The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-17

4ASG d5tJ
.us aiercness ana intelligence OF a
conQuertng energy and vitality were
In his glance, and showed In his move
ments, deliberate. but sure and full OF
precision He spoke little as he ate
responding to the remarks Of his
daughter with an occasional monosyl-
liable that might have sounded curt,
had II not been accompanied with
lazy cast Of his eye upon her that was
as full Of affection as a caress.
The young lady. who had also put
Oh her outer wraps, still wore her hat,
which was wide-brimmed and cast
shadow over the upper part Of her
face. Below It her hair showed fine,
bright blonde, giving forth silky
CLEANS In the lamplight. To the peep
ing beads IN the doorway she seemed
creature instinct with romantic
charm. which was expressed In such
delicacies Of appearance as a pearl
white throat, a rounded chin, and lips
that smiled readily. These graces, ca
gerry deciphered through dimness and
distance, had the attraction of the
semi-seen, and imagination, thus CIV
en- an encouraging FLIP. invested Bill
Cannon's girl with haunting beauty.
II was remarked that she bore no re-
semblance to her father IN coloring,
features, or build. In talking 1t over
later, Rocky Bar decided that she
must favor her mother, who, as all
California knew. had been a waitress
| In the Yuba Hotel at Marysville, when
Bill Cannon, then a miner in the
Freeze Out, had wooed and won her.
II was toward the end Of the meal,
that, looking at the opposite wall, her
glance was caught by a large clock
| to which she drew her fathers atten-
ton:
"HaK-past ninel How fashionable
we are! And when are you going to
get US up to Antelope, Mr.. Mcveigh p
McVeigh studied the clock ponder
| ingly as he felt in his breast pocket
for his toothpick.
| Well" he said, "if we leave here
at ten and make good time the hull
way-it's up hill pretty much with.
out a break-I1l get you there about
midnight"
She made little grimaoe.
And 1t will be much colder, won't
it,?
colder n colder. You'll be goin
higher with every step. Antelope's
on the slope Of the Sierra, and you
can't expect to be warm up there in
the end Of January"
| IT you hadn't wanted to come,
said her father. you'd have been
Just about getting ready for Mrs. Ry
ans ball. Isn't this about the magic
hour when you begin to lay on the
hrst layer Of warpaint7"
The girl looked at the clock, nod
ding with faint, reminiscent smile
"Just about" she said. I'D have
been probably looking at my dress
laid out on the bed and saying to my
self. Now I wonder II it's worth while
getting into that thing and having
all the bother Of going to this ball.
On the evenings when I go out
there's always a stage when that hap
pens"
Mcveigh. with his toothpick in full
operation. looked at her, admiring and
half comprehending, for the first time
feeling himself an outsider. She
caught his eye, read its meaning, and
with the quick tact Of q delicate ma
ture. said:
Its Mrs. Cornelius Ryan in Sar
Francisco. She has ball tonight
and was going, but I came up here
with papa instead. don't care FOL
balls"
Sort Of late to be primping up fol
q ball." said McVeigh, restoring tht
toothpick to his pocket and pushing
back his chair. 'T1l go and have &
look at the horses. And, Governor
II you'll be ready In fifteen minutes
I'll be round at the porch waiting"
Cannon nodded, and. as the driveI
dumped of over the board floor, sait
to his daughter:
81 wonder II Dominick Ryann b
there-at the ball. mean. His moth
er's made up her mind not to recog
nice the woman he's married, and Il
freeze her out, but I wonder II shell
have the nerve not to ask her to
night"
"I don't see how she could do that,
said the girl This Is one Of tn
largest balls ever given in San Fran
cisco. She can't leave her son out
and she couldn't ask him without hi
Wife"
Couldn't she?" said the old man
with narrowing Of his eyes and
knowing wag Of his head. You dom
know Della Ryan. I do. I've know
her forty years, ever since she wa
first married and did washing on tn
back porch Of her shanty in Virgins
City. She was a good deal Of won
an then, a strong, brainy woman, an
she's the same to-day, but hard a
nails. I'll bet hat she hasn't aske
Dominick's wife to that ball."
What do you suppose he'll do?
asked the daughter. somewhat aghas
at this glimpse at the Ryan famil
skeleton.
Don't ask me such conundrums
I'm glad I'm not in 1t, that's all
know. When two women lock horn
I'm ready to step quietly down an
out. never to my knowledge say
Dominick's wife, but I've heard abou
her. and take 1t she's a pretty har
Kind Of proposition. They say sh
married the boy for money and pos
ton, and hasn't got either. Della
who has the money, hasn't given then
cent since the marriage; made u
her mind, people say, to force Mrs