MASQUERADE Continued from page 10

"No, you don't know me

was the whispered answer. "But I wanted to dance with you."

I have been watching you.

"You certainly are an excellent career, Mr. or Draoula," Roxanne commented.

"Not as good as I might be," came the whispered reply. You see, when one is as I one's 'circulation' is rather poor." Dracula ohuckled almost inaudibly at the feeble pun. Roxanne fell into the macabre, bantering mood of her partner. "Are you, then, really a vampire Count Dracula? And why don't you speak above a whisper?"

"There are

ignorant pe asants who might term me 'vampire'. As for my whisper, I fear I've lost my voice. I fear I've lost my voice. Too much coffin."

Roxanne laughed.

"Brrr! What a grave statement!"

The band began to play a group of South American rhumbas, sambas and tengos. Strange though "Dracula" might be, Roxanne had to admit that her partner was an excellent dancer. Was it the drinks she had consumed or the constant wild spinning to the music that made her heart pound this way? Jack nover danced like this. This was dancing!

Roxanne surrendered herself completely to the intoxicating rhythm. "Dracula's" arm tightened about her bare waist; drew her closer. Undula ting, now at a distance, now pressed close, Roxanne felt that her pulses seemed to keep time with the beat of the maracas.

An interval for refreshments with "Dracula", a half-hearted search for Jack, who was no where to be found, and more exciting dances with her mysterious partner gave jet propulsi on propensities to the heretofore lagging moments.

"Dracula, don't you think it's time we introduced ourselves?" Roxanne pleaded. "In all seriousness, I would like to know your true identity. Havon't I met you before somewhere? You seem like an old friend somehow. It's so hard to explain.