Middletown transcript., 1912-11-16

in the evening by a concert OF
hop in the spacious and brilliant
ly lighted bathrooms.
On this particular night it was
a lawn party ,and the numberles'
twinkling lights mingling with
the trees, shrubbery, and flowers
with the many-h'ued, gayly light
ed pavilions scattered here and
there, presented a scene more
like fairy.land than anything
else.
1t was early yet, and the
ground were nearly deserted
with the exception of two gentle
men coming leisurely up the
walk, one in full evening
dress, the other attired in gray
travelling suit, and carrying
small portmanteau.
They were both fine looking,
with that easy, we'll bred air OF
those accustomed to moving in
polished Sc ciety; but in Hugh
Dorrell's face there was some
thing that attracted more than a
casual glance from the beholder.
The tall, commanding form,
intellectual face, and winning
manners, were combined with
that greater attraction, a large
fortune, and it was not surpris-
ing that young lawyer Darrell
was considered a esirsble target
for scheming mothers and am.
bilious daughters; but he had
been an acknowledged favorite
of fashionable society all these
years, and, at the age of thirty
five, was still single, and for all
people knew to the contrary,
eart.whole.
His intimate friend and old
college chum, Harry Winthrop,
had come down three weeks be-
fore with a party of friends, and
had written his old classmate 90
join them.
am glad you are here, old
fellow, Harry Winthrop was
saying. have ordered a room
for you. and had hard work find
ing one, too. You will have
ample time to dress and take
luDch-consulting his watch
before joining the dancers. And |
by-the-way, Darrell, look well to |
your heart, for Ethel Clifton, who |
is one of the guests here, has
captured every one of US fellows
myself included. To be fore
warned is to be forearmed, you
know, with light laugh.
Hugh Darrell's lip curled
rather scornfully. 1 have
heard of Miss Clifton, and con-
slider myself in no danger, he
answered, with a contemptuous
laugh; l detesta firt.
They were crossing the upper
hall as they were speaking thus
carelessly, and neither of them
noticed a door slightly ajar, or
knew it to be in locality of Miss
Clifton's room; ;but she had heard
their remarks while passing, as
she stood there before the dress.
ing case, looking more like a
fairy queen than anything else,
In the white satin drdss trimmed
with old point lace, with a tiny
string of pearls around the
white throat and wrists, and
woven in and out among the
yellow braids and curls;
a fair, delicately-tinted, oval
face, and laughing blue eyes,
with a pair of daintily curved,
scarlet lips, that were slightly
curled in contempt just now at
what she had heard.
Indeed, and so he considers
himself in no danger-detests a
a!rt. wonder who this won
1erful paragon is? Ah! l think l
remember hearing Mr.. Winthrop
speak of some friend of his that
was coming, she was saying 10
herself.
There, that will do, Katie, she
said aloud, as the maid put the
lst finishing touches to the
exquisite toilet. You may go
low.
And, indeed, it's an angle you
ook like, said the maid admir-.
ngly.
Ethel cast another careless
,lance at the fair reflection in |
he mirror, and, with a gay little t
augh at this fattering remark, t
assed through to Aunt Elimor's '
Oom.
Two hours later, as she was u
tanding alone for a moment, .
fter a five minutes delicious )
'hirl in one of Strauss dreamy o
'altzes, she saw Harry Winthrop
pproaching with a tall, dis o
nguished looking gentleman