Part 32 (1/2)

”I wonder why Lem Gildy did that?” asked Cora of herself as she went to her roo him on? Did he want to injure Jack, as well asof it now,” she finished, ”but, like Paul--I suppose I ought to say Mr Hastings--I' to keep my eyes and ears on the alert, too”

CHAPTER XVIII

THE GARDEN FETE

It was a perfect evening--the very last of the perfect June days

Chelton lay like a contented babe in Nature's lap--contented, but not asleep, for it was the evening of the hout the spacious grounds of the Kier fireflies, and the splendid dancing platforlistened with its coat of wax under the strings of tiny electric lights that canopied the pavilion

It was not deeate In Chelton there were not ers and suppose some urchins did enter, Cora said, it would be a pity to deny thearb of theto find his Portia Priscilla was there, in her collar and cap, but where was John Alden? Would the dainty little Bo-peep, who looked like a bisque doll, ever find her straying sheep?

Then les--see h to want to don doublet and hose

But there were soirl in the white Eoith a baby cap on her head, and a rattler around her neck, irls were both stout--as stout as Bess Then that thin creature, so tall that she suggested a section of sugar cane (could she actually be in one piece), ht be Belle The Psyche knot at the back of her head, and the wreath of wild olive, certainly bespoke Belle

What had Cora done? Whom had she impersonated? There were many ished to know this, and there were so ht have taken a very simple character Cora disliked too much trouble, where trouble did not seeht be she Or that indolent Cleopatra on the rustic bench under the white birch tree--she made a pretty picture But Cora would not pose as this one was doing The vacant seat beside the girl was too glaring an invitation for Cora to offer Perhaps she”Votes for wo up Marc Anthony!

Awould have suited Cora--the black hair and the silvery tris of the robe to represent the arden that her hter The boys had a certain fancy for er you are Bess,” whispered a very handsome Adonis in a real Greek costuirl with a titter ”As you please--but, I pray you, fair sir, aood milkmaid?”

”The best ever,” replied Adonis ”Pray let us stroll in yonderhis hand into the bare arure down a pith toward the se of the Kimball property

”Now I have some one to talk to,” he declared with evident satisfaction

”Oh, is that all?” replied the maid in some contempt ”I can't see just why I should fill in that way,” and she arose froe ”Besides,” she added, ”I hate Greeks They are so vain!” and with this she hurried after a girl in a nun's costu the path to the pavilion

”Well!” exclaimed the disappointed youth, ”that was hard luck And just as I was going to say so nice, too However, it'll keep, I suppose,” and he followed the two figures--the nun and theplatfor on the porch to the row of unmasked patronesses, several ladies of Mrs Kimball's set, who had volunteered to help her receive

The Rosebud wore a plaited garb of rose pink, with velvet petals about her waist, and green velvet leaves about her throat The costuraceful, to say nothing of the natural rose perfume it exhaled, that every one stopped to admire

The bell for the cotillion sounded, and when the ribbons were cast to the gentleht the blue end He would lead

For his partner he walked up to the saucy ht, proudly marched with her on his arm back to the center of the platform