Los Cerrillos rustler. (Cerrillos, N.M.) 188?-1891, 1891-05-29

AlsN htiN lhAE ~ lbAs
eyes dimming her vision and thus shut
ting out the loved one from view.
The two had been lifelong friends,
and though their lips had never ex-
changed formal vows, she had worn his
ring for many happy months, and all
the neighbors understood hat some day
Hugh Curtis would make Marion Jewell
his wife.
At his mothers knee, Hugh had inn
bibed his peculiar ideas of keeping the
peace. and in his boyhood he had often
been numerically twitted for allowing
his companions TO impose upon him.
This was not the first time that he had
been called n coward, and as he walked
slowly along the dusty road that bright
May morning, he began to wonder II,
after all, his conscientious scruples
might not be merely a convenient cloak
under which TO hide his cowardly nature.
1t was the first time that Marion had
ever accused him Of being a coward,
and she would not have done il now
had she not loved him too well to hear
his name banded about by the man
who had provoked the trouble. Thane
Lenox's faultless attire and fine city
airs were calculated TO dazzle the little
country maid, and IL is no doub t quite
true that she felt flattered by the atten-
ton he lavished upon her; still her
heart was loyal TO Hugh, although she
could not help wishing that his man
ners were more polished. and that he
had enough grit TO stand up for his
rights when trampled upon by the city
dandy. That night she robed herself
in the dress he most admired, and
with repentant words ON her lips, wait
ed for his coming, but her waiting was
in vain.
81 will write him a note in the morn.
ing" she said to herself. as she lay
tossing TO and fro upon her sleepless
couch; but when the morning came she
heard that he had joined Col Arm
strong's volunteers and vas already
many miles away.
The blow fell with crushing weight
upon her aching heart, but she was
proud, and TO hide her disappointment
accepted the attentions of young
Lenox, the man above all others She
most despised.
Hugh did not write ns she hoped he
would, and in the letters that came
back to other associates he never sc
much as mentioned her name.
lie had left his mother in the care Of
his brother Ben, and Ben's wife, whC
was something of Il gossip, kept hin
well posted concerning Marion Jewell'i
filtration. Hugh endured the torture
in silence, until the thoughtless woman
repeated the report Of a wedding clost
at hand, and then he begged her nevel
again to mention the name Of Marion
Jewell, n name that had once been 81
dear to him.
Marion's eyes lost their sparkle ant
her face grew thin and white with hel
weary waiting, but she never com
planned, and except that she was q
trifie more thoughtful than in old days
no outward change was visible in hel
conduct.
When Thane Lenox went back TO tn,
city people said that he had grown tiret
of the rustic beauty and had cast her of
just as she had done poor Hugh, and they
did not pity her either. But they wer,
wrong, for his going vas n great reliet
TO her, and had they known her loyalty
to their ~favorite, they would have beer
more considerate in their censure.
The report that came back from tim,
| TO time of Hugh's conduct on the battle
field proved that he was anything bu
a coward. and others besides Marion
: had cause TO regret the hasty word
; they had spoken in the days gone by.
The months dragged slowly along IN
= til two whole years were gone. AM