Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-08-14

They had been OF on coaching
party and goae all day.
When Mrs. Lawton went TO her room
that night she was pcnsiye and abb
stractel
don't 1'rt too mu ch with vans
Stephenson, Rhoda,h she said to her
daughter. "Of course he's a charming
fellow--in his way aud all that. But
don I push matters too far"
"flirt with himlN repeated Miss Law
ton in wido.awakc wonder.
"les, ilirt with him. Don't play
innocence, You hirted outragcously
with him all day II you lead him on
in that way he will be proposing next.
And you know how your father would
approve Your marrying poor manf
Miss Lawton made no reply. She
smiled little behind the shielding
screen of hair the maid was letting
down over her shoulders. Miss Law
ton was that not uncommon product OF
American soil "A daughter who did as
she pleased,
She had had number of SEASONS
'out' and exhausted very much of her
capacity for receiving fresh sensations
from the round of experiences her soei-
ETY. life afforded Vanc Stephenson was
different from tbs style of men from
whom she came in customary contact,
and she had fallen in love with him.
She had heard in vague sort of way
that he had been attentive to some
unknown grl not in society, but she did
not hold there was any definite engage
ment. Stephenson had bean rather care
ful about leaving her unenlightened on
that point. do not know whether il
would have made any difference with
her if she had known. Her belief was
that any woman was entitled 10 ''fel-
low if she could get" him. For her
own part she did not despair of get
ting" this particular one now She was
clever enough to know what she was
about in suggesting his coming to tho
Springs. The hourly propinquity of
fashionable hotel Mt country resort,
the horseback rides in common, the
rows, the moonlight saunterings they
were doing their accustomed work
And Bell Bell at home in the hot
city with complaining Jessie and Tom.
who could Get nothing to do, and all
the children Bell with hollows deepen-
ing under hr sad eyes-was forgotten.
Miss Lawon's marriage to Vanc
Stephenson was among the first of the
autumn weddings. 1t made quite
ripple of excitement Lawton pere had
become reconciled, having had no al
tentative left him. The artistic coterie
decided that Beauty had done good
thing for himself
"lIang that fellow luck" said ono
knight of the palette. al thought ho
was engaged TO some girl as poor as
himself waiting to make his fortune to
marry her.
"Oh engaged | don't think that
Spooney, perhaps.
And thus here, too, among his asso-
cates, no one knew of Bell. Immedi-
atelv after the wedding Mr.. and Mrs.
Stephenson had gone abroad Vane had
seemed rather anxious to get away
from old scenes for time. When they
returned the following spring Vane one
day met Tom upon the street Since
his ring, his letters, his photographs
and his few little G fits to her had been
sent back without word or a line, it
was the first time any one belonging to
Bell had crossed Nane Stephcnson's
path. Tom was going TO pass on. lie
was very shabby. Tom had always been
more or less shiftcss, and money in his
Golfers had never been plenty, but Vane
had not seen him look like this before.
lie stopped and put out his hand, pal
ing lttlc. Tom did not seem to no.
ticc the band.
"IIow how is BcllP" asked Vane, un
Tom looked at him with sudden
flame is his usually mild blue eyes.
"What do you want to know for?
She is nothing TO you,
like to me. But | want want-to
know if Bell is well and happy
"Thcn YOU wont be gratiiied, said
Tom, with bottomless contempt "As
to her being happy-if you mean
whether she regrets you. | don't sup
pose she does She knows what you
are now, doesn't sheP' He stopped
with sneer. Were poorer than ever.
and she has to work harder. What y
il to YOU? You've put yourself in a
soft place, haven't you? Well, let Bell
aloner'
He went on up the street the momen-
tary dignity of his anger collapsing and
leaving him as limp and shullling rs be-
fore Vane Stephenson stood a mo-
ment motionless, lost in what thoughts
who shall pretend to say?-N I. Mcr-
cnyy.