Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-18

| secret tete-a-tetes, all at once,
among the later arrivals, she per
ceived Monte Bracken. He was in
an elaborate plum-colored costume
of prince of the royal blood, the
black curls built high over the tenn
Piles and spilling over the shoulders,
flashes of delicate lace at the wrists
multi-colored ribbons, golden EN-
broideries on the vest, and a frill
of the choicest cambria at ~the
throat, below which sparkled the
orders of the Toison dor and the
Saint Esprit.
He bowed with exaggerated def
erence, kissing the end of her fin
gers easily and naturally. Her hand
rested on his a moment forgotten,
as she looked at him, seized with
a sudden, surprised admiration,
agreeably drawn to his handsome,
dark figure. OF all the men she had
met, she was the most anxious for
his good opinion. Their eyes met,
and she felt a quick, excited fiutter
as she saw the start of surprise that
came into his as he continued to
look at her. The moment was not
long, but both were conscious of a
sudden embarrassment that was
half delight, half unease.
She waited eagerly for his COM
pliment, but for the first time she
saw him prey to a certain awk-
wardness.
Every glad to see you, Mrs. For
resterl l have been trying to find
you" he said, without taking his
eyes from her.
She felt the same difidence, She
perceived that her hand was still in
his and Withdrew it hastily.
And your brother and his wife"
They are here. They've been
trying to find you"
New arrivals broke in, forcing
her attention. When she turned inn
patiently, expecting to find him at
her side, he was gone. The memory
of the light that had leaped into his
eyes when he had discovered her
loneliness seemed to give wings to
her step. All her forebodings were
forgotten. A delicious feeling of
light-heartedness swept her up. She
sought him in the crowd, and was
aware that his glance continued to
follow her, but he did not approach
her again. She waited with a tinge
of disappointment for the spoken
tribute which she coveted, longing
for it to give completeness to her
happiness.
But if Bracken remained obstin-
ately aloof, other men came up Gag
erly-men who had been more or
less devoted to her, and, under the
license of the evening, whisper
ed their declarations to her. As for
Tody Dawson, he was crushed at
her transformation, lowering on the
outskirts, watching her with timid
admiration, as though suddenly con-
scious of his temerity in approach
ing anything so precious. So COM
pletely eliminated was he, so ut
terly elbowed from her presence,
that she felt new irritation at An
drew's obstinacy in taking his boy
ish sentimentality seriously.
How absurd" she said to her
self lightly. "As though a boy like
that could mean anything to me!
He's useful, that's all"
A slight anxiety still remained
in her mind until Gladys Challoner
arrived. At the first glimpse of her
dearest rival she smiled a content
ed little smile. Gladys was a strik-
ing figure in brilliant green-a col
or few blondes would have dared
but she remained, despite every
artifce, modern to her fnger-tips,
Startling and imposing she was, but
the fragile charm of perfumed days
which lowered about the younger
rival quite escaped her.
Claire Bracken caught her by the
arm, smiling and serene as usual.
you exquisite creature, you
quite eclipse us all" she said, in
genuine admiration. And with you,
it's real!i
Between the two, opposite as
they were in all that goes to make