The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1926-01-22

sort of amusement She preferred later.
She, the young lady, was quiet and
deferential and modest, but the secret
disclosed itself that of all the sentient
fascination the party had for an OBJ
server, she was the center. She was
dressed in a closely clinging gown of
some sort of silky, shimmering, palest
gray fabric, and a big black hat with
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ment reminding that Il dark hat and
light gown are most becoming. These
became her. She was not distinctly
beautiful, but she had n skin like the
flush of a summer sunrise and Won
derful eyes-they were pale green per-
haps, suggesting the sea. under low,
straight brows and With Tong straight
lashes When with lowered head she
swept a side glance at one of her COM
panions you knew how he must thrill
you were thrilled at the mere con
temptation. There was deep dark
ness about her eyes in confusing con-
trast with the marvellous fairness of
her skin. Her voice had the caressing
sweetness that makes one glad as the
scent of an od-fashioned garden pink,
or the sound of bell at evening. does
She would draw people to her, not by
her perfect beauty, but by her warm
radiancy of being, an ineffabe love
llness.
The elder lady became at last laugh
ingly impatient and the younger then
with eager courtesy consented to go,
but the older man interposed, and it
was finally settled, after much good
natured banter, that the older couple
should go to their box at the theater
and the younger would Join them later
either there or at the other place they
had in mind There was Il display of
the usual huge, stiff napkins and then
Of evening wraps, for it was spring
and the night might be cool despite
the alluring softness that came in
through the open window, then the
party had separated, and the young
man and girl We're left alone.
He took his seat again and there
was at once a change felt. He in
stantly permitted himself the utter
ance of his feeling. She kept between
them the barrier OF playfulness, but
conceded an intimacy In her glance
and the subtle modification Of manner
toward him so startlingly different
from her former general graciousness
The revelation was not of growing
friendship but Of an understanding Of
the past that had outlasted something.
He called for bottle of grape juice
and insisted upon drinking health
which she laughingly protested
against but the darkness around her
ewes became deeper, as it had when
he first took his chair alone with her
after the departure of their friends.
He finally succeeded and when their
glasses were lifted their hands touched
and the glasses trembled.
His earnestness grew and he aban-
doned himself more and more to his
feeling. As he leaned toward her his
entire bearing became one of absorbed
devotion and pleading desire, and I'M
der the influence of it her gay self
possession gave way, hetraying serl-
BUSINESS and agitation, The gauze cur
tains of social circumstance of the so
easily persuading selfconfident man
ner, of outward harmony and content
were all being lifted one after the
other to disclose Il flaming conscious
ness, conflicting forces, souls dis
quiet.
The other guests, in pleasure-en-
crossed couples and parties, had all
gone, and even the walters had dis
creetly disappeared, so that the dining
drama. Out in the corridor the
stringed orchestra was softly playing