Omaha daily bee., 1922-02-21
The
Dancing Master
BY RUBY NJ, AYREs.
iespgHshrnssi

know" she had added casually, and,
although AT the time Elizabeth had
wondered what she meant, she nn-
defstood well enough now. as she
sat there aud saw how nearly every
man In the room danced continually
with the same girl. and that there
were none standing about or looking
laF partners. as she had ioalishly
thought would be the ease,
IL seemed impossible that she had
ever looked forward 10 this visit; II
seemed absurd that she had spent
slsepless nights longing for IT, when
now her one desire was 10 run away
and hide and forget that she had
ever left the sleepy monc.ony OF the
country village where she had passed
the 20 years OF her lite'
She again looked down the long
length OF parauet floor that sepa-
rated her from the door, Could she
reach IL? Dared she make the at
tempts
While she sat sthefe, her hands
gripped together, trying 10 make up
her mind she heard Dolly's artificial
little laugh in the distance. They
were coming back She and Neil
farmerl Surely anything would be
preferable TO meeting again the con-
tcmptuous amusement OF their gaze.
Elizabeth almost teli of the big
couch and ran the length OF the
room TO the door at the end, which
seemed to wait for her with kindly
open arms.
She reached il, and stopped
breathless oil the other side. thank
ful to find herself alone-thankiul 10
have escaped her cousin and the
mockery OF those innumcrable mir
rors. and for moment she stood
painting and breathless, her hand on
her heart.
She was in a small room, with a
door which apparently led out into
supper room. Judging by the noise
and laughter and popping OF corks
going on on the other side, but for
the present, at least, she was alone,
and, summoning her courage, Eliza
beth crept across the room and
turned the key in that communicating
door.
Then she gave a great sigh oil re-
lief and sank down into an arm
chair as from the ballroom the band
started again.
The room in which she found her
self was only dimly lit, and from
her chair Elizabeth could watch the
dancing unobserved.
How dainty the girls were! She
longed to be able TO dance as they
could. She stuck her feet out III
front of her and looked at them with
angry eyes.
They we're small feet, with slender
ankles-feet that could have looked
quite as pretty and twinkling il only
they had been incased in shoes like
those Dolly wore.
1t was unfair that she should be
so out OF it! For the first time tears
swan over her eyes.
She was 20, and she never had had
any fun!-never had any money to
spend or pretty clothes to wear;
never had been taught to dance;
never had beau, unless one counted
Walter Sneath-poor Walter! who
had been so terribly opposed to her
visit to London.
She liked him, too, in quiet sort
OF way, but somehow he seemed
rather an old-fashioned sort OF fig
ure when she contrasted him with
the men in the ball room outside
justin the same way she supposed
as she must seem old-fashioneo
when contrasted with the girls dane
ing with them.
She looked back on her life with ;
sort OF dull resentment; it stretched
behind her III many drab-coloret
years.
Each day had brought the sam
round of monotonous duties-look
ing after the house, looking after he
uncle. who grumbled from morning
till night at the expense she was II
him.
/ She smiled family as she recalled