Page 156 (1/2)

The two friends walked through a sort of opera-bouffe to find her; ht eyes, pretty wo it over a polished floor in a rooroups shifted, before the

eye could take in the composition of the picture A sudden thrill of

exhilaration rioted in John's pulses, and he treay disclosure of a Christmas tree Meredith swore to himself that he

would not have known hione Two small,

bright red spots glowed in his cheeks; he held himself erect with head

thrown back and shoulders squared, and the idolizing Toht to look at the acme of power and doeniuses touch: a bent, gray man of years--a

word--and behold the Great John Harkless, the youth of elder days ripened

to his prith! People made way for them and

whispered as they passed

It had been years since John Harkless had been

in theseemed unreal, or

like a ball in a play; presently the curtain would fall and close the

lights and laughter fro only the echo of music It was

like a kaleidoscope for color: the bouquets of crimson or white or pink or

purple; the profusion of pretty dresses, the brilliant, tender fabrics,