Year: 1876

much; he did not know how positively te
deny himself the mere sight of her. Yet
things were growing very precarious
when he could not take book but he
saw that blushing enringled face
slide in between the pages, when he
could not make out a writ without being
in danger OF slipping her name into the
blanks, when he heard the delicious voice
murmuring in his ears when he walked
and walked all night with the little spirit
when he slept lie made a compromise
with himself-it was all he could-and de,
clared that at any rate he would not dance
with her again.


1t was an idle effort He might almost
as well have danced with her as have
stood looking at her quite unconscious OF
his general air, and all the lover in his
glance Mrs. Barnetta beckoned him to
her side; he stood there Just as Rosa
came up from her promenade and left the
arm of one cavalier to be carried off by
another. You are dancing Mr.. Malvin ??
she said "Oh would you hold my fan
and handkerchief" He followed them
with his eye again as the music crashed
into dashing galop.


What right had that other man with his
clasp about this darling? Why did she
suffer it? What decency was there in the
society that commanded such sacrifice
In his elnbrace-whrling wildly to this
wild music!


"You do hate him, don't you?' said
Mrs. Barnetta, in his ear ''If looks could
slay-" He started Was he carrying
his heart upon his sleeve for DAVIS to pick
at? 80 | don't pity you bit," laughed
Mrs. Barnetta, low toned And putting
out her hand, she took Rosa's fan and
opened it as she talked . Anybody. "
said she, with such a power Of making
misery ought to ENJOY it,


"l-l beg your pardon, Mrs. Barnetta.
but if you read me riddles, must ask you
also to be their SPHINX"


"Oh no; it was the function Of the
Sphinx to PROFOUND the riddles, not to
solve them. And Mrs Barnetta laughed
her low. pleasant laugh. You do not
come to us any more.' she said And
used to be in your confidence before YOU
deserted me; | can imagine the reason
do not like to say that it is shabby treat
ment of an old friend. OF course cannot
say that it is rude But if you do not
dance with Miss Mercer this evening, |
shall be iearfully offended | am not go
ing to have my little treasure made I'M
happy for the sake of the safety Of the
prince of all good fellows himself"


Lucian changed color so suddenly that
Mrs. Barnetta put out her hand in af-
fright, half expecting to see him iall but
in moment he was himself again


"Do you-ls Miss Mercier-" he began,
and paused half way.


! GAS if | should say another word and
had not | already said altogether too
much ~ said Mrs Barnetta There, she
has left dancing and gone for an ice
| What do you think of round dances on
the whole?" And they were, to all APP
pearances deep in discussion of the sub
| .ject when Rosa returned and swept her
late partner a courtesy, and took shelter
on the outer side of Mrs Barnetta Per
haps she had seen the way Lucians eye
had followed her, and it had given her a
certain illumination that made her shrink


Just then the band began one of the
hungarian waltzes, sweet and rapturous
measure that set the blood itself to dane
ing in ones veins. Why not? One last
dance, one last moment of ecstasy, ere he
went out forever into loneliness. Directly
he had crumpled the bit of lace into his
| pDChtl. anu w NuS DCiiIi1S DclOIt lltllt
Rosa who seemed to have lost all her
| light gayety, and put out her hand to
| him with conscious burning blush upon
her face that his heart reflected in a melt
| ing glow. And then there was no thought
of pride, or OF negation, or forgetting;
the music was swinging them at its will;
! they circlcd in each others arms to its de-
licious and delirous movement-eternity
would hardly have any bliss for lovers
| beyond the bliss of that moment Yet
only a moment was it, few moments, q
brief sweet space of half conscious time :;
and then faint recognition crept through
its spell and warned Lucian of the poison
in his honey. He was in the act of sur
render; he was about to seal his fate and
that of this dear girl to take her away
| from her fathers wealth and her luxurious
ease, and condemn her To the carking
cares of poverty. All his nature rebel
| led; he chose not to be sWayed by this
melody of horns and strings; he would
have no passion, neither music nor love,
so master his soul as to become the ele-
ment in which it swan, an exclusion of
thought and fear, of sight and sound and
all other emotion; and with this imperi-
Gus determination he chose to break the
enchantment; the real world crept back
upon his senses, he heard the tune, be-
yond this cloud that wrapt him, breaking
again into its distinctive measure, and
exerting his will, he controlled their
steps and paused at last beside Mrs Bar
META, and with low bow, and without a
word, gave Rosa back into that lady's
care, and passed into the crowd and out
of the place and home to his lonely rooms.


1t was day break before he sought re-
pose. walking the floor till then, hardly
knowing what he did or what he thought,
but intent upon conquerlng himself lie
would give the world for Rosa Mercier's
love, but he would not give his pride. To
him that pride meant selt-respcct; to mar
~ her, the child Of opulace meant either
to sell himself for a price, or to reduce her
to trouble and WEAKNESS in which her
| love might soon wear out. lie did not
doubt that love now; without sylla-
ble's speech, he felt sure of it. While it
thrilled him wildly and deeply, it cast a
sudden regret; he only hoped, and cursed
fate that forced him to hope such a thing,
that presently the love would pass, and
some one who would make her happier
would claim her At length with male
dictions in the act, he empted his pockets
of the gloves. handkerchiet5, and tritles
there, and went to bed with the sun
coming through the curtains, and. worn
out in body and mind, slept to the blessed
and thorough oblivion of all the world.


When he awoke it was late in the day
All his troubles rushed over him. but in a
moment all his will to repel it rose too
He dressed himself leisurely he meant to
call that night on Miss MERCER, restore
her handkerchief that he had forgotten to
give back after the dance, and in some in
direct way let her know that he intended
never to marry, and SO seal his doom be-
yond hope He went into the next room
when he had completed his toilet, and
after attending to one or two affairs
looked for the handkerchief that he re-
membered to have taken from his pocket
and to have tossed upon the table there
1t was not on the table; it was nowhere
in the room. In panic, he rang the bell
and when it was answered. instituted M
inquiry concerning the thing. Vest IN
| laaA SuSan had caop II opI fhonrhf II