The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-09-21

and he gives me two tickets for the
French ball at the st. Louis tonight"
"All right: wen take 1t in"
81 should say we Will Why. there's
likely to be a half dozen duels ar
ranged for. We can see them burst
ing into bloom. But you'll have 10
liven up, you know. You are just
trifie stern. 1t strikes me. There is
too much of-of your mission showing
in your face. I don't know of any
thing better calculated to correct it
than an hour at the roulette wheel.
Suppose we go over and give it
whirl."
Hope springs Internal in the human
breast" Drace paraphrased the poet.
"Just as well curb yourself. old fell
low. I'm not going to feed your pas
sion."
A tap at the door and Colonel Josh
announced himself from the outside.
Invited to enter, he came in with a
sweeping bow. his beard and mustache
waxed, his hair darkened with dye,
giving to 1t tinge Of blue. He bore,
and with ceremonious hesitancy, an
IuNlLdtlOn lIOii ksAAFo LuSys hitC was
at the delightful old home of rela-
tive where choice guests would as
semble that evening to hear Prof. l..
Bannock Pettigrew read a paper on
the origin and character Of the an
cient Scythians.
"Im very sorry. Colonel" Drace
cheerfully lied, "but we have another
engagement"
The Colonel gleefully replied that
he was put into a position Of deep re
gret. He knew that Captain Drace
would so much enjoy the professor:
his paper would not take up more than
three hours Of Tie evening. He would
impart to Miss Lucy that Captain
Drace found 1t impossible to come. The
Captain assured him that such was
the true situation and Frightening. the
Colonel gladdened himself out of the
room.
The ballroom which Drace entered
that night was as fantastic as gyp-
sy's vision. 1t seemed that all civiliza-
ton had lifted the lids Of its worm
eaten chests to array in whimsic re-
minder of Its former self. There was
evident poverty making itself neat in
old linen. and war victims proud In
threadbare coats. In rags there Is his
tory, but no ancestry attached to cloth
fresh from the mill. No unfriendly
eye was supposed to look upon this
gathering, no antagonistlc politics per-
mitted to view 1t. The walls were
draped in the colors of France, and
enshrined in corner was Confed-
crate banner. its staff splintered. Its
folds darkened with sacred blood.
As Shottle no longer held the hope
Of raising speculative table-stake, he
bent himself to the less interesting life
Of the dance. But not without mis-
hap! The floor was smooth with wax
from the ends Of marriage-altar cam
dies; and Liberty's feet, more accus-
toned to the rough mating, and
ragged carpets Of the gambling-room,
new from under him. Catching right
and left in his fall. he came down with
bit Of lace In one hand and a comb
in the other. while women shrieked
at the devastations he had wrought.
grouping about the severest sufferer
to screen her into a retiringroom.
THAT'S what comes to horse that
wanders from his stable-lot out on the
frozen pond" said Shottle as Drace
came up to laugh at him.
you've made rip In the skirt of
the ball sure enough" Drace replied,
taking him by the arm. And then
suddenly he halted. for he caught
sight Of girl coming toward him. A
moment before. there had been nu-
merous young women In the room, but
now there was only one-the barbaric
rose maid. the girl who had touched
his heart with a torch.
With her walked a tall, handsome
and well-dressed young man. Her hand
rested upon his arm, and she seemed
to listen with pleasure to his evident
ly ardent wooing. She looked at
Drace, one glance, and then turned
her eyes back to her cavalier and
passed on. And a flame of jealousy
was added to the turmoil that already
held possession Of him.
"Who is she, Shottle" demanded
Drace.
81 don't know, but I'll find out.
Lord, but she is fletcher"
He moved Off, lodging the dancers
here and there, while Drace sat alone
in a window. waiting.
The orchestra struck up the supper
march, and Shottle. stalking his prey,
saw the lady who had SO excited
Drace's interest seated with her cava-
'ier in an alcove and supping daintily.
Possessing himself of plate and
goodly portion Of chicken, Shottle re-
turned and brazenly seated himself
near them, listening with all his ears
Nadine" the cavalier was saying.
"you wrong me in thinking seek to