Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-11-20
CHAPTER lv-centlnued.

-
@GiVe me the next and the one after
that" he said hurriedly, recovering
some presence of mind, just as the
nearest applicant reached them. sand
give me every third one the rest Of
the evening"
She laughed. "Are you asking?"
''What do you mean, 'askingT"
'It sounded as though you were just
telling me to give you all those
dances"
swell. I want 'eml' George insisted.
SAre you going to give me-"
"Good graciousp she laughed.
"Ycsl''
The applicants hocked round her,
urging contracts for what remained.
but they did not disIodge George from
her side, though he made it evident
that they succeeded in annoying him;
and presently he extricated her from
m accommodating siege-she must have
conniVed In the extrication-and bore
her or to sit beside him upon the
stairway that led to the musicians
eSElery, where they were sufficiently
retired. yet had view Of the room.
How'd all those ducks get to know
you so quickp George inquired, with
little enthusiasm.
''Oh, I've been here d week"
Looks as if you'd been pretty
busyl" he said. "Most of those ducks,
! don't know what my mother wanted
TO invite 'em here for"
perhaps it was on account of their
parents" Miss Morgan suggested
mildly. Maybe she didn't want to
offend their fathers and mothers"
''Oh. hardlyl / don't think my
mother need worry much about offend
ing anybody In this old town."
1T must be wonderful" said Miss
Morgan. ut must be wonderful Mr..
AInberson-Mr. MInafer, mean"
-What must be wonderful"
ITO be so important as thatl"
''That isn't important" George as
sured her, anybody that really is
anybsdy sught to be able to do about
AZ they like In their own town, ]
should think
She looked at him critically from
under her shading lashes-but her
eysg grew gentler almost at once. In
truth. they became more apprecIatiye
than critical. Georges imperions good
looks were altogether manly. yet APP
preached actual beauty as closely as
a boys good looks should dare; and
dance music and flowers have some
effect upon nineteen-year-old girls as
well as upon elghteen-year-old boys.
The stairway was drnfty: the steps
wero narrow and uncomfortable; no
elder person would have remained in
such 9 place. Moreover, these two
young people we're strangers to each
other; neither had said anything in
which the ether had discovered the
slightest intrinsic interest; there had
not arisen betwecn them the begin
nings OF congeniality. or even Of
ndliness-but staiTways near ball
rooms have more TO answer for than
have nOonIlt lakes and mountain sun
sets.
Age. confused by its own long &C
humiliation OF foIlies, is everlastingIy
inquiring. "what does she see in him27
rs IL young love came about through !
through conduct. At
eighteen one goes to dance sits with !
! stranger on a stairway, feels pc
suliar. thinks nothing. and becomes
Incapable of any plan whatever. Miss
Morgan and George stayed where they
we're.
They had agreed to this in silence
ind without knowing it; certainly
without exchanging glances of inteIli-
sence-they had exchanged no gIances
L all. Both sat staring vaguely out
nto the ballroom, and, for a time,
hey did not speak. Here and there
vcre to be seen couples so carried
way that, eeasing to move at the
IeeOrous. even glide. considered most
they pranced and whIrIed
through the throng, from wall TO wall,
aIlOplng bOUnteously In abandon.
Ieorge suffered shock OF vague sur
rise when he perceived that his aunt,
amy lflnafeF, was the lady-half Of
ae Of those wild couples. She fiew
geR the floor IN the capable arms Of
- qaeer-loCEfng duck: for this per-
u was her partner. i
The queer-lOOking duck had been a 4
a dancer IN his day. 1t appeared:
"a evidently his day was not yet
~. In spite Of the headlong. gay
ptdity with which he bore Miss
lnny shout the big room he danced
avoiding without ef-
4 the Highest collision with other !