San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-12


have met, wouldn't it?'
"But my darling Kate" interposed l.
laughing again, ''where on earth in this
age of railways and steamboats, and tele.
graphs and balloons are we to find such
a retired spot? Unless we took voyage
to the moon, or could find our way down
to the center of the earth, we should
hardly feel safe, fearr'
sob, well, you must arrange about
that, only it is as tell you, and you see
marrying me is not such simple mat
ter after all. Well, now, suppose we
have reached the place, wherever it is
what would you give me for wedding
present.?
'What would you likeY'
"No; you are to decide that. It
wouldn't be proper for your wife to
choose her own wedding present. you
know"
VI believe such thing does sometimes
happen, though, when the people are
very fashionable and aristocratic."
"But am not aristocratic; am an
American. Now, what will you give
me?"
"What do you say to the diamonds"
swell, think l will take the dia-
monds," she said, meditatively, as
though weighing the question in her
mind. eyes, papa said | might wear
diamonds after l was married. But
might not your mother object?'
mot when she knows whom they are
for, and at any rate she is going to leave
them to me in her will"
"Oh! and you expect that the news of
our marriage will kill herr"
SIT ought rather to give her new
lease of life. But you shall have the
diamonds all the same. Will you try
them on now?"
"Why, have you got them with your"
Certainly; always carry them in
this pocket"
"How careless! You might lose them"
mo; the pocket buttons upset and
turning back the flap of my coat showed
her how all was made secure.
"But what if robbers were to attack
your"
"Then | should talk to them with
this" | rejoined, taking my revolver
from another pocket and holding it up.
"Oh, that's Derringer! They have
those in America. What pretty one!
Let me look at it."
mo" said |, replacing it in my pocket;
sit has hair trigger and every barrel
is loaded You shall look at something
much prettier and not dangerous at all.
Here, sit down on this stump and take
off your hat and I'll put them on for
you" .f
The stump of which spoke stood at
the end of the path we had been follow
ing, and within few rods of the brink
of a precipitous gorge, which entered
the side of the steep mountain spur
nearly at right angles. Across this gorge
(Which, though seventy to one hundred
feet in depth, was scarcely more than
half as wide at the top wooden bridge
had formerly been thrown; but age or
accident had broken it down until only
single horizontal beam remained, span
ming the chasm from side to side, and
supported by three or four upright and
transverse braces. The beam itself was
scarcely nine inches in width, and the
whole structure was a dizzy thing to
look at My nerves were trained to
steadiness by good deal of gymnastiC
experience, but it would have needed a
strong inducement to get me across that
beam on foot. .......
Kate sat down on the stump as direct
ed, but her manner had become languid
and Indifferent; the brightness and spar
kle of her late mood were gone. As she
looked up at me her level eyebrows were
slightly contracted and the corners OF
her mouth dropped. Her hands were
folded listlessly in her lap. She was
dressed in some soft white material
through which was visible the warm
CLEAN of her arms and shoulders; the
skirt was caught up in such way as tC
allow freedom in walking; she wore q
broad brimmed white hat over her black
hair, yellow sash confined her waist
and her hands were bare | united the
ribbon of her hat, she permitting me tC
do so without resistance; and then
kneeling before my | unbuttoned the
diamonds from her pocket and LAID
them, in their case, upon her lap.
"Now, dear, shall put them on you
or will you do it yourself?''
She opened the case and the gem:
flashed in the checkered sunshine thai
filtered down between the leaves of the
trees. The sight seemed to rouse hel
somewhat; faint spot of color showed
in either cheek, and she drew in Ions
breath.
"They are Splendid" she said. 81
newer saw ANYTHING like Them No