The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-18
CHAPTER II.
A Young Man Married.

when Bill cannon and MS daughter
were setting out from Rocky Bar,
Dominick Ryan was walking up Van
Ness Avenue toward his mothers
house.
Dominick did not know at what
hours balls of the kind Mrs. Ryan
was giving that evening were sup
posed to begin. 1t was nearly three
years since he had been a participant
in such festal gatherings. He had
not been at a dance, or a dinner, or
a theater party since his marriage.
He had heard that these functions"
as people now called them, began lat
er than they did in his day. Stop
ping by lamp he drew out his watch
ten o'clock. 1t was later than he
expected. In truth, as he had seen
the house looming massively from its
less imposing neighbors, his foot had
Jagged, his approach had grown SLOW
er and slower. 1t was his mothers
home, once his own, and as he drew
nearer to it his reluctance to enter
grew stronger, more overpoweringly
oppressive.
was in the air. Round the mouth of
the canvas tunnel that stretched from
the door a dingy crowd was assem-
bled, staring In at nothing more in
spring than the blank visage Of the
closed portal. At every passing foot
step each face turned to the street,
hopefully expectant Of the first guest.
The whining Of catgut strings, swept
by tentative bows, struck on Domi-
hicks ear as he pushed his way
through the throng and passed up the
tunnel. Before he touched the bell
the door swung back and a man-ser-
want he had never seen before MUIR
INJURED politely In low tones:
"Gentlemen's dressing-room first
floor to the right"
Dominick stood uncertain. He was
only a rare, occasional visitor at his
mothers house, and tonight the hall
unfamiliar.
"Gentlemen's dressing-room first
floor to the right" repeated the SER
want. and Dominick became aware Of
the mans eyes, fixed on him with a
gleam Of uneasy scrutiny shining
through cultivated obsequiousness.
Where Is my" he was going to
say mother" but checked himself.
amending it with, where is Mrs.
Ryan,"
The servant indicated the open door
way to the right and Dominick passed
in. Through the vista Of two rooms,
their connecting archways uncur-
tanned, he saw the shining spacious
ness Of the ballroom, the room his
mother had added to the house when
Cornelia, his sister, had come OUT
AS he entered he saw his mother
and Cornelia. They had been stand.
| ing in one corner, Cornelia adjusting
the shade Of an electric light.
| His mother was standing beside her
watching the arranging hand. She
was sixty-eight years Of age and very
| stout, but her great wealth made II
possible for her to employ dressmak
ers who were artists and experts, and
her Partisan costume made her look
almost shapely. 1t fell about her in
some jetted garnishings. With their
shifting gleam the CLINT Of diamonds
mingled. She also wore pearls round
her neck and some diamond orna
ments in her acknowledgement gray
hair
"ThereI" said Cornelia. Nov
they're all even," and she wheeled
slowly, her glance slipping along the
yelled lights Of the sconces. In Its
| Aey
ure In the doorway.
'Dominick!" she cried, and stood
staring, naively astonished and dis
mayed
Mrs. Ryan turned with a start, bel
face suffused with color. The one
word seemed to have an electrifyine
effect upon her, Joyous, perturbing-
unquestionably exciting.
"My boy!" she said, and she rustlet
across the room with her hands out
Dominick walked toward her. Hs
was grave, pale, and looked thor
oughly miserable. He had his cane
In one hand, his hat in the other. Al
he approached her he moved the ha
to his left hand and took hsrs.
You've come!" she said fondly. :"
knew you would. That's my boy.
knew you'd come when your mothe
asked YOU"
Yes, I've come" he said slowly
and looking down as If desiring t
avoid her eyes. Eyes, I've come
but"
He stopped.
His mothers glance fell from hi
face to his figure and saw under tn
loose fronts Of his overcoat that b
wore his business suit. Her counte
nance instantly, with almost electri
suddenness, stiffened into antagonisn
Her eye lost its love, and hardene'
into a stony look Of defiant indigna
ton. She pulled her hand from hi
and terked back the front Of his Goa
with II.
whats this mean?" she said sharI
ly. "Why aren't you dressed? Tn
people will be here In minute. Yo