Show I if t 7Ej Btr6 86fjtJfJj BYP 6l41L Copyright 1505 by Dally Story rub COI 1 I Charles Livingston of Puritan ancestry I an-cestry and Now England training and I I rigid business habits and principles found himself in Now Orleans In midwinter mid-winter on u mission for his house Ho was a partner In tho houso although al-though barely thirty and his head was considered not less cool nor his Judgment less steady and conservative conserva-tive than that of his grayhalred associates asso-ciates At to his character nnd habits r but why speak of that Ho had been n model youth as he now was esteemed esteem-ed a model man By this it is not meant to suggest that ho was goody r goody or anything of that sort Ho was n strong robust healthy normal fellow who had been born of good stock with good principles had been well brought up and respected himself him-self and the precepts of his parents a At college ho had gone in for athletics i ath-letics but not for dissipation When ho graduated ho took up tho serious business of life and of course found a ready opportunity of which ho availed avail-ed himself to the uttermost So at thirty ho was well established for life so far as business was concerned t and was well along on the road to being a rich man Ho was not married mar-ried never having found tlmo to Indulge In-dulge I In social pleasures nor to cultivate cul-tivate tho very considerable streak of romance which ran through his t nature Through no fault of his the business busi-ness ho had In hand at Now Orleans t dragged fearfully and ho was detained de-tained there much longer than had been anticipated nut It was of sufficient 1 Ii suf-ficient importance to demand his presence II pres-ence So ho found much leisure on 4 his bauds and gave more tlmo tot to-t e sight seeing and pleasure than hoI II II ho-I over had done before Ho enjoyed l especially to go away from haunts of I trade and plunge Into tho old historic section of the city letting his Imagination Imag-ination run riot with tho old houses i and filling his mind with pictures of what might have happened In bygono days lie had almost exhausted the R sights tired of tho theater and other forms of pastime and was beginning to chafe at his elCol cell stay when ho overheard a conversation one day which put a strnngo Idea Into his l head For you know Satan finds mischief mis-chief still for idle hands to doa do-a He was at tho old absinthe place sipping a glass of tho stuff against i 1 i which there are so many warnings i l and wondering how anybody could become be-come addicted to its habitual use when two young fellows at tho next a ° table started in to discuss a fancy t dress ball to bo given that night They talked so loudly that ho was > nn Involuntary listener Without being be-ing nt nil interested ho learned that tho ball was public that it was to bet be-t Cf Was esteemed a model man very gay and that most people went masked For somo reason tho conversation lingered in his mind and kept recurring recur-ring to him all day Why not go ho thought I never saw a fancy dress ball nor any sort of function participated In by tho i ttalt world Im bored to death and would like to seo vuiethiug now I r 1j j can go masked and nobody will be tho wiser Well of course thnt happened which always happened when old Beelzebub gets us to lend an ear for a moment Livingston temporized hesitated hesi-tated and fell Tho fall occurred along in the evening and with fatal exactness ho recollected having seen a costumers shop with a sign Open Evenings His feet carried him unerringly un-erringly to tho place and he selected a black domino and a mask Very soon ho rolled up to tho place at which tho ball was held In a cab jIK III I lit s 11 1 I r i w I cannot make my Identity known l and i i uc was a part of tho gay and briii ai throng For an hour It made him fairly dizzy Tho masking of tho women seemed to make them moro audacious au-dacious In tho display of their charms and Livingston marveled greatly at the Ingenuity with which they had contrived to adopt costumes so ns to suggest to the full tho graceful grace-ful and alluring lines of their figures Some of tho skirts were so high and necks so low as to make tho mask tho most considerable article of apparel ap-parel It was all very now and very interesting in-teresting to tho northern businessman business-man with his strict training and correct cor-rect lIfo and ho was deeply interested Ho was leaning against a pillar watching watch-Ing tho kaleidoscopic panorama when a tall and graceful figure In a most alluring domino of purple silk of the richest texture paused before him and said Why standest thou all the right In moody contemplation oh most som bre Knight Startled Livingston straightened himself and glanced at his questioner Her raven hair was caught up with costly Jewels her costume bespoke a generous purse her domino clung about the lines of a figure of singular perfection her slippered feet and daintily gloved hands bespoke tho aristocrat Still who knows 7 thought Livingston Summoning his wits ho replied A stranger in a strange land I must be content to gaze from afar upon tho promised land Thero are no strangers here tonight to-night said tho woman All are comrades and friends Bo not n deaths head at tho feast I conjure you youWith With wildly beating heart Livingston Living-ston took tho plunge If Indeed none hero nro strangers claim you Cornel Ho stopped forward and without a word and without hesitation she took his proffered arm They walked through tho ribald crowd she clinging cling-ing closo to him ho with his head In a whirl and his heart thumping She spoko softly in tho very voice of lovo and glancing down at her mask ho saw the gleam of flashing eyes and was filled with strange and powerful emotions They passed a door within which wero palms and flowers and rustic scats Let us go in and sit down ho said abruptly and turned back Sho acquiesced with a silvery laugh I would see your face he said II as he handed her to a eat With the sons he tore off his owu mask She gazed for an Instant Into his Unnrtit highbred face and with n graceful motion removed her own maple The two gazed searchingly at each other for longer than strict propriety would allow Ho saw the most beau I tiful woman ho ever had looked upon with tho while complexion the lustrous I lus-trous eyes the long lashes tho full I red lips tho rich coloring anti contrasts con-trasts of the daughter of tho South She saw the strong features the flashing flash-ing blue eye the clear complexion the blonde hair of tho true northern gentleman A flush suffused her features In an Instant his mind was made r = decisively as In allY business den lie threw discretion to tho winds I know rot who you are but 1 would fain have leave to pay you my addresses yea yet further I who have known you but a few moments mo-ments now and hero declaro my love I am no knave or fool my namo is No no I refuse to hear it she said rising anti Interrupting him for 1 cannot make my Identity known nor will It bo of nny use to follow me I thank you and respect you for your ardor and your frankness I know that you are a gentleman and knew It when I accosted you I may say that I am not unworthy of your avowal in nny way It pleased my fancy to see If I could inspire just such an avowal ns you have made I have had my emotion you have had yours Good hy And before ho could speak or move she had vanished through the door Ho pursued furiously and arrived at the outer entrance Just In limo to see her jump breathlessly into an awaiting await-ing carriage well attended by driver and footman in livery and bo driven rapidly away That was the end of the episode but many times as Charles Livingston sits In his wellappointed home watching his hrown haired wife and towheaded children at work or play his mind turns back and he muses wonderingly |