Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-19
Copyright, 1918, BY Little, Brown 4 Col

Copyright 1915 BY Little Brown Col
the deep, clear sky through a part
ing storm.
In the long ballroom the lackeys
had cleared the floor. The guests,
against the walls on little footstools
or camped on rugs, framed the dan
GERS with the glowing tangle of
many colors. Overhead, a black
blue canopy, shot with thousand
little holes, let through IN starry
radiance jewel-rays Of light from the
masked chandeliers above. The win
dows and the doors, framed in foli-
age. gave faint vistas OF lake and
melting hills lost in the sylvan night.
Illuminated trees in the four corners
of the cleared floor sent golden
shafts over the polished surface. The
air, rescued from the electric white
ness of the modern night, tloated in
harmonious and gentle flood. From
the orchestra hidden in the balcony
came the awakened surge of violins.
The dancers courtesied, took places,
and lifted their graceful arms. In the
costumed throng, the murmer of
voices was hushed as each guest,
under the spell of rhythmic beauty,
yielded to the fairyland of unhealthy.
At the first measure, Tody Daw-
son, troubled by this sudden cencen-.
tration of many eyes, had moment
Of stage fright. He Numbered, missed
his step, and unable to recover him
self, threw the figure into disorder.
Another moment, and the con-
fusion would have been inextricable.
Amy saw it and calmly, without em-
barrassment, clapped her hands. The
orchestra came to a discordant
pause.
MY fault" she said in a clear,
laughing tone. 4 ask every ones
pardon-but such an audience is
very, very terrifying! Every one
ready? Begin againl'
She felt mistress of the situation,
and the little amical nod she sent
Dawson restored his confidence at
once. This time the measure moved
a break, amid a buzzing APP
probation of her tact and poise.
The moment was critical in her
life. 1t needs only the intoxication
of one waltz to change the destiny
Of young girl--how much more so
such a triumph before hundred
tivalsl As she danced, moving in
sWaying grace, poised with dainty
gesture, hearing the murmured adj
niration which conferred on her own
oveliness, all the profound corrup-
lion in which she had moyed-eor-
-uption of Morley, daily and insidi- |
BUS; corruption Of the young fellows
N her train who had infected her
with the craving for ex-
,itement; corruption of shops and |
he argus-eyed crowd; corruption
if pleasant places and brilliant audi
.ncies-all the multiple Corruption
IF New York which had been fas-
.ening about her, as a vine makes its
capture, all this corruption reached /
is apotheosis in the ecstacy of this
theatrical moment This was her
goman's career, her right to youth!
f Andrew did not understand this,
{ Andrew did not realize what he
lad carried off like another Paris
hen Andrew was blind indeed!
She danced, her head thrown back
nd little to one side, smiling with
eyes-at what? At the
public perhaps. every one
# whom she wished to draw to her,
0 dazzle, to coax, and to entice. Her
'wn sex was there. her dearest riv-
Is. For this one night she could face
hem and defy them to pick flaw. +
flowing, serene, and awakened, her
lance ran through the brilliant
udience, seeking to visualize it. All
t once, from beneath her eyelashes
he found the eyes of Monte Brac-
en- set on her. From that moment