Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-09-23
CHAPTER IV-continued.

Tive me the next and the one after
that" he said hurriedly. recovering
some presence of mind, just as the
nearest applicant reached them. "And
gsTe me every third one the rest of
4he evening"
She laughed. "Are you askingT
What do you mean, 'askingp"
sit sounded as though you were just
telling me to give you all those
dances"
well. want EN- !" George insisted.
~Are you going to give me"
Good gracious!" she laughed.
"Tes!"
The applicants fiocked round her,
urging contracts for what remained,
but they did not dislOdge George from
her side, though he made 1t evident
that they succeeded in annoying him
and presently he extricated her from
an accommodating siege-she must have
ecoRnived in the extrication-and bore
he 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
busyl" he said. Most of those ducks,
I don't know what my mother wanted
to invite 'em here for"
~ ,r,o., -, oaoo,,,4 A.
parents" Miss Morgan suggested
mildly. Maybe she didn't want to
offend their fathers and mothers"
'Oh, hardly! 1 don't think my
mother need worry much about offend
Ing anybody in ihis old town."
1T must be wonderful" said Miss
Morgan. cit must be wonderful, LIr.
Amberson-Mr. Minafer, l mean"
what must be wOnderful?"
ITO be so important as that I"
THAT isn't important George as
S1red her. Anybody that really is
anybody ought 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
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
a boys good looks should dare; and
aance 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
were narrow and uncomfortable; no
elder person would have remained In
such a place. Moreover, these two
young people were strangers to each
9ther; 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
ftiendliness-bu stairways near ball
rooms have more TO answer for than
have mOonlit lakes and mountain sun
sets.
Age, confused by its own long ac-
emulation of follies, is everlastingly
acquiring, what does she see in him."
as IL young love came about through
Shinking-Or through conduct. At
eighteen one goes to a dance, sits with
stranger on a stairway, feels De
euliar, thinks nothing. and becomes
&0capable 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 intelli-
gence-they had exchanged no glances
nj all. Both sat staring vaguely out
kato the ballroom, and, for time,
they did not speak. Here and there
we're to be seen couples so carried
away that, ceasing TO move at the
aecorous, even glide. considered most
knowing. they pranced and whirled
through the throng. from wall TO wall,
Eailoping 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
tie queer-lOoking duck: for this per
son was her partner.
The queer-Iooking duck had been q
real dancer In his day. it appeared
and evidently his day was not vet
oEer. In spite of the headlong. CAV
rRpldity with which he bore Miss
Fanny about the big room he danced
aHthoritatively. avoiding without eff
fort the lightest collision with other
couples, maintaining sufficient grace
throughout his widest moments, and
an the while laughing and talking
with his partner. What was most re
Eaarkable TO George. and a little irri-
fHting, this stranger In the ANDERSON
mansion had no veStige of the air of
SFference proper to Il stranger in such
place: he seemed thoroughly at
home. He seemed Extensively so. in
deed, when, passing the entrance 10
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
than cordial. then capered lightly out
CT sight.
George gazed Stonily at this mani
festation, responding neither by word
nor sign. "How's that for a bit of
EreShneSsT' he murmured.
what WASH" Miss Morgan asked.
That Queer-lOoling duck waving
his hand at me like that. Except he's
TIE Sharon girls uncle 1 don't know
hfEl from Adam"
~You don't need TO-" she said. "He
wasn't waving his hand to you: he
De9nt me-"
oh. he did?- George was not mol
iiied by the explanation. Everyone
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