The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-10-10
CHAPTER iV-Continued.


"Give me the next and the one after
that" he said hurriedly. recovering
some presence of mind. just as the
nearest applicant reached them. "And
give me every third one the rest of
the evening"
She laughed. "Are you asking?"
what do you mean, 'asking?"
1T sounded as though you were just
telling me to give you all those
dances"
We'll, / want 'ern ~ George insisted
-'Are you going to give me"
Good gracious % she laughed.
''Yes!"
The applicants fiocked round her,
urging contracts for what remained.
but they did not dislodge George from
her side, though he made it evident
that they succeeded in annoying him !;
and presently he extricated her from
an accommodating slege-she must have
conniyed in the extrication-and bore
her off to sit beside him upon the
stairway that led to the musicians
gallery, where they were sufficiently
retired, yet had n view of the room.
How'd all those ducks get to know
Won SO quick?" George inquired, with
little enthusiasm
"Oh, I've been here a week"
Looks as If you'd been pretty
busyi" he said. "Most of those ducks,
i don't know what my mother wanted
TO invite 'em here for"
Perhaps 1t was on account of their
parents" Miss Morgan suggested
mill VII Gh I'M fn
. offend their fathers and mothers"
"Oh. hardlyl 1 don't think my
mother need worry much about offend
Ing anybody IN this old town.
1T must be wonderful" said Miss
Morgan. "It must be wonderful. Mr.
Amberson-Mr. Minafer. 1 mean"
what must be wonderful?'
ITO be so important as that,'
THAT isn't Important George as
sured her. Anybody that really is
anybody ought to be able to do about
IS they like In their own town, /
should thinkt''
She looked at him critically from
under her shading lashes-but her
eyes grew gentler almost at once. In
truth, they became more appreciative
than critical Georges imperious good
looks were altogether manly. yet APP
preached actual beauty as closely as
a boys good looks should dare; and
lance music and flowers have some
effect upon nineteen-year-old girls as
well as upon eighteen-year-old boys
The stairway was drafty: the steps
we're narrow and uncomfortable no
Older person would have remained in
such a place. Moreover, these two
young people were strangers to each
other: neither had said anything In
which the other had discovered the
slightest intrinsic interest; there had
oot arisen between them the begin
nings of congeniality, or even of
friendliness-but stairways near ball
rooms have more TO answer for than
have moonlft lakes and mountain sun
sets
Age. confused by its own long ac-
emulation of follies, is everlastingIy
lnquiring. what does she see in him"
as Il young love came about through
thinkfng-or through conduct. At
eighteen one goes to a dance, sits with
stranger on stairway, feels De-
culiar. thinks nothing, and becomes
Morgan and George stayed where they
were.
They had agreed to this in silence
and without knowing it; certainly
without exchanging glances of inteIli-
gence-they had exchanged no glances
at all. Both sat staring vaguely out
into the ballroom. and, for time.
they did not speak. Here and there
were to be seen couples so carried
away that, ceasing TO move at the
fecorous, even glide, considered most
showing. they pranced and whirled
through the throng. from wall to wall. |
gailoping bounteously in abandon. |
George suffered u shock of vague sur |
prise when he perceived that his aunt. |
Fanny Mlnafer. was the lady-half of |
one of those Wild couples She flew |
over the floor in the capable arms of |
the queer-looking duck; for this per-
son was her partner.
The queer-looking duck had been a |
real dancer In his day, 1t appeared: |
and evidently his day was not vet /
over. In spite of the headIong. gay
-apidity with which he bore Miss
Fanny about the big room he danced |
authoritativeiy. avoiding without eff
fort the highest collision with other
couples. maintaining sufficient grace
throughout his widest moments. and
all the while laughing and talking
with his partner. What was most re-
narkabie to George. and a little frri-
tating. this stranger in the ANDERSON
u9nsion had no vestige of the air of
difference proper TO a stranger in such
place: he seemed thoroughly at /
home He seemed extensively so, In
deed, when, passing The entrance to
the gallery stairway. he disengaged
his hand from Miss Fanny's for an in
slant, and not pausing In the dance.
waved = LAUGHING salutation more