Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-12
CHAPTER XXxv.

The Lady of the Many-COlorcd Fires.
The spacious residence OF the minister OF
marine that night was a maze OF light All
social Toxic would be at the ball In honor
Of the admiral and officers OF the visiting
squadron.
It was late when Dauut turned his steps
thither through the fra grant evening. The
decipherlng of a voluminous telegram had
kept him at the Chancery til eleven
All that day he had worked with a delci-
Gus exhilaratlon rlotnF i'm his pulses He
had not seen Barbara, but her face had
seemed always before Internationally pas
sionate as he had seen It IN Ben-ten's cave,
hazed with daring softness as It had turned
to his on the steps Of the railway carriage.
There had been months when some aroma
Of the spring air made him catch his
breath mindful Of tho crisp. sweet scent
OF her hair or the maddenlng fragrance OF
her lips.
Daunt had seen many such affairs where
tho blending OF colors and sounds the scin-
tiilant shifting NJ forms, had been but a
maze. Tonights. however, was wound in
glory, All these decorative people. this
scented echo Of laughter and music, existed
only TO form a kaleidoscope setting for the
one woman. re went to search for her
with his handsome head erect, his shoulders
square and a color in his face
He passed through several rooms, reveal
Ing one oriental picture otter another.
These rooms were filled with the social
world OF the capital, a gay glimmer OF
Grbanty set off against masses OF all the
blossoms OF spring In the last room the
host stood with the visiting admiral and
several ambassadors. He was a perfect
type Of the modern japanese Of affairs, a
let ~
He had been at Annapolis in rs and his
wife was a graduate Of Wellesley. He was
one Of the strongest OF the powerful coterie
which was shaping the destinies of new
Japan. Daunt greeted him and paused to
chat while with his own chief and Mrs.
cambridge
He entered a veranda where people sat
at little tables eating Ices frozen in the
shape Of Full under fairy lamps whose
tiny bamboo and paper shades were del
lcately painted with swords OF water and
swimming carp. From one group the
baroness Strollrf waved a hand to him.
but Barbara was not there. Daunt turned
back threaded the hall and entered the
ballroom.
There through the shifting crowd, over
flashing uniforms and diamonded tiaras,
he saw her. In the clear radiance, Bar
bara stood almost surrounded. Her white
satin gown shlmmered in the light which
caught like globes Of fire in the gold
passion flowers with which 1t was en-
broidered. a new sense of her beauty
poured over him.
Daunt started when Patricias fan
tapped him arm.
You're frightfully late" she said, as
her partner the German charge, bowed
himself away. Father will give you a
wigging II you don't look out"
Il saw him few moments ago" he
answered. He didn't seem very fierce"
The music had drifted into a waltz
and the group about Barbara was dis
solving, A dark face was bending near.
Its owner put his arm about her and
they glided into the throng Ware, like
all heavy men, danced perfectly and the
pair SKINNED Go skim the mirroring floor
as easily as swallows. her red bronze
hair, caught under a web OF seed pearls,
glowing like a nest Of fire flies Heads
turned back over white shoulders and on
the edges OF the room people whispered
as they passed. Floating lightly as sea
foam. the shimmerng gown drew near.
passing 50 close that Daunt could have
touched it. The lovely white face. over
her partners shoulder, met Daunt's For
8
looked into his-then swept by as II he
had been empty air II was as If a
clenched hand had struck him across the
face.
lie whitened Patricia felt sudden
STING in her eyehds She slipped her
hand through his arm and saying some,
thing about the heat dt was deliciousy
coon, drew him down the corridor She
chatted on airly, fighting a desire u
cry But when they came to the en-
trance OF the cherry house, he had not
spoken a word.
Il see mother sttil In the spook room.
she said. Il must go back to her-no
please don't come with me, Thank you
50 much for bringing me so far"
she left him with a nod and a bright
smile that he did not see lie was in a
painful Quicksand Of bewilderment The
cherTy-Earden was almost empty and the
fountain tinkled I'm a perrumed quiet. lie
sat down on bench In its fUrthest cor
ner. What did It mean? Why q had
been like the cut direct From herr
impossible She had not seen him! lie
had been mistaken. lie would go TO hel
now! lie sprang up.
A page came mo tie garden. lie was
part OF the minister's establishments
Daunt had often seen him In that house
lie carried "a tray with letter on il.
For you, sir" ne said
Puzzled, Daunt took Il and the boy
withdrew. II bore no address. Tie tor,
IL open. II contained some folded sheet,
OF paper. tense whiteness sprang %
his face as he unfolded them. IL was
HIS letteT-the only loVe-letter he had evei
written-torn across.
Now he knew 1t had been true-whai