San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-05


is my lover, and shall marry him next
week. Oh, you should see Manuel; so
handsome! Not handsome like you
are, but like a Spaniard. You must
stay and see Manuel. | would show
him the big, strong man / saved"
1T would no doubt entertain him. "
1t was the tone rather than what he
said that arrested her attention.
"Ah, l have hurt you now," she said,
laying her hand gently on his arm as
he turned away. Forgive me. 1t
was but a joke intended. You are so
good and strong 1 did not think"
Forgive you, little woman2 You
could not offend me; l would give my
life to make you happy" Then, as
she looked at him in surprise at the
earnest intensity of his speech, he
added, Have you not saved my life!
And so you see it belongs to you. And
you love Manuel very much"
why, yes! Are We not to be mar
ried?"
Then l am glad that you will be
happy"
And you will stay and see Man
uel~
Yes; will stay. Now l want to
be alone, " he added abruptly, and she
turned into the house murmuring to
herself, He is so strange, l cannot I'M
derstand. He is different, that's what
it is; he is different. And with this
somewhat obscure explanation she was
content.
But with the visitor it was far other
wise. As she disappeared from his
view ne strobe out in the moonlight,
and paced up and down with quick,
nervous stride. The bright moon cast
a food of silver light over the scene,
but somehow the beauty seemed to
have departed from it forever A gen
tie breeze famed his brow, but he was
too agitated to feel its soothing effect.
Il might have known it, he mutter-
ed. What am that should hope to
win such a prize? A wanderer, an out
cast from my fellow men, without a
home that | might offer her. Fool,
fool, that l was to have stayed here,
when | might have known that she
would have some lover among her own
people. But what right has he to in
terfere3 Stay to see hiInl Yes, shall
stay, and shall kill him"
The spark of disappointed love had
fired all his passionate nature, and the
angry flames were darting forth, con
Stunning all sense of right and Justice
He strobe rapidly up and down, as if
he would seek relief from his torture
in bodily exhaustion. Suddenly he
stopped short.
Bah" he exclaimed. "a fine thing
this, for a man like me to give up this
way To think that a gentle, timid
creature like that should make me mad
with pain? l have but to say 1t is
over, and | shall suffer no more"
But his will was weaker than his
philosophy, and as he turned toward
the house something very like a sob es-
capped him. He retired, weak and
trembling after his struggle with him
self, but it was not to sleep. He was
more calm, for his capacity for suffer
ing had exhausted itself and there was
nothing but dull feeling of despair.
He tossed about in a troubled, fever
ish sleep until daylight, and then rose
and strobe out into the open air. The
atmosphere of the house seemed to
stife him; his old restless longing for
an active life was upon him again, and
he must be moving. IF l had not
promised her TO see this man. he muir
INJURED, II would gonow, and be among
the mountains once more. Nature is
the only thing that's true, after all.
Yet why should l wait to see him2 She
would be disappointed and unhappy
but am not unhappy? I shall 60"
Nevertheless, in spite Of his deter
mination he fingered on through the
day and into the afternoon. The day
was hotter than any he had ever ex-
perienced, but he did not mind the
weather The atmosphere became more
smoky, until the sun shone through it
with a lurid glare. Even the Spaniards
felt Frustrated by the unusual heat,
and Joscfa glanced anxioUsly toward
the mouth of the canyon through which
the trail wound by which Manuel was
to return. He had gone across the
mountains with herd of cattle, his