The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-06


to be angry or merry, they looked
at each other and broke into laughter.
Faith, and l never thought of 1t at
all, at all, Katie" said Norah, ad-
justing her disarranged belt I'm
sorry l was so generous with my bou-
quet."
Its nothing at all" retorted Katie,
but l saw Pat Deasy and Michaei
O'Flanagin standing on the other side
of the room takin' in the whole thing.
It's mad they are. or I'm not Katie
Malone this night"
Now. Pat Deasy, though well ia
vored in the eyes of Norah, was not
her only admirer, and she had seen
the time when his blue eyes flashed
at the presence of another young
man In her spotless kitchen. per
haps." the thought now, he thinks I
am after getting the flowers from
Tom"
At least, whether the two SWANS
took the wearing of the yellow flow
ers as a personal insult or whether
they had other reasons for ignorins
their hitherto adored ones, Norah
and Katie heard the opening strains
Of Come Back to Erin" waited from
the orchestra without noticing the
approach Of their usual partners.
Never long alone at a ball, Norah
was soon whirling about the room in
the arms of another admirer. And
from the way in which her soft Irish
laugh rippled in response to bits of
witty blarney her partner whispered
In her ear she was conscious of no
other man In the room. She was
possessed of the inherent Irish quail.
ty Of being all things to all people
for the time being.
The ball waxed merry and waltzes
and jigs and twosteps and barn
dances were called of one after an
other, but Pat Deasy never once
sought Norah as his partner; and she
did not know that his eyes followed
her through every turn of the dance.
If, as he believed, she had deliberate
ly worn flowers-and yellow flowers
at that-sent her by his hated rival
she must indeed have forgotten all
that he believed had been between
them.
1t was late In the evening that an
Irish reel was proposed, and the or
chestra struck up the merry music
to which the feet of no true son of
the verdant land can remain quiet.
Norah, new-found admirer in her
wake, was taking her place. Her
hair had become tumbled. her cheeks
were as rosy as apples and her black.
dashed blue eyes sparkled like dia.
monds. If her heart was heavy she
did not let 1t dangle on her sleeve so
that all who passed might see it.
In the intricacies of the reel, Norah,
by counting ahead, could see that be-
fore many moments she must clasp
hands with Pat Deasy, and her heart
thumped excitedly at the prospect
Would he recognize her? Would he
press her fingers-never so slightly?
1t was her turn and she put her
hand in the great one Pat extended.
Yes; he held it closely, more closely
than any other partner would dare
to hold 1t. Quick as a flash, Norah
detached the green shamrock pin
from her belt and, when next she met
Pat in the dance, slipped it into his
palm. Across the petals was written
in gilt letters, Come Back to Erin"
When the reel was over and the
dancers stood about the refreshment
table or sat in cool corners, Pat
sought out Norah, the message of the
pin having been too much for him to
resist And, perhaps, after all, he
had been mistaken
"Norah, is it all over between us?"
he asked, his color rising to the roots
of his wellbrushed black hair.
"An' why should it be-" asked the
girl, saucily.
Sure, you wore the yellow flowers
to the ball and who but that hateful
Tom Horton could have given them
to you-to spite me-" he asked.
Its a silly Mick you are, Pat
she retorted, making room for him
beside her on the bench. 1T vase my
lady who gave them to me off her
own table to wear to the ball to
charm you with. Oh, Pat!"
And, on the way home, Pat and
Norah decided to visit the priest be-
fore another st. Patrick's ball should
take place. But so busy were they
In their own affairs that they did
not see Katie and her beau deciding
the same thing in the other end of the
elevated coach.