San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-01-09


VII ch Cecil. who playSa as badly as most
women willingly asSentS. In the mid
die of the third game she grow absent,
and tOrgeIS 10 play: and her host, look
ing at her, sees a smile creep over her
face.
What is amusing YOU nOw?" he asks,
smiling. too. out of pure sympathy.
Miss r vers starts, and looks little
ashamed of herself.
Il have a horrid trick of laughing
when amused" she says. demurelv;
"and it came to me Just now that the
whole thing issO absurdly funny. Don't
you agree with me?"
Il am positive should" he replies,
eff had even the faintest idea to what
YOU are alluding."
why, my presence in this house.
Here you are. dong all you know to
amuSe mean miesired guest"
Certainly not that" he says. with
rather more earneStneSS than the Occa-
sion demands.
well. at least. an unlimited one" she
cOrrects impatiently. the smile fading.
Il am afra YOU are growing Tired TO
death" says the young man. with some
pain in his voice, laying down his cue
and coming to her side. "Of course
YOU are; it is only natural. 1t is SO
slow for you here. being locked up in q
place against your will. with nothing to
amuse You. That the worst of being
Il bachelor. If now" he continues, de-
jectedly. Il had wife, you might be so
much happier, and could talk about
dress, you know. and that"
Yes: and bOmetS. and servants.
How well YOU understand wOmen!" says
NJ Dttr. ri IL I'm
"Perhaps if you had Il wife | should
hate her"
Then I'm downright glad haven't.
as that would make your enforced stay
even more unpleasant to YOU than it is"
he returns, a Little b tterly.
Did | say | wa, bored. or found
things slow. or that | found anything
here unpleasantr" she demands, slowly.
81 don't remember making such re-
marks
We'll. you looked it. you know" he
replies. still somewhat aggrieved.
"What, all that? Bored and slow
and unpleasant."-SOftly. How rude
you are!"
"YOu misunderstood" he begins,
warmly.
Nobody ever made me such an I'M
complimentary speech before. | think
you needn't call me bad names she in
terruptS. meekly, turning Il red ball
round and round between her pretty
white hands.
You know d dn't mean that" he
eXcaims. eagerly, and is probably going
to say good deal more. when she raises
her eyes, and he. seeing the mischief
ly ng III them. fUrrgOeS further eXplana-
ton and joins III ner merry laugh.
""haIl we finish this lOng-Suifering
game" she asks, lightly, "and put off
our discussion till another day? Go
ON: it is your tnln."
So he goes aga II To the table. and, by
the most Migrant bad play and All evl-
dent delerm nation not 20 hit anything
whatever, compelS her to " in the game.
Shall we play molher! You should
give me my revenge. lie says, seeing
her lay down her cur. and fearing lest
thought OF Mrs. |; rmartis may De again
possessing hrr.
No, Nou -! too badly" she an
swerS, calmly.
Now he is the best blliard-player at
MS club and is. moreover. rather prOnd
Of the fact. yet hc bears this aspersion
III his skill with the most exemplary
Test.
Time may improve me-" he says,
with an impaSSIve cOuntenance. Give
ne one more chance"
What Il hlpOcrite YOU aye." returns
Miss Cecil. with startling prOmrtitude.
Don't Won think | read your determI-
nation to give me that Tame? And |
thought it 50 silly, No. shall not play
again with YOU until practice has made
ne more perfect. Will You come and
show me the china IN the small draw
Richards says Il is lovely,
and that it is locked up iG the ebony
.abinets."
Il am not very well up in china. but
hey say my uncle collection is rather
inc" he replies. delighted at the pros
Dect of having her with him for at least
another hour.
And together they go to the drawing
room and ram>Ick the cabinets. Some
my tea-cupS OF the reign of Queen
Anne raise III { SSy : bosom feelings of
he most intense adm ration.
What darling" she says, taking
Dut cup and laying it on her palm.
Such little pet. and so pretty"
They are both kmeeIing before the
cabinet. and are. therefore, close to-
gether. In his heart Mr.. Craven thinks
every word OF praise she has uttered to
he cup might be applied to herself.
Keep it," he says, genially, alluding
10 the cup. Take anything you like.
There's any number of them. And it's
a pity to leave them there, you know.
when don't care about them"
"Oh. no, thank yOu."-cororing hOtly,
and putting back the tea-cup hastily.
Il would not spoil the set for anything"
Then take the whole set. if you fancy
them" he entreats. Il really wish you
would. Nobody here ever looks at
them"
Not now. mischevOusly-
that wife you spoke of SO confidently
little while ago, she will like to look at
them by and by"
will e%-thoughtfully. He stares
for IA moment or two at Miss
Rivers AS she kneelS beside him-per-
haps the attitude suggests visions of a
possible altar: and then he saws, rather
Irrelevantly. "You are very fond of
china, are you nOt!
well. yes. raj her." she replies; and
then, comquering an inclination to laugh,
she rises TO her feet and goes over 10
the Fireplace. Il think you SAID this
your friend was much better"
she says, presently, more from desire
to make conversation than from any
overpowering interest in the Major. rs
be still growing toward perfection?"
"Yes"-in a mOurnrul tOne-"he is
decidedly better. There is no hope.
He is coming down to dinner. Moth
ing would prevent him. though | sent
several messages, beaut. fully worded,
to say | thought 1t foolish TO make too
free just at first, and that draughts
were dangerous"
Messages never succeed. Why did
you not 60 in person."
~IIe wouldn't let me in-wOuldn't see
me at any nrice [ made one nr two