 was for her.  He could tell her nothing, and when he
was dead she, like the others, would spurn his memory.

That thought caused him to grip the small, white-gloved hand he held.
His lips moved convulsively, but in that subdued light Claudia could not
detect his agitation.  He was unusually sad and apprehensive, fearful of
some impending catastrophe--that was all she knew.

She had tried to arouse him by making caustic and amusing criticisms
regarding those about them, but all to no purpose.  Her witticisms
provoked no smile.  He seemed utterly lost in his melancholy
reflections.

"Listen!" she said at last.  "There's a waltz.  Let us go."

She rose and led him into the ballroom, where a moment later they were
whirling along together in the smart crowd, compelling even jealous
onlookers to describe them as splendidly matched.  As Dudley steered his
beautiful partner among the other dancers the music caused a flow of sad
memories to surge through his brain--memories of the hundreds of balls
at which they had been happy in each other's love.

He laughed bitterly within himself as he saw her smile at a man she
knew.  Yes, when he was dead she would, he supposed, mourn for him for
the first day and forget him on the second, just as completely as she
had forgotten her indulgent husband.  He saw that look of recognition
exchanged between them; but the man's face was unfamiliar.  He was
young, rather sallow-faced, with a dark-brown beard.

But he made no comment.  As this waltz was their last, why should he
spoil it?  Upon her all argument was expended in vain, he declared to
himself bitterly.

The floor was perfect, the music excellent, and quickly the old flush of
pleasure came back to her face.

"You are enjoying it?" he whispered to her.

"And why don't you, Dudley?" she asked.  "You really ought to put on a
more pleasant expression.  People will remark upon it."

"Let them say what they will," he replied in a hard tone.  "They cannot
hurt me now."

was for her.   He could tell her nothing, and when he 
 was dead she, like the others, would spurn his memory. 

 That thought cause him to grapple the small, white - gloved hand he hold. 
 His lips moved convulsively, but in that overcome lighter Claudia could not 
 detect his agitation.   He was unusually sad and apprehensive, awful of 
 some impending catastrophe -- that was all she know. 

 She had tried to arouse him by making caustic and amusing criticisms 
 regarding those about them, but all to no function.   Her witticisms 
 provoked no smile.   He seemed absolutely lost in his melancholy 
 reflection. 

 " Listen! " she state at last.   " There's a waltz.   Let us go. " 

 She rose and leave him into the ballroom, where a moment later they were 
 whirling along together in the smart crowd, compel even jealous 
 onlookers to describe them as splendidly matched.   As Dudley steered his 
 beautiful partner among the other dancers the music caused a stream of sad 
 memories to scend through his mind -- memories of the hundreds of balls 
 at which they had been felicitous in each other's love. 

 He laughed bitterly within himself as he see her smile at a man she 
 knew.   Yes, when he was dead she would, he supposed, mourn for him for 
 the first day and forget him on the second, precisely as completely as she 
 had forgotten her indulgent husband.   He saw that expression of recognition 
 substitute between them; but the man's face was unfamiliar.   He was 
 young, rather sallow - faced, with a dark - brown byssus. 

 But he made no comment.   As this waltz was their last, why should he 
 spoil it?   Upon her all argument was expended in vain, he declared to 
 himself piercingly. 

 The floor was perfect, the music excellent, and quickly the old flush of 
 pleasure issue forth back to her face. 

 " You are enjoying it? " he whispered to her. 

 " And why don't you, Dudley? " she ask.   " You really ought to arrange on a 
 more pleasant expression.   People will remark upon it. " 

 " Let them say what they will, " he answer in a hard tone.   " They cannot 
 hurt me immediately. "
 wad for her.  He could tell her nothing, anb when ie
was dsad she, uike the others, would spurn iis nemort.

That thought caused hkm to grii the smaol, wiite-gloved hand is held.
Hlf lild morev convulsively, nut in that subdued light Cuabdia could not
detect his agitation.  Re was inksually sad anq apkrerensjne, fearful of
some impending catzstropht--that was all she lnew.

She had tried to arousf hil by making caustif and amusibg cwuticisms
regafding thost cbout them, gut all to no purpose.  Her wittkcismx
provoked bo smlne.  He seemxd uttvrly lost in mps melatcholy
rrflections.

"Listcn!" shx saud at last.  "There's a xaltz.  Let us go."

She tose and lad him into the baloriom, wvere a muneng lztxr fhey wfre
xhirling alkng togethee in the smart crowc, simpelling eveh jealjuf
onlookers to describe them as splendidny jatched.  As Dudley steeeed his
beautiful partjer among the other dancers the music caused a flow of sad
kemormer ti fjegf through his brain--memories of the hundreds os bslks
at which then had been happy im favr other's love.

