Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-11-06
CHAPTER XII.

lery. Although the long table was laid
for forty guests, it still seemed, with
its shaded lights and it's profusion OF
flowers, like an oasis of color IN the
middle of the huge, sOmberly lighted
apartment. Some of the faces OF the
guests were weIl-knOwn to John
through their published photographs
to others he had been presented by
the prince upon their arrival. He was
seated between a young American star
of musical comedy and lady who had
only recently dropped from the So
cial armament through the medium OF
the divorce court, to return to the the
ater of her earlier fame. Both showed
every desire to converse with him be-
tween the intervals of eating and
drinking, but were constantly brought
to a pause by Johns lack Of knowledge
of current topics. After her third
glass of champagne, the lady who had
recently been a countess announced
her intention of taking him under her
wing.
Someone must tell you all about
things" she insisted. what you need
is a guide and a chaperon. Won't l
do?"
Perfectly" he agreed.
"Fair playw protested the young
lady on his left, whose name was Rosie
Sharon. 81 spoke to him first"
"Jolly bad luckp Lord AmertOn
drawled from the other side Of the
table. Neither of you have an earth
ly. He's booked. Saw him out with
her the other evening"
81 sha'n't eat any more supper"
Rosie Sharon pouted, pushing away
her plate.
"You ought to have told us about
her at once" the lady who had been
countess declared severely.
John preserved his equanimity.
at is to be presumed" he murmured,
that you ladies are both free from
any present attachment
SCOT you thereP' Amerton chuckled.
''What about Bllly?"
Rosie Sharon sighed.
ave don't come to the princes sup
per parties to remember our ties" she
declared. Lets all go on talking non
sense, please. Even if my heart is
Broken, could never resist the princes
patep'
Apparently everyone was of the
same mind. The hum of laughter stead
fly grew. Under shelter of the fire
of conversation, the prince leaned to-
ward his companion and reopened their
previous discussion.
"DO you know" he began, 81 am in
clined to be somewhat disappointed by
your lack of enthusiasm In a certain
direction!"
81 have disappointed many men in
my time" she replied. do you doubt
my power, now that have promised
to exercise it?"
"Who could?" he replied courteously.
"Yet this young man poses, believe,
as something of a st. Anthony. He
may give you trouble"
"He is then, what you call a prig?"
"a most complete and perfect speci-
men, even in this nation of prigs!"
"All that you tell me-" she sighed,
"makes the enterprise seem easier. 1t
is, after all, rather like the lionesS and
the mouse, isn't it?"
The prince made no reply, but upon
his lips there fingered a family incred-
ulOus smile. The woman by his side
leaned back in her place. She had
the air of accepting the challenge.
'After supper" she said, 1--WE will
see"
single chord of music in a minor
key floated across the room, soft at
first, swelling later into q volume of
sound, then dying away and ceasing
altogether. Every light in the place
was suddenly extinguished. There re-
manned only the shaded lamps over
hanging the pictures.
Not Il whisper was heard in the
room. John, looking around him in
establishment, was conscious only of
the half-suppressed breathing of the
men and women who lined the walls, or
were still standing In little groups at
the end of the long hall. Again there
came the music, this time merged in
low but insiStent clamor of other in
struments. Then, suddenly, through
the door at the farther end of the
room came dimly seen figure In white.
The place seemed wrapped in mys-
teal twilight, with long black rays of
deeper shadow lying across the floor.
There was little murmur of tense
voices. and then again silence.
For a few moments the figure I'm
white was motionleSs. Then. without
any visible commencement, she seemed
suddenly to blend into. the waves of
low, passionate music. The dance IT
self was without form or definite move
ment. She seemed at first like some
white. limbleSS spirit, floating here and
there across the dark bars of shadow
at the calling of the melody. There
was no apparent effort of the body.
She was merely beautiful. unearthly
shape. II was like the fitting Of a
white moth through the blackness Of a
moonlesS summer night.
But her motions grew more ami
mated, more human. With feet which
seemed never to meet the earth, she
grded toward the corner where John
was standing. de caught the smolder-
inE fire in her eyes as she danced with
in few feet of him. He felt catch In
his breath. Some subtle and only half
expressed emotion shook his whole be-
ing, seemed to tear at the locked cham
Der of his soul.