San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-16

wrong as yeti, out WIN Der StrlcJ no.
tions and well-regulated principles she
would assuredly recoil from a lover
who had brought himself into predic-
ament so hideous. He would tell her
all when, or if, he succeeded in eXtri-
eating himself.
But he was to learn the nature of
Matilda's sentiments sooner than he
expected. IT was growing dusk, and
he was. unpacking parcel of goods in
his front shop-for his saloon happened
to be empty just then-when the outer
door swung back and slight, girlish
figure entered, after pause of indeci-
sion on the threshold. 1t was Matilda
Had she come to break it off-to re-
proach him? He was prepared for no
less; she had never paid him visit like
this alone before: and some doubts of
the propriety of the thing seemed to
be troubling her now, for she did not
! speak.
] Matilda" he faltered, "don't tell me
| you have come in a spirit of unfriendli
ness, for | can't bear it.
| don't You deserve that | should?"
she said, but not angrily. You know
you were very strange in behaving as
| you did last night. | couldn't tell what
| to make of it."
Il know" he said. cOnfusedly. at
was something come over me. all of a
sudden like. I>cau't understand what
made me like that: but oh. Tillh, my
dearest love. my art was bursting with
| alteration all the time The circum-
| stances was highly peculiar; but don t
know that could explain them"
You needn't. Leander: | have found
you out" She said this with strange
significance.
"What?" he almost shricked. "You
| don't mean it. Matilda! Tell me. quick,
has the discovery changed your feelings
| towards me! Has it,"
"NeS. She said softly: 81 think it
has. but You ought not 20 have done it,
Leandcr."
a. know" he groaned. Il was a fool.
Title: a fool But may get out of it
yet, he added. Il can get her to let
me off. must Will"
Matilda opened her eyes. "But, Lee
andcr. dear. listen: don't be 50 hasty.
never said wanted her to let you off,
did T."
He looked ut hcrin "A dazed manner.
II rather thought" he sand slowly,
that it might have put You out little.
| see | was iniStoOk. "
you might have known that should
be more pleased than angry, l should
think, said Matilda.
"More pleased than 7 might
have known" exclaimed the bcwildCred
man.
"Oh, yOu can't really be taking it as
cool as this! VIII you kindly inform
me what it is you're alludin' to in this
way?"
What is the use of pretending? You
know know. And it il colder, much
colder, this morning. felt it directly
| got up"
"Quite a change in the weather, I'm
sure" he said, mechanically. 1t feels
like frost coming on" e. Has Matilda
looked in to tell me the weathcr's
changed" he was wondering within
himself. Either am mad or Matilda
isl
you dear old goose" said Matilda,
with an unusual effusivcncss: "you
shan't teaze me like this, DO you think
I've no eyes and no feelings? Any girl,
/ don't care how proud or offended,
would come round, on such proof of
devOtcdnesS as I've had this evening
when | saw it gone, felt must come
straight in and thank you, and tell you
| shouldn't think any more of last
night. couldn't stop myself"
when you saw what gOne?" cried
the hairdreSSer, rubbing his hair.
THE cloak. said Matilda, and then,
as she saw his expression, her own
changed. "Leander Tweddle," she
| asked in a dry, hard voice. "have been
making a wretched fool of myself?
| Didn't you buNthat cloak?"
He understood at last He had gone
| to Miss Twilling's because he was in a
hurry and it was close by. and he knew
| nowhere else where he could be sure of
| getting what he required. Now. by
some supreme stroke of ill-luck which
| seemed to be pursuing him of late he
had unwittingly purchased the identi-
| cal garment on which Matilda had fixed
| her affections! How was he to notice
that they took it out of the window for
him?
All this flashed across him as he re-
piled, ayes, yes, Tillie, | did buy cloak
there, but are you sure it was the same
| you told me about?"
"Do you think a woman doesn't know
the look of thing like that when it's
taken her fancy" said Matilda. "Why,
/ could tell you every clasp and tassel
on that cloak; it wasn't one you'd see
every day, and knew it was gone the
moment passed the window. 1t quite
upset me, for I'd set my heart on It so:
and ran in to Miss Twilling and asked
her what had become of it, and when
she said she sold it that morning l.
thought l should have tainted. You
see, it never struck me that it could be
| you, for how could dream that you'd
be clever enough to go and choose the
very one? Leander, it was clever of
you"
yes" he said. with a bitter rail
against himself, "I'm a clever chap, l
am. But how did you find out?
"Oh. / made Miss Twilling Il often