Evening star., 1911-05-28

me. It's Natalie. If decide want him,
"Oh!" l exclaimed, pretending under
stood, even if l didn't. "Anyhow, I'll look
after Mr.. Abbott"
W1HEN Laura went below fingered in
w the corridor looking down on the
grand stairway-it was a grand Stairway
because didn't have the courage to venture
into that wonderful below as yet. The
dowagers were arriving; but a younger
crowd began to come up the stairway as the
hour advanced. Mrs. Hazard appeared
from somewhere suddenly, her eyes twink
ling and her lips tight shut on chuckle as
if the whole thing were tremendous joke
on somebody. l blew her kiss as she went
down and thrilled as l watched her going.
Shivered, suppose is what really did.
Everything glittered, lights, the
gowns, the jewels, everything was strange
and delightfully."- confusing Strains from an
orchestra floated up to me. l knew it was
playing behind the palms. They always do.
The air was heavy with the odor of flowers,
and for the first time in my life l compre-
hended what it was to be intoxicated with
sights and sounds.
leaned there against the rail for an age, a
spectator, completely out of the picture, like
ones first day at the ces,-French races at
that,-not knowing the horses and the
events. l finally decided to go down. l
couldn't stay there looking over the rail for
ever. l was expected to go down. l was
wearing gown that had cost Mrs. Hazard
two thousand dollars for that special pur-
pose. And somewhere down there were Hap,
and John Crowninshield, and the unknown
Duke, concerning whom l was highly curl
o,,c ard Nat oil uho uyoc oo;po fo 1oo1r aft ar
me while l looked after the unknown MIR.
Abbott.
strained my eyes for familiar face in
that vast throng as descended very, very
leisurely. l had not realized how really
awful it is to be alone in crowd, how hard
to pretend you're expecting every minute to
speak to some one when you're not. My
assurance? l had none. / was quaking
with fear. But had wild idea that I
wasn't quite lost SO long as l was on the
stairs. Little groups descended by me; but
not with me. | was conspicuously alone.
Several times people glanced at me curl
ously. l had another wild idea of speaking
to some one,-I had heard that society folk
can't remember half the people they meet
but after all hadn't the courage. | aban-
doned that and thought of a whole pro-
cession of things, equally absurd, while
every step was taking me down, down into
I knew not what.
paused on landing and tried to appear
casual as my eyes searched vainly for Hap
or John Crowninshield. knew it was fool
ish even to hope; there was only one chance
in thousand in that brilliant, wriggling jam.
l wondered why hadn't thought to make
an appointment. No! They'd think was
crazy. Did people in society do such things?
Gracious! My knees were getting wabbly
from pure, unadulterated fright, and stood
glued to that landing as if it were lifeboat
on an open sea. But couldn't stay there.
People already were staring. l put out my
foot, feeling for the edge of the step as one
does in the dark-another, and another.
| was at the bottom! 1t was the end! A
move, and l should be adrift! l turned my
head in one last desperate attempt to see
some one, and found myself looking straight
at Hap and dark girl whom knew must
be Natalie.
7 CAME awfully near kissing him that time;
but Natalie-for it was she-put out a
protecting hand, rather languid and fshy,
but ne'er to be forgotten hand.
"We've been waiting for you," she
drawled, pressing my fingers and smiling
mere shadow of smile which suited her calm,
majestic beauty.
T 1oI L. r