The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-07-20
EVIDENCE
BY CATHERINE CRANMER.

|
so you refuse to tell me whether or
not you intend to go to that plebeian
public masque ball?" Gerald shifted
his hat and stick, which he held in
readiness for departure.
81 refuse to be bullied. So I refuse
| to answer your question because you
flung il at me as a demand to account
to you in advance for my movements
NOW, Dot, you can't think that; 1t
| is all from my desire to exercise the
right and the privilege which our en-
gagement gives me to protect you"
Protection actuated by jealousy and
intolerance isn't what / want or ex-
pect. AS for our engagement, why
She began to tumble with her ring.
please, Dot" said Gerald quickly,
don't say anything about that now,
and please think seriously before you
Join those feather-brained Gilbert girls
and Charley Mason in lark at that
public masque."
Good afternoon" was Dorothy's
only reply, but as the front door closed
behind him she crumpled up on the
big davenport and sobbed.
Gerald's pleading failed to keep Dor
othy away from the public masque
ball, although she did decide to wear
black domino instead of the fan
tastic costume she first had in mind.
The Gilbert girls, Charley Mason and
the two other young men in her party
dressed as a band Of gypsies, and they
were surprised and disappointed when
Dorothy appeared in her domino. once
in the gay crowd though, all entered
heartily into the merriment. Here
and there through the hilarious crowd
other domino-clad figures were scat
tered, giving a needed touch of black
to the Kaleidoscope whirl Of color.
Some energetic domino-clad man I'M
dertook to gather all the dominoes
together and line them up in mock
protest at some Of the gayeties going
on about them. Dorothy was drawn
into his group, and she gayly, though
silently, tried to induce tall, broad
shOuldered fellOw-dOminO to become
also a fellow participant in making
things gay. Reluctantly, at first, but
gradually more willingly, the tall fig
ure began to move about with some
show of life.
As the crowd grew moro mirthful
Dorothy became less and less gay. Her
tall companion could see that she
was yainly searching for someone. He
squeezed her hand reassuringly and
broke the long silence between them.
Il see that you have lost your
friends" he said simply. "Will you
allow me TO help you find them or to
take you home if you can't find them?"
A few moments later, they were en-
tering a taxi, to whose driver Dor
othy gave the half of a visiting card
containing her residence number, hav-
ing nodded q vigorous negative when
her escort asked her destination. AS
they were whirled along in the taxi,
the man softly asked her to speak to
him, as he was sure her voice must
be as charming as we're her grace and
ease in dancing. He even squeezed her
hand lightly, and although she was
unrcsisting she still shook her head
and remained silent. This seemed to
add to the young mans determina-
ton, for he began to plead eloquently,
but was astounded to be roughly
pushed away with two tiny but deter
mined hands.
As the taxi turned a corner, Dor
othy realized that she was nearing
her home, and she quickly sprang up
and covered the eyes Of her escort
with her hands.
Swear you won't look" she whis'
pcred hoarscly, and with those soft
hands pressing his eyelids, the man
willingly promised A 10 moments
later, the taxi came to a full stop, and
Dorothy electrified her companion by
kissing him full on the mouth and
springing from the door the instant the
driver opened it.
Quite forgetting his promise, he
sprang after her, but took in his sur
roundings with a dumfounded glance.
About six strides took him the distance
that Dorothy had covered in sixty rap
id steps, and he overlook her just as
she reached the marble-lined yestibule
to her home,
Dorothy, dear" he pleaded, why
Il lot
"Just because l wanted to see how
far you'd go in doing the very things
you tried to forbid me doing when
limited / was going to this ball" she
eyed him defiantly, like a plucky fight
err at bay. Your tender pleading for
the sound Of my voice and your gen
tie squeezing of my hand when you
thought | was somebody you didn't
| even know convince me that you are
at least human enough to be incon-
sistent and also that you're not to be
| trusted"
(Which ought also to convince you
! that it's time to treat me like human
and take me for better or worse. "
Then, very softly, he added: Don't
you know, dear, that it was only be-
cause / wanted to look after you that
/ went to that old ball?"
Dorothy had backed up against the
bell so that with her elbow she had
managed to press the button without
! Geralds knowledge.
And don't you know she retorted,
"fhat II was only because | reCog-