The Laclede blade., 1913-03-21


self don't want titlef"
There was a chance to offer some
excellent advice, but after such
brilliant opening didn't have any TO-
offer I'm woefully deficient In all
such matters. 10 has always done
the advising in our family.
$50 you are going after His Grace?"
/ parried.
"Oh, no. I'm going to assure myself
1 don't want him"
Rather unpleasant for His Gracef"
| 1 laughed Suppose he should hap
pen to fall in love with you during
the process?"
"Oh, he won't" she replied. He
isn't crazy about me. It's Natalie. II
/ decide / want him I'll tell him the
amount Of my fortune"
"Oh!" exclaimed. pretending un-
derstood, even If didn't. Anyhow,
I'll look after Mr., Abbott"
When Laura went below fingered
in the corridor looking down upon
the Grand Stairway-it was Grand
Stairway-because didn't have the
courage as yet to venture into that
wonderful below. The dowagers
were arriving, but younger crowd
began to come up the stairway as the
hour advanced. Mrs. Hazard appeared
from somewhere suddenly, her eyes
twinkling and her lips tight shut on
a chuckle, as If the whole thing was
a tremendous joke on somebody.
blew her kiss as she went down,
and thrilled as watched her going.
Shivered / suppose is what l really
did.
Everything glittered, the 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 /
comprehended what it was to be In
toxicated 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 races-French races at that-not
knowing the horses and the events.
finally decided to go down. | couldn't
stay there looking over the rail for
ever. was expected to go down. l
was wearing gown that has cost
Mrs. Hazard two thousand dollars for
that especial purpose. And some
where down there was Hap, and John
Crowninshield, and the unknown duke
concerning whom / was highly curl
Gus, and Natalie, who was going to
look after me while l looked after
the unknown Mr.. Abobtt.
/ strained my eyes for familiar
face in that vast throng as descend
ed very, very leisurely, I had not
realized how really awful 1t is to be
alone in crowd, how hard to pre-
tend you're expecting every minute
to speak to some one when you're
not. My assurance? had none. /
was quaking with fear. But had
wild idea that l wasn't quite lost as
long as / was on the stairs. Little
me. l was conspicuously alone. Sew.
eral times people glanced at me curl
ously. l had another wild idea Of
speaking to some one. had heard
that society folk can't remember half
the people they meet; but after all
hadn't the courage. abandoned that
and thought of whole procession OF
things, all equally absurd, while ev-
cry step was taking me down, down
into-I knew not what
| paused on a landing and tried to
appear casual as my eyes searched
yainIy for Hap or John CroWninshield.
[ knew it was foolish even to hope:
there was only one chance in thous-
and in that brilliant, wriggling Jam. /
wondered why l hadn't thought to
make an appointment. No. They'd
think l was crazy. Did people In so
ciety do such things? Gracious! My
knees were getting wobbly from pure.
unadulterated fright, and stood glued
to that landing as If it were life
boat on an open sea. But couldn't
stay there. People already were star
ing. put out my foot, feeling for the
edge OF the step as one does in the
dark, another, and another. was at
the bottom. It was the end A move
and / would be adrift! turned my
head In one last desperate attempt to
see some one, and found myself look
ing straight at Hap and a dark girl
whom / knew must be Natalie
came awfuIly near kissing him that
time, but Natalie-for 1t was She
put out protecting hand, rather Ian
.a. "a n.t.... t...a . ...s...-.. -. e..