Page:Maud Howe - A Newport Aquarelle.djvu/231

 thought, a little wonderingly, but quite indifferently, as she had the night before, of Larkington's abrupt disappearance from the ball; he had not even said good-night to her, he had probably felt ill. The thought did not seem to disturb her peace of mind, however, and she proceeded to make her toilet, wondering the while what had brought Cid back to Newport,—wondering and half guessing. She hummed an old song, "We met, 'twas in a crowd,"—and then sighed and then laughed at herself for being sentimental.

The house bore the comfortless aspect which always succeeds a ball, and, finding the dining-room and parlors in the course of being dusted and swept, Gladys stepped out upon the green turf of the lawn, and walked toward the rose-garden for a posy to put in her belt.

"Who has been breaking the roses?" she cried angrily, though there was no one there to answer her question. One bush which yesterday had been covered with splendid full