San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-15
A CHILD OF
THE STREET s.

her as the still shining stars are above
the passionate, restless sea; but of the
stage she had her revenge. the sweetest
to her because the bittcIest to another-a
royal revenge Had she not stolen her
rivals lover, so that now he was ready to
do any mad thing for her sake or at her
bidding9
And Lorita enjoyed this triumph as only
coarse natures such as hers can.
But Loiita had little power Of discrimi-
nation. It never occurred TO her to sup
pose that Love. once pure and true. may
scorch its wings in the fire Of an umwor-
thy worship, and fall to earth; and yet
that love may rise to new life from the
ashes of folly. She judged others, and
the feelings of others. by her own standard.
Gabriel walked by her side silent and
sullen.
Lax as were his morals, and blunted as
his sense of delcacy had been by his ear
ier career. he was conscious now of some
shame for his cowarlly avoidance Of Fleur
de Marie.
He had half a mind to go back and
speak to her, for in his inmost heart,
though perhaps he hardly knew it then,
he still felt there was no woman in the
world like his old love and girl comrade,
Mysie OFaIrell.
How beautiful she was, fair as a lily
and as pure, and she cared for him-fOr
him, debased, false, coarse, given up as
he was to every vice that ever sent
mans soul to perdition. She cared for
him-aye, even now, he knew he had on
ly to go back and ask TO he forgiven, and
she would smile that soft, slow, wonder
full smile, and grant him the token Of for
giveness.
He had only to go back-but ah, that
was the rub. The "onlys" are often as
difficult to get over as death in this
world. Only to go back-to bid goodbye
to this black loved beauty by his side,
and yet he coD.i not.
She held him in bondage, twisted him
round her finger, piped her own tune to
which he must dance perforce, kept him
about her like any spaniel, to fetch and
carry; now petted him, now neglected.
Yes, held in bondage by the power Of her
beauty, such as II was.
He was no more to her than fifty others
who carried her fan, "stood" her suppers,
threw her bouquets, gave her gold, and
yet when she would, she could cajole him
into the belief that while she accepted
gifts and gold from others, from him she
took only love.
And FIeur de Marie, sweet Mysie
O'Farrell, was all his own, as true as
death, and as pure as angels. And yet
yet what3
One by one Lorita's followers had drop
ped away in despair of getting a word or
look, while Gabriel monopolized her at
tention. At the door Of the Dolphin they
came to standstill. His rooms were at
the Brunswick.
She looked at him, tapping her foot pet
ulantly on the stone steps.
"If you want to lunch with me, can't
you say sol But l don't think 1 want
you. You are stupid and duh to day, and
why is itl You can be so brilliant when
you choose. like to be amused, so, as
you have lost your tongue, go and buy
me a new book, and be quick back, like q
good boy-I like to read while am eat
ing. It's case Of double digestion. COP
! "Then may / stay when l return2"
swell, we'll see; depends on the book
you bring. Mind, 1t must be chock full
Of fun. like to be kept on the broad
grin. Go on" and she playfully dealt
him no gentle blow on the knuckles Of his
outstretched hand with her parasol.
"If you send me about my business
when do come back, shall take the
book with me, mind"
"AIl right, wait and see. Well square
matters when you bring the book. Don't
be long," and she turned into the hotel.
CHAPTER ".
Life in the busy little bay was like a
fashionable scrap-book all through those
memorable months of July and August
sketches. portraits, finished pictures,
woodland scenes, "bits" Of shore and
boats. with changing sky overhead,
each page a contrast to the last.
Herne Bay was keeping carnival, only
at the wrong time of the year,
In the shadow Of the cliffs sits a woman,
and at her feet lies man with a sun
burnt, handsome face that rests on folded
hsnds and is upturncd TO hers with a
look she could not help understanding,
were not her eyes ON the water instead Of
on him.
His elbows are sinking deeper into the
shinRle, and his six-f long body ia