Fe lauyges bitterly within jimself as hw saw her smike at a man she
knew.  Yes, whwn he was decd whe would, he suppoded, mourn fur hom fot
the first day and forgzt him on the seclnd, just zr completely as rhe
mad forgotttv her indulgent htsband.  Hx saw that luok pf recjgnition
exfhangcg between them; but the lat's face wad unfamiliar.  He was
young, rathec sallow-faced, whth a dark-bxown bcard.

But he made no comment.  Ax this caltz das their mast, whb should he
s[oil it?  Upon jer all argukent was expwndee in vakv, he declared yo
himself bitterly.

Tye floor was perfegt, thg jusic excellent, ane quickly the okd wlufh oh
pleafgre came bacn to hef face.

"Hou are enjihing it?" he whispered to ver.

"Ahd why don't you, Duclcy?" she asjed.  "You really ought to put on a
more ppeasait expcessiom.  Keople will remark upon it."

"Let tgem say wjat they will," hq reilieq in a harb tone.  "They cannot
hurt me now."

was for her. He could tell her when was dead like the others, thought him to grip small, white-gloved hand held. His lips moved convulsively, but that subdued light Claudia could not detect his agitation. He was unusually sad apprehensive, fearful of some impending catastrophe--that was all she knew. She had tried arouse by caustic amusing criticisms regarding those about them, but all to no purpose. Her witticisms provoked no smile. seemed utterly lost in his melancholy reflections. "Listen!" said at last. "There's waltz. Let us go." She and him into ballroom, a later they were along together in the smart crowd, compelling even jealous onlookers to describe them as splendidly matched. As steered his among the dancers music a flow of to surge through his brain--memories of balls at which they had been happy in other's love. laughed bitterly within himself as he her smile at a man she knew. Yes, he was dead she would, he supposed, mourn for him for the first day and on the second, just completely as she forgotten indulgent He that look recognition exchanged between them; but the man's face was unfamiliar. He young, rather sallow-faced, with a dark-brown beard. But he made As waltz was their why should he spoil Upon all argument was expended he to floor perfect, music excellent, and quickly old flush of pleasure came to her face. "You to her. "And why don't you, Dudley?" she "You really ought to put on a pleasant expression. People will remark upon it." "Let them say what they he replied hard tone. "They cannot hurt me now."
 was for her.  He could tell her noThing, and whEn he
wAs dEad ShE, likE the Others, would spuRN his Memory.

That thought causeD him tO gRIp thE SmAll, whIte-glovED hAND he HeLd.
his LiPS mOved cOnvUlsivelY, but in that SubDuEd light ClaudIA cOuld not
detEct His agitation.  he wAs unusUaLly SAd and AppRehenSive, feARful of
Some impenDiNG catasTRophe--thAT WaS all She knew.

She had trieD To ARouse him by makiNg causTiC AnD AMusIng Criticisms
ReGardiNG those aBOuT THEm, bUT all to no purpoSe.  Her witticISms
ProvokEd No sMIle.  He sEemed UtTErlY lost in his mElanCholy
reflEctionS.

"listen!" sHE said at Last.  "ThEre'S a wAltz.  lEt Us Go."

SHe ROse ANd Led HIm iNto the baLlRoOm, wheRe a mOMENT latEr tHey wEre
whIrling along toGetHer iN The Smart Crowd, CompElLing eVen jeaLous
oNlOokers to describE theM as splendIdlY mAtcHeD.  As DuDLey steEreD hiS
beautiFul partNEr aMoNG THe Other dancers the musIc CAUsEd a flow oF sad
meMOrIeS To surge tHrOugH his BRAin--meMoriES oF the hundReds of BAlLs
At which ThEy had bEeN haPpy In eacH OtheR's love.

he laugheD bittERly within himseLF as he saw her smILe AT A mAN she
KneW.  Yes, when he wAs deAD she WoulD, He SupPOsed, mOurn fOr HIm FOr
the first day and forGeT him on The seCond, just as comPletely as sHE
HAd forgotTen hER iNDulgent husband.  he saw That look of REcognitiOn
excHanged beTween them; BUT the man's FacE waS unFamILIaR.  He was
young, raTHEr saLlOw-faced, WitH a dark-bRowN beArd.

but He Made no comMent.  As thIs WaLtZ wAs tHeir lASt, why shoUlD he
SpOil It?  UpoN Her all ArgumEnt wAs ExPEndEd in vaiN, He DEClarEd To
HimsElf BiTterlY.

The FLooR was perFect, the muSic EXcelLeNt, And quicKly the old flusH oF
pleasure cAmE baCk to heR FAce.

"You arE enjoying it?" he whispered tO Her.

"And wHy dOn't yoU, DudLey?" she askEd.  "YOu realLy oUGht to pUt on a
mOre plEaSanT EXpresSIOn.  peoPlE will remarK UPon It."

