Chapter 13

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_ CHAPTER XIII The contretemps which had been so cleverly averted--of giving the pony, Black Beauty, to Miss Vincent, and Dorothy's keen resentment--should have proved a lesson to Harry Kendal and warned him not to play with edged tools. He was a little careful of what he said to Iris for the next few days, when Dorothy was present; but gradually this restraint began to wear off, and he grew to be almost reckless in the way he laughed and carried on with the girl, even though his fiancée was in the room. This attention was certainly not discouraged by Iris Vincent. He smiled to see her go in raptures over everything in and about Gray Gables, and she, with her glorious dark eyes, always smiled back at him. Their chats grew longer and more frequent; they were fast becoming excellent friends. They had sent for Iris Vincent to become Dorothy's companion, but it was whispered among the old servants of the household that she was proving herself to be more frequently the companion of Mr. Kendal, and they talked about it in alarm, wondering how it would all end. They felt indignant, too, that such a bold flirtation--for it had certainly come to that--should be carried on right in the face of poor, blind Dorothy. "Some one ought to give her a hint of what is going on," cried indignant little Katy, the maid. But there was no one who could find it in his or her heart to warn her of what was transpiring. The blow would be more than she could bear, for she loved Harry Kendal better than life itself. They wondered if little Dorothy guessed that he led Iris to the table, while she, blind as she was, groped her way as best she could to her own seat. They hated to see him lavish attentions on the beauty, and it drove them almost out of their self-possession to see their eyes meet in that provoking, mutual smile. Dorothy was beginning to feel Harry's neglect, but no thought of the true cause of it ever dawned upon her. Ah! could she have seen how they paced the grounds together arm in arm, and how near they sat together on the step of the front porch, and in what a lover-like manner he bent his dark head over her little, white hands, the sight would have killed Dorothy. "I wonder if they think we are fools!" whispered the servants, indignantly, one to the other; and their blood boiled with rage at this open love-making. But even the attention of handsome Harry Kendal seemed to pall upon the beauty. Gray Gables was dull; she wanted more life, more gayety. "Why not give a grand ball," she suggested, "and invite the whole country-side?" She longed for more hearts to conquer. Iris was one of those vain, shallow girls who must and will have a sentimental flirtation with some young man always on hand. She, like those of her mischievous class, really meant no harm while doing a great deal of wrong. Such a girl, from mere vanity and pastime, will try to outshine a companion and even win the heart of a betrothed lover from his sweetheart, caring little for the broken vows and the ruined lives strewn along her path. Harry Kendal seized eagerly upon the idea, because it would please Iris. Mrs. Kemp knew no other than her beautiful, willful niece's pleasure. No one consulted Dorothy. She seemed to have been left entirely out of the calculation. For the first time since Iris Vincent had come to Gray Gables, Dorothy regretted her presence there. What would be the ball to her? Surely they ought to know that she could take no part in it, for she was blind. When she found herself alone with Iris she spoke of this, but the girl turned it off with a little laugh. "Even so," she declared, "Gray Gables ought not to be shut up and barricaded. You need to have a little life to keep your spirits up. You are just dying for some kind of liveliness. And poor Harry! every one is feeling sorry for him. They say he is growing so dull." "Do they say that?" cried Dorothy, the color deepening in her cheeks. "Yes--and more," assented Iris. "And for that reason I would advise you to study appearances, so that every one may know that he is happy--at least, let them think he is." The words struck Dorothy with a cold chill, as her companion had intended that they should. "Then let the ball be given, by all means," returned Dorothy, with a little quiver in her voice. And so the matter was arranged. For the next week Iris and Harry were busy with the invitations. They sat side by side, comparing them as they made them out, and never once seemed to note Dorothy's presence. If any one on the list did not quite suit their fancy, they were quickly rejected; but Dorothy noticed that he never once turned to her, his betrothed bride, and asked her opinion. There was one young girl to whom Dorothy had been quite attached, who lived very near Gray Gables, and who had run over to see her almost every day, up to the time Iris had come. Since then her visits had been less and less frequent; within the last fortnight they had ceased altogether. Dorothy was very anxious, of course, that this young girl should be invited; but Iris put in a demurrer at once. "Of all the girls I ever met, I dislike her the most," declared Iris. She was very careful not to tell the real reason why. This same young girl had been the first to notice her flirtation with Harry Kendal. They had had quite a stormy little scene over it, for the girl had attempted to rebuke Iris, in her modest way, and she had retorted by flashing out that it was none of her business, anyway, saying that she would flirt with Harry Kendal just as much as she pleased, and that it was a shame for such a handsome young fellow to marry a girl stone blind. They had parted in anger. No wonder, we repeat, that Iris objected to inviting Dorothy's friend to the grand ball. "Oh! of course we must invite her," said Dorothy, when her friend's name was brought under discussion. "Mustn't we, Harry?" He turned away and walked moodily to the window without replying. If Iris did not like her, that settled the matter. He dared not put in one word in the girl's favor, though Dorothy was clamoring for his opinion. "You must settle the matter, Harry," said Dorothy. "Let me suggest a better way," he replied, gallantly, as he took his seat at the table again. "You two girls arrange it between yourselves." "But we do not think we will come to an agreement," pouted Iris. "You will have to choose for Dorothy and me." He gave her a startled, sweeping look, and she knew by that that he would not dare go against her for Dorothy. "I must decline," he said again, for he felt nervous with those sightless eyes turned eagerly in his direction. "You must say 'Yes' or 'No,'" said Dorothy, never dreaming that his answer would be in the negative, for on the week that she had first come to Gray Gables he had said: "I must introduce you at once to Alice Lee, who lives across the way. She is a lovely, quiet girl, and I know you will like her." And Dorothy had liked gentle Alice Lee. She thought of this now as the question of inviting her to the ball had come up, and never for a moment had she doubted the result of his decision. "You must answer 'Yes' or 'No,'" pouted Iris, impatiently. "Come, we are wasting time." Iris leaned over close to his chair--so near that the dark rings of her hair brushed his cheek, thrilling him to the soul. "You must choose," she whispered; and he knew that it was a challenge as to which he should please--herself or Dorothy. Closer, closer still she leaned, until his very pulses grew mad with the nearness of her presence, and with child-like confidence her soft little hand crept into his, and nestled there securely. There was no one to see, though Dorothy--God help her!--sat so near her. The touch of that little hand was magical. In the mad impulse of the moment he raised it to his lips and kissed it, and Iris knew that she had won the battle even before he spoke. "Alice Lee had better not be invited to the ball," he said, huskily. "That is my decision." Dorothy sank back in her chair as though a sudden blow had been struck her. She never once dreamed that her betrothed lover would decide against her. It fairly took her breath away, and a sudden new sensation shot through her heart that had never found lodgment there before. She drew back and said no more, a deathly pallor overspreading her face. She did not interfere again, and she suffered them to arrange the invitations after that to please themselves. She rose quietly at length and made her way to the window, great tears rising to her sightless eyes. They did not even notice her absence, but chatted and laughed quite the same. After they had finished Harry proposed that they should take the invitations to be mailed. This Iris gayly assented to, and they left the room without once making any excuse to Dorothy for leaving her there alone. The fact was that they were not even aware that she had seated herself in the bay window behind the great, heavy portières. For the first time Dorothy wished that Iris had not come. She was already beginning to feel the weight of the iron hand that was soon to crush her--jealousy. She awaited their coming with the greatest impatience, but it was long hours ere they returned. _

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