San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-03

| the party but he was at that moment
in the Tower, whittier he had been sent
as n consequence of his utterly fool
| ish and unnecessary attempt TO alb
duct Miss Mallet two nights ago.
But Sir Harry Stanhope filled his
vacant placer, at least, half-filled
it. for whilst Rochester was both wit
and libertine, young Stanhope was n
| libertine only. And of course there
was Sir Thomas Ogle, that boon COM
panion of Sedley's, and two other gen
tlemen whose names have not survived.
The ladies were of less distinguished
| lineage. There was the ravishingly
fair little Anne Seymour from the
Dukes House. her white shoulders dis
played in decolletage that outraged
even the daring fashion of the day.
There was Moll Davis from the klng S
House seated OH the Dukes left, with
Etheredge Immediately below ner and
entirely engrossing her, and there was
that dark, statuesque. insolent-eyed
Jane Howden, languidly spreading her
nets for Sir Charles Sedley, who
showed himself willing and eager to
be taken in them. A fourth lady on
Ogle's left was making desperate but
futile attempts to draw Sir Thomas
attention from Miss Seymour.
Supper was done, and still they
kept the table, over their wine, wait
ing for that belated guest whose scat
continued vacant.
Above that empty place sat the
Duke--a dazzling figure i'll suit OF
shimmering white satin with diamond
buttons that looked like drops OF
water.
Alone of all that company he did
not abuse the wine. Again and again
he waved away the velvet-footed lack
eys that approached TO pour for him.
From the chilly heights OF his own
unusual sobriety he found them gross
and tiresomc; their laughter Jared
on him. He strained his ears TO catch
some rumble of wheels in the court
yard.
Sedley in a maudlin voice began to
sing a very questionable song Of his
own writing, whilst Miss Howden made
a comedy of pretending to silence
him. He was still singing it, when
Stanhope sprang up and mounted his
chair. holding aloft dainty shoe of
which he had stripped Miss Seymour,
and calling loudly for wine. Pretty
little Anne would have snatched her
footgear but that she was restrained
by Ogle. who not only held her firmly,
but had pulled her into his lap. where
she writhed and screamed and giggled
all in one.
Solemnly. rs if it were the most
ordinary and natural of things, a
lackey poured wine into the shoe, as
Stanhope babe him. And StanhOpe,
standing above them, gay and flushed.
proposcd Il toast the terms of which L
have no intention of repeating.
He was midway through when the
twin doors behind the Duke were
thrown open by chamberlain. whose
voice rang solcmnly above the general
din.
Miss Sylvia Farquharson, may it
please your grace.
There was Il momentary pause as
of surprise; then louder than ever
rose their voices in hilarious accla-
nation of the announcement.
Buckingham sprang up and round.
and several others rose with him to
give n proper welcome to the belated
Cuest. Stanhopc, one foot on his
chair. the other IN the table, bowed
TO her with II flourish of the slipper
from which he had just drunk.
She stood at gaze. breathess and
suddenly pale. on the summit of the
three steps that led down to the level
of the chamber, her startled. dilating
owes bordering fcarfully that scene
of abandonment. She say little Anne
Seymour. whom she knew, struggling
and laughing in the arms of Sir
Thomas Oglc. She saw Etheredge,
whom she also knew. sitting with
flushed face and lcering eyes, an arm