San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-19
Thorne returned the letter to his cous-

1 III 01u ouuOuuCCu Ills VI re-
turning to New York immediately.
"By using dispatch l can catch the
boat at Wintergreen this afternoon" he
said. 81 wish you'd tell your mother,
Norma, only your mother, please; it will
be time enough to acquaint the others
when the whole affair is out. And, Nor
ma, l can trust you, know; keep the
matter quiet here as long as possible.
These people are strangers; they know
nothing. don't want to be in every
body's mouth-a nine days wonder here
as well as in New York. It will be bad
enough there. Promise me to keep it
quiet, Norma"
He had ascertained, beyond all doubt.
that no hint of his story had as yet
coached Pocahontas. He was surprised
ut first, for he thought all women gos-
siped, and the affair had never been a
secret. He did not conceive for mo-
ment that the fact of his divorce would
be permanent stumbling block in the
way of his happiness, but he realized
something of the conservatism of her
surroundings, and the Old World infu-
ences and prejudices amid which she had
been reared. She would be shocked and
| startled at first; she would have to grow
accustomed to the idea, then reconciled
to it. He recognized at a glance the
immense advantage it would be to him
to tell his story himself, and in his own
way to enlist her sympathy and to
arouse her indignation and her partisan
ship. 1.l so
The explanation Of the girls igno-
rance is simple and natural. The inter
course between the two families was
cordial and frequent, but there were
Observation-Disclosures Of territory which
were never trenched ON. There was
about the Masons certain fine reserve
which discouraged promiscuous and
ELUSIVE condolences. Exhaustive in
vestigation of their neighbors' affairs
had never been their practice; it was a
proud family; a conservative family.
The Smiths had seen no reason to give
publicity to their own particular family
| scandal. O.-llr peoples skeletons were
interesting, but the rafting of the bones
| of their own annoyed them. Then, too,
it was such an old story, its interest as
gossip had passed, its piquancy had
evaporated. These people knew none of
the parties. 1t could be to them of no
possible interest even as narrative.
| There had been no definite determine
ton on the part of the Smiths to say
nothing of the affair, but nothing had
been said. Thorne did not correspond
with his wife, nor did any member of
his family, SO there were no telltale
letters to excite comment or curiosity at
the village postoffice. How was Poca-
hontas to know?
With Thorne's good pleasure, her
| ignorance would remain until he him
self should lift it. ta
Norma gave the required promise will
ingly. She, too, objected to this affair
obtaining publicity. While Thorne
sought her father to explain sudden
call to New York ION business" she
communicated the contents Of Mrs. Vim
cents letter to her mother, and informed
her of Thorne's determination. Then
leaving the good lady to get the better of
her CONSERVATION by herself, and to make
impossible suggestions to the open air,
| she repaired to her cousins room and
| assisted him in his hurried preparations.