Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-05

VI HIS SnOe. DecduSe, " GEAR! " dedfl
there's cousin of Dumps at this hotel
haven't spoken to him. l never had any
acquaintance with him, but do you suppose
he has recognized me? Do. please, give me
in your next your candid, sure enough
opinion about it and say you don't think so.
| Do you think he knows about me already
and that is why he left me last evening
when he saw that blushed and trembled
like fool under his eyes2 You know I
can't bribe all the newspapers.
[ can't go back on anybody who was
good to Gunny at Redhorse-not if Pm
pitched out of society into the sea- So the
skeleton sometimes rattles behind the door.
never cared much before, as you know,
but now-now it is not the same Jack
Raynor | am sure of-he will not tell him.
He seems, indeed, to hold him in such re-
spect as hardly to dare speak to him at all,
and Pm good deal that way myself.
Dear! dearl | wish | had something be-
sides million dollars! If Jack were three
inches taller I'd marry him and go back to
Redhorse, and wear sackcloth again to the
end of my miserable days.
We had splendid sunset last evening.
and l must tell you all about it, | ran
away from auntie and everybody, and was
walking alone ON the beach, | expect Won
to believe, you nfidels that l had not
looked out of my window on the seaward
side of the hotel and seen him walking
alone on the beach If you are not lost to
every feeling of womanly delicacy you will
accept my statement without question.
soon established myself under my sun
shade, and had for some time been gaz-
ing out dreamily over the sea when he
approached walking close to the edge of
the water. 1t was cbb tide. l assure YOU
the wet sand actually frightened about his
feet! AS he approached me he lifted his
hat, saying, "Miss Dement,, may sit with
you, or will you walk with me?"
The possibility that neither might be
agreeable seems not to have occurred to
him. Did you ever know such assurance?
Assurance? My dear. it was gall-du7n-
right gall Well, didn't find it wosu-
wood, and replied, with my untutored Rdl
horse heart in my throat, "I-I shall be
pleased to do anything" Could words
have been more stupid? There are depths
of fatuity In me, friend o. my soul, which
are simply bottomlessl
He extended his hand, smiling, and de-
livered mine into it without moments
hesitation, and when his fingers closed
about it to assist me to my feet, the con-
sciousness that it trembled made me blush
worse thanthe red west.
l got up, however, and after while, OBJ
serving that he had not let go my hand, I
pulled on it little, but unsuccessfully.
He simply held on, saying nothing, but
looking down into my face with some kind
of a smile-I didn't know-how could I?-
whether it was affectionate, derisive, or
what for T did or lonlr
beautiful he was with the red fires of sun
set burning in the depths of his eyes Do
you know, dear, if the Thugs have any
special kind of eyes? All, you should have
seen his suparb attitude, the godlike inclin-
alton of his head as he stood over me after
had got upon my feetl It was noble
picture, but soon destroyed it, for began
at once to sink again to the earth. There
was only one thing for him to do, and he
did it, he supported me with an arm about
my waist.
"Miss Dement,, are you ill?" he said 1t
was an exclamation; there was neither
alarm nor solicitude in it. If he had add
ed, Il suppose that is about what am ex-
pected to say" he would hardly have ex-
pressed his sense of the situation more
clearly. His manner filled me with shame
and indignation, for was suffering acute
ly. wrenched my hand out of his, grasped
the arm supporting me and pushing my
self free fell plump into the sand and sat
helpless. My hat had come off in the strug-
gle and my hair tumbled about my face
and shoulders in the most mortifying way
go away from me-" cried half choking.
"Oh, please go away, you-you Thug! How
dare you think that when my leg is asleep?"
/ actually said those identical words.
And then broke down and sobbed. Irene,
fear blubberedl
His manner altered in an instant--I
could see that much through my fingers
and hair. He dropped On one knee beside
me, parted the tangle of hair, and said in
the tenderest way: "My poor girl, God
knows l have not intended to pain you.
How should II who love you'll who have
loved you for years?"
He had pulled my wet hands away from
my face and was covering them with kisses.
My cheeks were like two Goals; my whole
face was flaming and, think, steaming.
/ hid it on his sshoulder-there was no other
place. And oh, my dear friend, how my
leg tingled and thrilled, and how I wanted
to kick!
We sat so for long time. He had re-
leased one of my hands to press his arm
about me again, and had possessed my
self of my handkerchief and was drying
my eyes and my nose. 1 would not look
up until that was done; he tried in vain to
push me a little away and gaze into my
eyes. Presently, when all was right and it
had grown a bit dark, l lifted my head,
looked him straight in the eyes, and smiled
my best,
and years9"
Dearest" he replied very gravely, very
earnestly, Gin the absence of the sunken
cheeks, the hollow eyes, the lank hair, the
slouching gait, the rags, dirt and youth,
can you not-will you not-understand.
Gunny, Pm Dumps"
In a moment / was upon my feet and
he upon his. l seized him by the lapels
of his coat and peered into his handsome
face in the deepening darkness. I was
breathless with excitement.
''And you are not dead?" asked, hardly
knowing what said.
"Only dead in love, dear recovered
from the road agents bullet but this,
fear, is fatal"
"But about Jack-Mr. Raynor? Don't
you know"-
81 am ashamed to say, darling, that it
was upon, that unworthy PERSONS invita-
ton that came here from Vienna"
Irene, they have played it upon your af-
fectionate friend,
MARY JANE DEMENT,.