Evening star., 1914-02-08

Tooter's Inn the following night. Khaki
knickers had been patched and darned,
boots were badly peeled and torn, faces
were burned and swollen, and there wasn't
hairpin among the women But little did
the hikers care; for they were still possessed
OF that peculiar eXhilaration that comes in
the high attitudes. After supper they gath
cred in the old barn. and the ball was opened.
True, mountain boots made a great pound
ing on a rough floor, even after hobnails
had been pulled out, and wlrirling, knick
cred couples in the shadowy light Of tallow
candles and smoky lanterns appeared spook-
liz like two men: and 1t was wonderful the
way naturally dainty women could forget
scratches and snags and stlnburn and bis
tiers, and lust dance. Music never carried
more OF a swing, and the monster mountain
side never reverberated to lvelIer, wilder
mood Everyone danced every number, ex-
cept now and then two would slip away for
a look at the moon, which had come out big
and full to cape IN surprise al these mad hui
man beings But nobody had time to think
up any jingles about anyone else; Tor every
BODY was busy with his own mountain ro-
nance or with the romance OF merely living.
OF all the mad dancers Judith was the
r7laddest and merriest in Tooter's old barn
that night. She danced while the music was
going. and she danced in between the dances.
Everyone noticed her abnormally bright
ewes and her eager. excited face. The women
were sure it was serious, and the men said
Lucky Delafieldl@ But Delafield did not
appear particularly happy over his luck.
He was tired. and he evidently saw no sense
in this needless expenditure OF energy. In
asking Judith to marry him he had not
figured on anything but companionship
when he should want it. He told her once
during a waltz that dancing was very bad
for the digestion. Judith only smiled abb
sentlv and danced on She wasn't letting
herself think, not for moment. or dream,
or wonder, or record. She just danced with
her entire nerve-tense little body, with her
hair and her ewes and her arms, like some
mad sprite Of the mountains bent on dancing
itself finally into atoms
The innkeepers family had gathered in
the doorway to watch. stolid eyed and sol
ernn. These were queer folk, who came into
the mountains and danced in rough clothes
and heavy boots. Not girl dressed up,
not ribbon or a comb or q slirt,-queer
folks, truly!
TOWARD midnight the chugging of an
! automobile unglued their eyes from the
dancers, and turning they saw great sixty
horsepower machine come to stop in the
road. \ man sprang out, and leaving the car
with the chauffeur strobe quickly toward the
peering group.
The mountain climbers?7 he asked
sharply.
The innkeeper nodded.
The man stopped in the doorway, start
ling figure, startlingly good looking in his
perfect grooming against that background
OF ragged khaki. Rapidly he searched the
mass OF whirling, circling figures, and sud
denly his shoulders went back, and his head
went up. He had picked one girl out Of the
hundred, one girl in the arms OF middle
aged bachelor whose dancing was not nearly
SO reckless as hers Round and round they
danced, and round and round went the gaze
OF the man in the doorway.
It was midnight. The fiddler rasped out
the end Of the music. The dancers stopped.
Delatield and Judith stopped Detailed
with evident relief; but Judith's spirit
seemed to dance right on. mad little spirit
bent on dancing Judith Wells body straight
over the Great Divide between the Now and
the Years to Come. She hardly saw the
people, she didn't realize that the candles