Cleveland County herald., 1919-10-16
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, 'askingF"
 "It sounded as though you were just telling me to give you all those dances"
 "Well. I want emp George insisted. Are you going to give me"
 Good gracious !" she laughed "Yesr'
 The applicants flocked 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 extrieated her from an accommodating siege-she must have connived 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 a view of the room.
 How'd all those ducks get to know you so quick?" George inquired, with little enthusiasm.
 "Oh I've been here a week."
 Looks as if you'd been pretty busy!' 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, hardly! I don't think my mother need worry much about offend ing anybody in this old town"
 Ut must be wonderful,' said Miss | Morgan. Tt must be wonderful, MT. Amberson-Mr. Minafer, mean"
 What must be wonderful?'
 ''To 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 as they like in their own town, l should think p
 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 ap- preached actual beauty as closely as boys good looks should dare; and dance music and flowers have some effect upon nineteen-year-ol girls as well as upon eighteen-year-old boys.
 The stairway was drafty: the steps were 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 not arisen between them the begin nings of congeniality, or even of friendliness-but stairways near ball. rooms have more to answer for than have moonlit- lakes and mountain sun sets.
 Age, confused by it's own long ae- emulation of follies, is eyerlastingly inquiring, "what does she see in him?" | as if young love came about through | thinlling-or through conduct. At eighteen one goes to a dance, sits with q stranger on a stairway, feels pc culiar, thinks nothing, and becomes incapable of any plan whatever. Miss Morgan and George stayed where they | were.
 They had agreed to this in silence and without knowing it; certainly | without exchanging glances of inteni- gence-they had exchanged no glances | at all. Both sat staring vaguely out | into the ballroom, ana, for a time, | they did not speak. Here and there were to be seen couples so carried | away that, ceasng to move at the decorous, even glide, considered most l knowing, they pranced and whirled | through the throng. from wall to wall galloping bounteously in abandon | George suffered a shock of vague sur prise when he perceived that his aunt, | Fanny Minafer, was the lady-half of | one of those wild couples. She flew | over the floor in the capable arms of l the queer-loolzing duck; for this per son was her partner
 The queer-loolzing duck had been real dancer inNhis day, it appeared; 1 and evidently his day was not yet over. Tn spite of the headlong, gay rapidity with which he bore Miss Fanny about the big room he danced authoritativeiy, avoiding without eff fort the lightest collision with other