The Washington herald., 1914-11-15

arms while she held him in hers. he
would never cease to desire her. Like
the father of a spendthrift child. he
rather felt ashamed of himself for being
incompetent to meet her demands, than
condemned her for making them.
After a while OF silent meditation Mrs.
Neff spoke up. briskly:
There's only one thing that would
rest me, and that's a tango. Where are
those records we bought this after
noon?"
On the homeward way the motor party
had passed a shop where disks were
kept, and had bought up the entire visible
supply of latter-day tunes to replace
the dances of yesteryear. There was
general agreement that 1t was high time
to turkey-trot again.
IN run the machine" said Winifred.
Bob Fielding isn't here, and I'll be true
to his memory for a dance or two"
II choose TO dance with Maj. Gen.
Forbes" said Mrs. Neff, unless he's
otherwise engaged"
Before we dance" said Willie, Il have
an announcement TO make. Ladies and
gentlemen, so to speak'-he cleared his
throat and ran his fingers round inside
his tight collar-'I am about to er-give
birth-er-to an after-dinner speech-my
first and only"
Hear, Hear
Some time ago Miss Pcrsis-er-Cabot,
whom you all know, did me the-er-un-
speakable honor of consenting to become
Mrs. William-er-Enslee. Circumstances
rendered it-er-advisable to defer-er-
the publication Of the glorious-er-news,
so to speak But Miss Cabot has tonight
given me-er-permission to announce"
II have not!" Persis broke in; but VIII
lie put up his hand.
Order in the courier! Anyway. now
You know the worst. You behold in me
the happiest man on-er-earth.'
There was a round of applause, and
Ten Eyck proposed three lusty chshs
and a tigress for the-er-bride and-er-
groom-er."
Forbes tried to smile. but his muscles
seemed unable to support his lips. He
heard much noise, yet distinguished moth
ing till he seemed 10 wake suddenly at
finding Willie Enslee smirkinE up at
him.
You haven't congratulated me, Mr..
Ward-er-Forbes."
Forbes seized Enslee's small hand and
wrung it. and said in tone more ntted
to coincidence:
Il do congratulate you. indeed. and
Miss Cabot, II congratulate her.
He tried TO look at her. but Willie
was clinEing to his hand and drivelinE
on: II want 10 thank you for-er-at
least trying TO save her when her horse
bolted this morning. They told me you
were-er-quite splendid. and 1 take it
as a-er-personal favor"
Don't mention it. please"
And now let's-er-dance. said VIII
lie. II will dance with the blushing
bride, il you don't mind. Let 'er go, Win
ifred.''
Winifred set Of the vIctrola. and a
bIare of nasal cacophony broke from the
machine initiating a steamboat whistle;
then ensued a negroid music Of infinite
fnappropriateness to Forbes tragic mood
He saw the woman who loved him. and
whom he loved, tagged and claimed by
a contemplate pygmy. the accidental in
herItor of wealth. He saw his beautiful
Persis in the fellows incompetent arms
and her body dropping over him as II
he had carried her III in kind OF bur-
lesque rape Of the Sabines.
Forbes felt a ribaldry in the whole
situation and int6lerable contumely. He
watched Persis darting here and there
as Willie urged her. The little whelp
could not keep time to the music, and
his possession Of Persis was as grotesque
as the presence Of a EargOyle on a cathe-
dral. But cathedrals are thick with gar
goyles, and life is full OF such paIrings.
For the second dance Forbes demanded
Persis, and she granted him the privilege
with some terror; the look on his face
had alarmed her.
The music now celebrated dancing
with the Devil: oh, the little Devil! dane
ing at the Devils ball. There was
fiend raging in Forbes heart, and some
thing Internal in the frenzy with which
he whipped Persis this way and that.
why didn't you tell me?" he groaned.
why didn't you warn me? The last !
knew was that you and I were to be
married And suddenly that man speaks
up and claims you. And you don't den,
it. What in Gods name does it mean"
Not so loud. my love-"
MY lover" he quoted. You can
call me that"
are you?' she whispered, trembling in
his arms.
"a scene," he laughed. rs that your
greatest terror in nfe''
Zone OF them"
You intended to marry him. and you
let me kiss you! Were you simply max
ing a fool of me?"
cat the DEVILS ball, at the DEVILS
bell.'C
NO. Harvey. no: 7 love you. It is
you that were making a fool OF me.
can explain. but l don't think you would
understand.
CT saw the cute Mrs. Devil. so pretty
and fat')
When will you explain"
The first chance l get"
c"Dressed in a beautiful fircmans hat.'D
''Tonight?'
Il don't dare. Willie is going to stand
guard, as he said he would. Seeing you
dancing with Mrs. Ncff, he was just tell
ing me what a joke it would be to lock
you out. He's going to pretend to 60 to
bed. Then he's going TO slip down stairs,
lock the door, and wait till you and
Mrs. Neff come back. Isn't it ridiculous?"
C'Dancing with the Devil; oh, the little
Devil!')
Everything on earth is ridiculous. but
nothing is so ridiculous as l am
Don't say that, dear"
'Dear"'' he echoed, bitterly. when
do l see you, I say?'
('Dancing at the Devils Ball.
There's no chance"
Then I'll make one. TH-TU come
to your ROOM
"Oh. in Heavens name, are you mad?
Or do you think am? Mrs. Neff's room
adjOins mine. She could hear the softest
whisper"
Then let Willie Enslee lock lis out
She saw that he was in a frenzy. He
had the bit in his teeth. He would bolt
in a moment. She thought hard and
swiftly. Then she said:
There's just one way. When I was
playing chambermaid today I wandered
about and found the servants stairway
in the service wing. It leads down into
the kitchen. We could get from there
into the dining-room and the drawing
room. There's a great window there
well cut of from view. ! don't think