The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-11-22
CHAPTER xxxV.

VVvV s~VsoVtVOoO was IN TIOW0V.
The Tournament Ball at Damory
Court that night was more than an
event. The old mansion was an TIRE
sistible magnet The floor OF its yell
low parlor was known 10 be OF de-
lectable hugeness. It's gardens were
legend. The whole place. moreover.
was stepped In the very odor OF old
mystery and new romance. Small
wonder that to this particular affair
the elect--the major was the high
custodian OF the rolls. his decisions
being a. the laws of the Modes and
Perstans--came gaily from the far
thest county line. and the big houses
OF the neighborhood were crammed
with overnight guests.
By Aalf past nine o'clock tho pha-
lanx OF chaperons decreed by old GUS
tom had begun TO arrive. and the great
iron gate at the foot OF the drive
erect and rustlass now-saw an i'm
posing professional OF carriages.
These passed up a slope as radiant
with the fairy light OF paper lanterns
az Japanese thoroughfare In festi'
val season The colOred bulbs swung
moon-like from tree and shrub, paint
Ing their rainbow lusters on grass and
driveway Under the high gray col
umns OF the porch and into the wide
door, framed In its small loaded panes
that glowed with the merry light with.
In. poured stream Of loneliness: In
carriage-wraps Of light tints, collared
and edged with fur or elder. or wide
sleeved mandarin coats falling back
from dazzling throats and arms, hair
swathed with chiffon against the night
dews. and CALAMITY cavahered by
masculine black and white.
These from their tiring-rooms over
flowed presently. CARRIED like dreams,
to make obetsance TO the dowagers
and then TO drift through flower-lined
corridors, the foam on recurrent
waves Of discovery. Behind the rose
bower In the hall, which shielded .
dozen colored Observation-Disclosures
cello. guitars and mandolins-came
premonitory chirps and shivers,
which presently wove into the
low and dreamy melody OF Car
ny me back to old Virginia.
Around the walls Of the yellow par
lor. chairs stood two deep. occupied.
or pre-empted by fan or gloves or lacy
handkerchief. The floor. newly wax
ed. cleaned In the candle-lfght like
tbeaten moonbeams At It's farther
end was low dads covered by a thin
Persian prayer-rux, where a single
great tapestried chair of duh gold
waited throne-like- fiaHked- on either
side by tho chaperons, ladies OF honor
TO the queen to come.
Promptly as the clock In the hall
chimed ten, the music merged into a
march. Doors on opposite sides or
the upper hall swung wide and down
the broad staircase came, with slow
step, q stately procession: two her
aids In fawn-colored doubets with
scroll and trumpets wound with now-
ers. behind them the Queen OF
Beauty, her fnger-tips resting lightly
in the hand of the knight OF the
Crimson Rose. and these followed by
as brave . concourse OF lords and
ladies' as ever graced castle-hall in
the gallant days when knighthood
was In flower
Shirley's gown was OF pure white:
her arms were swathed In tulle, cross.
ed with straps OF seed-pearl, over
which hung long semihowing sleeves
OF satin, and from her shoulders rose
a stiff pointed medieval collar OF We
netian lace, against whose pale trac-
cries her bronze hair glowed with
rosy lights. The edge OF the square
cut corsage was powdered with the
pearls and against their sheen her
breast and neck had the soft creamy
ivory of magnolia buds. Her straight
plain train OF satin, knotted with
fresh white rose-buds Nancy Chalm-
ers had labored for a frantic half.
hour In the dressing.room for this ef-
fect) was held by the seven-year-old
Byloe twins. In beribboned knicker-
bockers, duly impressed with the
grandeur Of their privilege and grim
ly intent on acquitting themselves
with glory.
Shirleys face was still touched
with the surprise that had swept 1t
as Valiant had stepped TO her side.
She had looked to see him In the
conventional panoply sober-sider
masculine mode DEGREES. What she
had beheld was figure that might
have stepped out OF an Elizabethan
pictureframe He was in deep pur-
pie slashed with gold. A cloak of thin
crimson velvet narrowly edged with
ermine hung from his shoulders, lin
ed with tissue-like cloth-of-gold From
the rolling brim OF his hat swept a
CuThnB he WOTc u
slender crossword, and an order set
with brilliants sparkled on his breast
The costume had been one he had
worn at a fancy ball OF the winter be-
fore. 1t had been made from a paint
ing at Windsor Of one of the Dukes
OF Buckingham. and II made a perfect
foil for 6hirley's white.
The eleven knights Of the tourney,
each with his chosen lady. II less
splendid. we're tricked out In suffi-
ciently gorgeous attire. The Knight
Ut Castlewood was in olive velveteen
slashed with yellow. with Nancy
Chalmers, in lowered panniers and
beaded pompadour. on his arm. The
Lord OF Brandon wore black and sill
YER. and WestOvers champion was IN
forest green. Many an ancient bro
cade had been awakened for the nonce
from It's lavender bed, and runs and
gold-braid were at no premium.
To the twanging Of the deft black
fingers, they passed In gorgeous ar
ray between files Of low-cut gowns
and hower-like faces and masculine
swallow-tails. to the yellow parlor
Once there the music ceased with q
splendid crash, the eleven knights
each dropped upon one knee. the elev.
an ladies-in-waiting curtsied low, and
Shirley, seated upon the dais. leaned
her Furnished head to receive the
brown What thou1 h the handle was