The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-02-08
Me Hiingdcm Of
Slender 3words
copyright, Bobbs.Merrill Company.

tapped his arm.
you're frightfully late" she said, as
her partner, the German charge, bow,
ed himself away. Father will give
you a wigging if you don't look OUT
81 saw him few moments ago. ne
answered. "He didn't seem very
fierce"
The music had drfted into 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 seemed to skim the mir
roring floor as easily as swallows, her
red bronze hair, caught under web
of sea-pearls glowing like net 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 SHIN
mering gown drew near, passing so
close that Daunt could have touched
1t. The lovely white face over her
partners shoulder, met Daunt's. For
a fraction of second Barbara's eyes
looked into his-then swept by as it
he had been empty air. 1t was as it
a clenched hand had struck him
across the face.
He whitened Patricia felt sud
den sting in her eyelids. She slipped
her hand through his arm, and saying
something about the heat Git was de-
liciously cooD, drew him down the
corridor. She chatted airily, fight
ing a desire to cry. But when they
came to the entrance of the cherry
blooms, he had not spoken word.
II see mother still in the spook
ROOM" she said. 81 must go back to
her-no, please don't come with me!
Thank you so much for bringing me
so far"
She left him with nod and bright
smile that he did not see. He was in
a painful quicksand of bewilderment.
The cherry garden was almost empty
and the fountain tinkled in per-
fumed quiet. He sat down on bench
in it's farthest corner. What did it
mean? Why, it had been like the cut
direct! From er?-impossible! She
had not seen him! He had been mis-
taken! He would go to her-now!
He sprang up.
A page came into the garden. He
was a part of the Minister'S estab-
lishment. Daunt had often seen him
in that house. He carried a tray with
a letter on it,
For you, SIR" he said.
Puzzled, Daunt took it and the boy
withdrew. 1t bore no address. He
tore it open. 1t contained some fold
ed sheets of paper. A tense whiteness
sprang to his face as he unfolded
them. 1t was his letter-the only love
letter he had ever written-torn
across.
Now he knew! 1t had been true
what he had imagined of the yacht!
The cherry trees seemed to writhe
about him, bizarre one-legged dancers
waving pink draperies, and tire of
resentment and grief rose in his
breast as hot as lava. Had she been
only playing with him, then? When
she had lain painting in his arms in
Ben-ten's cave-when her lips quiv-
cred to his kisses-had it all been act
ing? Was this what she really was,
his Lady of the Many Colored Fires %
He, poor fool, had deemed it real
when it had been only weeks amuse-
ment. He had almost guessed the
truth that night at the tea house, and
how cleverly she had fooled him! His
Earring laugh rang out across the
tinkle Of the fountain. Then, Austen
Wares telegram! It was he who had
3 nced with her tonight, no doubt
Phiis brother. For her the little play
was over. The curtain had to be
rung down, and this was how she did
it.
Suddenly young man pushed hast
lily through the press. He handed his
chief telegram. The ambassador
scanned it, changed color and held it
out to the admiral with shaking hand.
The secretary who had brought it,
said something to the foreign minister,
who turned instantly to give quick
order to a servant. The orchestra
stopped with crash.
There was dead hush over the bril-
liant room FULL broken only by the
movement of the squadron officers as
they came hurriedly forward beside
their admiral All looked at the white
haired diplomatist who stood, his eyes
full of tears, the pink telegram in his
hand.
uo addraScod tho grave prOuD of