Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-05-10
CHAPTER Iv.-(continued.)

CHAPTER Iv-(continued.)
rs it WISE" he had asked. Ito court
the attention of the people?"
"Oh, am not afraid" she had
answered And they are going 70
dance, tool"
They" He frowned.
why not? 1t is the queens Own
idea. Let the people dance she has
said, and they will keep out of mis-
chief Besides" with prouder poise
of the bright head why shouldn' t
they. see. and-Iike me?"
"They like nothing except them
selves, and" dryly, Ito attempt to
evade their just obligations"
Can you blame them?" She made
a light gesture obligations. mon
pere, are so tfresome!"
We'll. well, hastily. have your
own way" Although he spoke rather
shortly, on the whole he was not dis
pleased with his daughter; her be-
trothal with the Marquis de Beau
lvfilers, a nobleman OF large estates
arranged while she was yet child =
promised a brilliant marriage and In
a measure offered to his Exceliency
some compensation for that old and
iorg-cherished disappointment the
birth OF a girl when his ambition had
looked so strongly for an heir to his
name as well as to his estate.
And so M lady and her guests
danced and made merry on the sands
below, and the people came out from
the mainland, or down from the
houses in the town at the base of the
rock, to watch. A varied assem- blage
of gaunt-looking men and bent. low
proved wome--. for the most part they
stooC sullen and silent; though ex-
changing meaning gIances now and
then as If to say: DO you note all
this ostentation-all this glitter and
display? Yes; and some day" Up
on brooding brows. in deep-set eyes,
on furrowed faces a question and an
answer seemed to CLEAN and pass.
Endowed with natural optimism and
a vfvacity somewhat needless, my
lady appeared unconscious of all this
latent enmity until an unlooked-for
incident, justifying in a measure the
governors demur, broke in upon the
evenings festivities and claimed her
attention.
On the beach, lighted by torches,
q dainty minuet was proceeding gaily,
when through the throng OF onlook-
efs, a young man with dark head set
on frame tall and powerful, worked
his way carefully to a point where
he was afforded at least a restricted
view of the animated spectacle. Alb
sorbed each in his or her way in the
scene before them, no one noticed
him, and, with hat drawn over his
brow. and eta1ding in the shadow
of the towering head-dresses of sew
eral peasant women, he seemed con-
tn a
himself as possible. His look, at first
quick and alert, that OF a man taking
stock of his surroundings, suddenly
became intent and piercing. as. pass
ing in survey over the lowly spec
tators to the glitterfng company, it
centered itself on the young mistress
of festivities.
In costume whfte and shining. the
Lady Elise moved through the grace
full numbers, her slender supple figure
now poised. now swaying. from head
to foot responsive to the rhythm OF
that '.rastime of little steps" Her
lips. too. were busy, but such was tina
witchery of her motion-aI fire and
1ife,-the silk-stockinged cavaliers
whom she thus RECALLED with Wit.
mockery. or jest. could, for the most
part. respond only with admirine
chances or weakly protesting words
That pretty fellow, her partner"
with a contemptuous accent on the
adjective, lis the Marquis de Beau
villers, kinsman of the king." said
one of the women in the throng
Ma foil They're well matched. A
dar cing doll for a popinJayi"
The young man behind the head
dresses. now nodding viciously. moved
nearer the front Dressed in the
rough though not picturesque fashion
of the northern fishermen, a touch OF
color in his apparel lent to his bearing
a note of romance the bold expression
of his swarthy face did not belle. For
a few moments he watched the girl.
the changing eyes and lips. Swallowed
by hair that shone and flashed like
bright Furnished gold: then catching
her gaze. the black eyes cleaned An
instant their eyes fingered: hers
startled. puzzled
Where have I seen him?" Ny
lady. in turning. paused to swing
over her shoulders a glance.
Whom?" asked her companion in
the dance-a fair, handsome noble
man OF slim figure and elegant bear ,
ing.
That's just what l can't tell Won.
she answered. sweeping a courtesy
tfat fitted the rhythm of the music. |
Only face / should remember."
Should ?" The marquis look fol- |
lowed hers.