her of it. Tonight it held full sway
and she could not shake it off.
Charlie Adair, her bonnie boy. How
proud she had been when her en-
gagement was given out. Penniless
he might be, extravagant, head over
ears in debt. but no girl in the town
could boast of a handsomer lover
How they had envied her! But those
same girls had all scattered and mar
ried in their turn. and she was left.
And presently people began to lift
brows and to whisper that Ethel New
mans engagement never would come
off, and that she was a foolish girl
still to persist in wearing the slender
! blue ring he had given her: and at
| length. beyond a smile and a shrug,
her engagement was never mentioned
at all
She heard from him at intervals
from India-he was a poor correspon-
dent: but he always seemed to be hav-
ing very good time-polo. hunting,
pig-sticking And always the same
story--he could not afford to marry
until he was a major; he could not
manage to take leave even and come
home.
| It had seemed hard sometimes that
she should have to waste all the years
of her life. while-but there, sport did
not cost SO much in India, and men
would be men!
| Then, six months ago, an awful &C.
cident tiger shooting. He had been
badly mauled, and for months lay be-
tween life and death. In fever of
anxiety she waited for each mail day
which brought her brief report from
a brother officer; and it was during
these months that people began to
notice ''how terribly worn and bag
gard Ethel Newman was getting to
look"
Then a brief. shakily-written note,
saying he was invaded home. and
silence!
"Poor old Ethel Newman!"
On the other side of the palm some
one was speaking. She sat up. sud.
denly awakened from her dream. No,
she was not wrong. There had been
the slightest possible emphasis on the
word "old."
80 absurd, and at her age, too.
What? Oh, well, only thirty-five, but
so passe, you know! Miss Duchombe
must be four years older, but then
she looks young-such flirt, and
dresses SO we'll! / beg your pardon.
He? Oh, forty!-but then what is that
in a man? Yes, a perfect Adonis. All
the women were after him here! OF
course, he never intended really to
marry her. Such a pity some women
won't take a hint. She threw away
lquite good chances when she was
4 younger, too, I believe! Oh, no, she
will never get anyone now! Poor
thing, one can't help feeling sorry for
her. Yes! Some attraction in India
his Colonels wife, believe-that's
why he could never afford to come
home. Spent every penny on her. OF
course, she doesn't know anything
about it. Gracious! what's that"
"Only somebody's ivory fan snapped
} Come along; there is the music start
ing"
With a pink flush on each cheek she
rose. Oh. she would go home-any
where to hide her head. She would