The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-01
FROM OUT The PAST
BY WILLIAM e. GRANT.

hundred fans was Christening the
heavy air of the ballroom, and the
swish of the dancers feet over the
smooth parquet was keeping dreamy
time to the whispering tinkle OF the
mandolins. With curious smile on
her cameo face Mrs. Santelle stood
watching the throng Of those eager
pursuers of feet-footed happiness.
There was q crowd Of admirers about
her. and she was sparkling all over,
in Jewels and vita cold sattrical
wit.
Presently there came into the room
a girl and her chaperone. The former
was Mrs. Santclle's daughter. and the
mother, nodding to the crowd around
her, passed over to where she stood.
"You are looking exquisite tonight.
iear," said the elder woman. And.
vet, there Is something unusual about
you. What has happened! 10 1t pos
sible: You say that the heir to the
vangreft millions has asked for your
hand! OF course you accepted! MOI
Child, you have made an awful mis-
take. 1t must be that there is some.
one else. All, young Howard. the ar.
list who paints those pretty pastelle
heads? But, my dear, he has next to
no money. Forget him, you must for.
get him"
As the woman moved away che
looked back once and she saw that the
girls face was overshadowed With
gloom. The night no longer held any
happiness for her. aa.
-, Mr.. Santelle shuddered slightly, but
In the swing Of the next waits she
speedily forgot all but her own proud
position as q leader Of society. the
wife Of q prominent statesman and
q reigning beauty. But suddenly, while
the mandolins dripped their sweet mu'
sic most tenderly, she started, paled
quickly, and trembled on her partners
arm. Therein the misty corner OF
the room-she seemed to see a face
she had known in the long ago-a face
CHASTITY and wan-touched with Grim
son and stamped with the mark OF
death. She closed her eyes-opened
them again, but it was still there
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES!
There was sudden commotion; for
Mrs. Santelle had tainted. Quickly
she was carried to another room, and
her husband came to her. She awoke
to find him leaning over the divan
where she lay.
1T is you" she said, with forced
smile. There is nothing serious the
matter-I fainted-that was all. l,
was the heat Of the room.
"Please leave mel require moth
Ing"
Alone with her own thoughts she
dreamed the old dream over again. 81
long she had tried to forget, to put
the worldly mask of pride over al
those tender, sad days, and yet, here
q little indisposition had brought thu
haunting terror back 10 her again
Well, II it must be, she would review
the dream, the dream Of those days
when she was young, poor and am
bilious. Her beauty had then seemed
to her a power beyond price, and sht
had determined to aim for nothing
lower than the highest. And then tina
handsome young West Pointer ha,
come into her life. She-yes, sh'
loved him, though she told hersel
she must stifle her love. And yet sh,
had smiled upon him. One day b.
said:
II can bear 1t no longer. You know
that l love you. Do you love me?
must know that. Can you give VI
your ambition for me-for love? can
not eat Of the fruit Of hope and de
spair in this maddening alienation
Tell me-yes or MOI" And sheahad shu
her teeth and said "No" firmly, al
though she knew she loved him we'll.
When she learned that he had sho
himself, she remained calm for a fey
seconds and then fell to the floor in
very delirium Of pent-up terror.
In the morning, wearing a heav
veil, she went to look upon his dea
face. All, the sight of that white fac
with the majesty of death upon it
She would never forget that awfr
picture. Why did that phantom com
out of the past tonight to reproac
her? Had she not made a new life 70
herself, buried those old-time men
cries, gratitied all her ambitions, e,
erything save love? Why had sh
dreamed tonight? Was it the look o
her daughters face that had brougf
about the coming of the dream? Woul
Stella, too, live to repent?
She went out into the ballroo,
again. radiant and beautiful as b.
fore. She waved her questione,
aside with her fan.
THANK you, 1t was nothing. Onl
latiguA, faintness, due to the heat"
But when Stella said softly: "Ho
glad am that you are better, mot
er." she bent over her and whispered
i have been thinking things owe
dear, and have changed my mind. "
can tell Mr.. Howard, my child. tn,
: ne can have you, II he has set h
/, neart upon you and you on him. The,
are other snd praafor for,ne -