Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-08-01

| cnce.
| why, there she is. Don't you see hers''
| Looking up, hastily, the young man blushed
| (thank Heaven this was genuine, and stands
| out like refreshing, green oasis in the dies.
| ert of all his other artificial, cut-and-dried
| actions>, appeared surprised, and quickly
! and rather awkwardly pulled off his hat and
| bowed.
| Natalie looked puzzled. And she was dis
| turbed. Where had she seen that brow and
| those eyes before. They both were strange
| ly familiar
| However, ere she had time to continue
| her reflection, the hat was replaced, and
| Arthur Fairfax came forward, and smiling
| ly said:
| This little fairy has dragged me, willy
nilly into the presence of stranger who, ]
| trust, appreciates my situation, and will
| pardon this seeming intrusions'
| In reply to his remark, she answered,
| simply and quietly:
Il think you must be the gentleman who
| has captured Dolores heart.''
| ''Ah:" queried he, laughing, Il can't say
| as to that. But I do know that I'm one of the
| individuals whose heart Dolores has capt
ured.'
! Natalie smiled, and Dolores turned her at
| tention to Max, having overcome her fears
| OF that large animal
| .Yes,n continued the stranger, Il came
| here a day or two ago to hunt for roll of
| music that l lost somewhere about here,
| and while 1 was searching, met this young
| fairy
| .'Was it manuscript eagerly interrupted
| Natalie.
1T was, promptly responded the other,
| feeling that his ruse was succeeding.
| s'Was it called Stella Mea.'''
| "It was,'' again he replied, affecting lit
| tie well l-feigned astonishment at her ques-
| tions and manner.
| Then l have it," continued she, with
| evident delight. Il found it here, and, do
| you know, like it very much, indeed. Did
| you really compose it. You are musical,
| then. as well as poeticals''
| Verify, Mistress Natalie was overcoming
| her man hating proclivities.
| Still this was not at all surprising. When
| this young man resolved to win the good
| will of any one, male or female, few reason
| able mortals could resist him. That frank
| ness, that apparent simple-mindedness,
| threw strangers off their guard, and ere
| they knew it, the citadal of their reserve had
quite capitulated.
81 am glad you like it, indeed,n answered
he, with slight bow, looking very much
| pleased. ''HoW fortunate am to have met
you. For, strangely enough, I have been
unable to recall all of either the melody or
the words. May return with you to the
| house and get its''
"Certainly,' replied Natalie, falling quick
| ly into the trap; I'm very glad to have dis
| covered its owner"
| The ice was now broken.
| Fairfax had once more plotted success.
| fully. Natalie, had she only paused to re-
| fleet upon her course, might have been sur
| prised, to say the least. She was chatting g
away as sayly and unconcernedly with this
| stranger, of whom she knew absolutely
| nothing, as if she had known him for years.
| They walked together up toward the cot
| tage, Dolores between them, holding the
hand of each in her tiny fingers, while Max
| followed demurely behind.
| Fairfax (quite naturally let slip the re-
| mark that he was located in the pretty cot
| tage across the fields-Natalie had often
| seen it and admired it's charming situation
and quaint architecture-''and,' he added,
II have rented it for the autumn months.
| Glen Gore is its name.n
| Fairfax refrained from making any per-
| sonal remarks whatever to Natalie until, as
| they approached the house, he said
| II think must have heard you singing,
when passed along the shore recently.
| You sing, do you notsn
| eyes, answered she, simply. 'sDo youa''
| "No / am sorry to say do not. I some
times play for my own amusement, but
there is such wretched piano in my cot
| tage that take little pleasure in perform
| ing upon it. Have you good pianos''
"Yes," said she, readily and unsus.
piciously falling into the second little trap
he was laying.
| He had 50 timed his question that they
now stood on the porch, and Natalie, before
| she realized what she was doing, had added
| courteously:
"Will you come in and try it.n
with pleasure responded he, imnledi
ately stepping in through the door.
At first Natalie felt little alarmed, wher
| she considered that she had introduced an
absolute stranger into her defenseless and
''raaleless" home. Fairfax, however, gave
her no time for reflection. With easy
| grace and the utmost coolness he moved
quickly toward the instrument, uttering, as
he neared it, the pleased exclamation:
"How delightful! l know the make well +
So saying, he sat down before the key
board and began a soft, sweet prelude O
Chopin's. Natalie Immediately recognized
| the touch of musician, and listened witt
| increasing pleasure.
Fairfax now decided upon bold coss7
| d'etat
TO BE Continued