"A CHAIN OF LOWERS,"

North Otago Times, 1 November 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

"A CHAIN OF LOWERS,"

BY AXXICE CAREY. "That Lita Ferris—that innocentlooking girl sitting on the grass yonder, weaving a chain of daisies for those children ? Tshaw ! She is not so beautiful after all !"

This exclamation came from handsome Duncan Devere, and the tone was one of surprise and disappointment.

"Isn't she?" returned Jack Xadine quizzically. "Well, take caro of your heart, old fellow ; that's all I've got to say."

A formal introduction was given by Jack, the "mutual friend," and Duncan Devcre threw himself down in a graceful attitude upon the grass among the group* of pleased and eager children and began a covert but none the less attentive and critical study of the girl of whose dangerous charms he had heard so much. Where were they ? lie didn't see anything extraordinary in the somewhat pale, clear-cut features, the black-fringed, gray eyes and the dark masses of lustrous hair, piled up with seeming carelessness above the low, broad brow. She was slender, graceful and very girlish-looking and pretty—yes, certainly. Hut then he had seen dozens of other girls every whit as pretty; so he reclined on the grass and watched Lita's small, white hands deftly weaving her chain of daisies with a comfortable sense of safety that rendered his enjoyment of the scene quite perfect. "Give it lo mo I" "Oh, please give it to me, Miss Lita !" cried several shrill little voices in concert as the daisy chain was at last completed and Lita held it up for their inspection.

She laughed, and. singling out a flossy-haired little fairy, the youngest of the lot, with a quick graceful movement endeavoured to "lasso" her by casting the chain over her curly little head.

But she was not dexterous enough. The chain missed the childish head for which it was meant and descended plump around the neck of Duncan Devore, who sat near by, Lita still holding the two ends of the flowery lariat.

"See, here, Miss Ferris," he exclaimed, with a comical look of reproach ; "you have put me in leading strings already,"

"It was unintentional. I assure you," she replied, laughing, but blusliing deeply, too- "But then if people will put themselves in the way of getting caught in my chains, they shouldn't blame me," and Duncan was certain he detected a wicked meaning in those gray eyes as she said it.

"She is fascinating decided Duncan discovering all at once some subtle charm in the girl whom 1m had recklessly pronounced "not dangerous." Whether it was the changing light in those speaking gray eyes, or the arch smile that suddenly lit her almost colourless face into startling brilliancy, or whether it was her •manner, half saucy, half inviting, yet seeming to 101 l him unmistakably that he, handsome Duncan Dcvere, was of no more consequence in her eyes than one of those insipid children who surrounded her—whether it was one or all o( these lie could not tell, but he was beginning to feel that it was intensely pleasant to sit thcro and talk Willi her, and watch llio play ol llioso (enures

when up came itack Nadine to Carry him oil' to another part .'of the grounds for an introduction to some one elso.

"Won't you come also ?" lie asked, with a pleading glance at Li la as he rose. "I'm sure you must be tired of entertaining such a youthful circle of admirers." But Lita shook her head. "I'm fond of children," she said, with a sincerity that could not be doubted, "and you see they are not slow in finding it out. Besides, 1 must make lliem another chain of flowers, since you have confiscated that one." "Which I shall keep as a souvenir," said Duncan, gallantly touching it to his lips with an expressive look as .lack hurried him away.

"You'j'c gone, old boy," said the latter sentcntiously, as they left the fair siren's presence. "Nonsense," said Duncan, scornfully, "I've known scores of prettier girls. In fact, I see nothing remarkable about Miss Ferris." ' Jack whistled.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," he said, after a critical glance at his friend. "I'd hale to sec you come to grief, Devcre, and that's what would happen if you we're to fall in love with Lita Ferris. They do say, though," Jack thoughtfully added, after a pause, "that old Senator Davis is likely to win the prize that so many young fellows have broken their hearts for in vain. He's rich and distinguished, you see. That's what tells with the fair sex." Duncan did not care a continental, so he expressed himself to Jack, and so he honestly believed just then. Hut all the same when lie tucked his flowery souvenir away that night in a corner of his desk, sacred to such bachelor mementos, he faithfully recalled every varying expression of tho fair face that had smiled so archly, and the touch of the satin-smooth white hand which had come in contact with his for one brief second as lie took the llowcs from it.

"It would bo a shame for nil old gray beard to win a girl like thai, if lie is a Senator," thought. Duncan, half indignantly. "I should like to see her again just to renew that spicy conversation which .lack broke in upon so stupidly. I should think he might have known better ; but he always was a blockhead. She seems to know what people say about her," h'is thought veering from Jack to Miss Ferris, "and doesn't caro a continental either. Now, I rather like that. Well," closing his desk "I think I'll pursue the acquaintance just to show Jack Kadine that I'm not such a fool as the rest. I've seen lots of prettier girls, so I'm not likely to lose my heart. But, somehow, she interests me."

This on the first day of his acquaintance with Lita Ferris. Six weeks from that date he w'as the most ardent, and apparently the most helpless lover in her train. There were times when he could have sworn that she returned his love and other times when he vowed within himself that she was colder than an Arctic iceberg.

She was always ready to welcome him with a charming smile, and equally ready it appeared, to leave him for anybody else. Indeed, no one of her many suitors could boast of a monopoly of lier smiles, unless it was the Senator, a fine-looking, silverhaired old gentleman, of whom Dcvoro at last became most bitterly jealous. "Well, how docs your wooing progress?" inquired Jack Kadine who took a somewhat malicous pleasure in letting Duncan know that ho was fully aware of his folly. "What do you think of Miss Lita's charms by this time-?'-' ••• ' . ■ • • ■

"Shu's a heartless coijuelte," snapped Duncan, turning on his heel and leaving the room abruptly. "I told you so," said Jack, in that comforting way some people have. "But you wouldn't listen to my advice." In hastening to got beyond the reach of that irritating voice; poor Duncan was too precipitate. Me missed his fooling and down, down, he went until be landed at the bottom of the long staircase with a broken limb. Poor .lack was overwhelmed with grief and sympathy. lie did all tlmt a friend could do for Duncan's comfort, and watched over him day and night. But his patient and loving vigils were often shared by another, the last one whom Duncan would have expected there —Lita Ferris, "Why do you come?" ho asked her one day, as siie laid a bunch of dewy roses on his pillow. "This must be a dull place for one like you." "It is the place I like best of all just now, Duncan," she whispered, with « soft, shy blush .

"Do you care for me, really, Lita?" ho asked, wonderingly, drawing her face down and studying every, line in it with mingled hope and dread. "I have sometimes thought you did, and then 1 could swear I was utterly mistaken. Lita, what made you such a flirt

"I am not a flirt," she answered, smilingly, but seriously. "That is where you and others were mistaken, I never really cared for nnydne—until now," lowering her voice and eyes together, "and why should I pretend to ?"

"But the Senator ?" persisted Duncan, still doubting his own happiness,

"The Senator? Oh !" with a laugh "He is just a dear, charming old man, with whom it is a pleasure to converse, lie never had any idea of loving me, you foolish fellow', and he is really the only man who talks to me without ever paying me silly compliments. So there ! Are you satisfied ?"

"Perfectly," said Duncan with n contented smile. "Do you remember the iirst day we met?" he added, after a .little while, "when you said if I allowed myself lo gel cauglil in your chains I must not blame you You must have known that 1 would b" a real captor sooner or later. Hut i; i.j a chain of flowers, love, aid wdl be an easy one lo •■vear."