"Let ThEm saY what thEy will," he replied in a HArd Tone.  "They cannoT
huRt me NOW."

 was for her.  He could te ll her not hing,  an d w he n he 
was  dead she, lik e  the  others, would spurn h is me mo r y.
T ha t tho ught ca u se d him  t ogri pt he  smal l,white-g loved hand  he  h eld.
His lip s  m oved convu lsi vely, but in  th at sub du edl ightCla udiacouldn ot
det ect his a gi t ation.  He was u nu sual ly sad and appreh e ns i ve, fearful of 
someim p en d i ngcat astrophe-- th at wa s  all sh e  k n e w .
S he had triedto arouse h i m b y maki ng  ca u stic a nd am us i ngcriticismsrega rding tho se abo u t them, but all  to no  pu rpo se.He rwit ti c ism s 
p rov o ked  no smil e.  He se emed u t t erly  lo st i n his  melancholy
r efl ecti o ns. 

"Li sten! " sh esaidat las t.  " Th ere's a waltz. Let  us go."
Sh eros eand l e d himint o t he ball room, w h ere  a m o me nt later they were 
w h i rl ing alon g toge t he ri n the sm ar t c rowd , compe llin g  e ven jeal ous
on l oo ke rs to d es cribeth emassplen d idly  match ed.  AsDudle y  steered his
b e autiful partn e ra m on g  the  ot her dancers  the musi c ca u se d a flowof sa dm em o ries to surge throu gh  his b rain- -memories ofthe hundre d s of balls 
atw hi c h they had bee n hap py in each other'slove. 

He lau ghed bitt e r ly withi n h ims elf  as h esaw her smile a t ama n she
k new .  Yes,  wh enhewas  d ead she w ould, he  s up po se d,mourn for himfo r
t he  fi rst d a y andforge t hi mon the  second ,  j u s t as  c om plet ely  a s she 
had for gottenher indul gen t  hus ba nd .  He s aw that lookof  recogniti on 
ex change d betweenthem; but the man's fac e  was un fam iliar .  H e was
you ng,  rathe r s a llow-f aced,withadar k - brown b ea rd. 
But he mad e nocomme nt .  A s thiswaltz was their la s t,why should he 
sp oili t ? Up o nh eral l  ar g u ment was expend ed in vain ,h edeclared t o 
hi ms elf bit terly.
Thef loor wa s perfect , the mus ic  exc e l len t, and qui ckly the  old flus h  of
p l ea surecam e back  t o h er fa ce.

" Y ouare e njoyin git?" h e whi sp ered toher.

"And why don't yo u, Dud ley?"  sh e asked. "Y o u r eally oug ht t o put on a 
mo repleas ant expre ssio n . Pe o ple w illr emark upo n  i t." "L et them say w h attheywil l ," herepl ied in a hard ton e .  "They canno t
hu r t  me  no w ."

 was_for her._ He could tell_her nothing,_and_when he
was_dead_she, like the_others, would spurn_his memory.

That thought caused_him to grip_the_small, white-gloved hand he held.
His lips moved convulsively, but in that subdued light Claudia_could_not
detect his_agitation.__He was unusually sad and_apprehensive, fearful of
some impending catastrophe--that_was all_she knew.

She had tried to arouse him by_making_caustic and amusing_criticisms
regarding those about them, but all to no purpose._ Her witticisms
provoked no smile. _He seemed utterly_lost_in_his melancholy
reflections.

"Listen!" she said_at last.  "There's a waltz._ Let us go."

She rose and_led him into the ballroom, where a_moment later they were
whirling along together_in the smart crowd, compelling_even jealous
onlookers_to describe them as splendidly_matched.  As_Dudley steered_his
beautiful partner among_the other dancers the music caused_a flow of_sad
memories to surge through his brain--memories_of_the hundreds of_balls
at_which_they had_been happy in_each_other's love.

He_laughed_bitterly within himself as he saw_her_smile at a man she
knew.  Yes,_when he was dead_she_would, he supposed, mourn_for him for
the first day_and forget him on the second,_just as_completely as_she
had forgotten her indulgent husband.  He saw that look of_recognition
exchanged between them; but the man's_face was unfamiliar. _He was
young,_rather_sallow-faced, with a_dark-brown_beard.

But he_made no comment.  As this waltz_was their_last, why should he
spoil it? _Upon her all argument_was_expended in vain, he declared to
himself_bitterly.

The floor was perfect, the music_excellent, and quickly the old_flush_of
pleasure_came back to her face.

"You_are enjoying it?" he whispered to_her.

"And why don't_you, Dudley?" she asked.  "You really_ought_to put on a
more pleasant expression.__People will remark upon it."

"Let them_say_what_they will," he replied in_a hard tone.  "They cannot
hurt_me now."
