Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1892-11-13
A ROBBERS PRIZE.

society or diversions; | young and sus-
ceptible, she Queenly and fascinating.
She was two years my senior. She
had been belle two seasons, and, dis
cnsted in the midst of the third, ran
away to my aunt's to recruit and forget.
She was there when | came home from
school at the summer vacation. | was
twenty, she was twenty-five, and we
spent all those lingering scented sum-
mer months in the same house. dare
sav she never thought of anything SO
improbable as my falling in love with
her.
Her look when | confessed the state
If nv heart said all that and more. The
regal head turned languidly on the Grim
son cushion against which she reclined,
and she regarded me with a most pro-
yoking, steady incredulity in her beau
tful face. The full, finely cut lips quiv-
cred with suppressed smiling.
Does any honest love deserve to be
laughed at, Miss RUTH | questioned,
with half angry tremor in my voice.
Certainly not" said Miss Ruth. 81
dare say you are honest enough, but
you're not old enough"
Ruth Bonange sank back among her
cushions. convulsed with laughter. |
stood meanwhile, every nerve tingling,
passions q anger devouring me.
Miss Ruth" | said, II am waiting
for my answer
You ridiculous Steve, haven't you
got it," she said, sitting up and staring at
me-
you won't laugh the next time tell
YOU love you, Miss Ruth, said to my
self as she gathered her silken draperies
around her and swept into the house.
"A gentleman in the parlor to see
Mss Bonange," heard the one servant
ny aunt kept say.
Miss Bonange was lounging the morn
ing away in my aunt's room! She seemed
to hesitate two minutes, nervously pull
ing to pieces the card Peggy had brought
her, then with her proudest mien swept
from the room.
Stepping through the window | care
fully gathered the fragments of torn
pasteboard from the carpet and put them
together on the palm Of my hand
Richard Dunkirk, Esq, was what
read.
ut is her loverr My brow throbbed
at the thought.
The door slammed. "She is coming"
Thought, and fed to the veranda again,
Just in time to hear her voice in tones
Of eIpostulation answered by another's,
icy with sternness.
Hers said haughtily:
81 would never marry you were
thrice as much in your power as | am"
who them was the response in &C
cents Of slow sarcasm.
mo matter, SO it is a man more man
ly than you"
could hear her quick drawn breath
and the angry rustic Of her dress as she
moved away from him. II was coward
ly 10 stand there eavesdropping. felt
30, but set my teeth and staid.
"i were a man." heard her say
presently, II would force you to yield
me my property"
Your property These are mine
made mine by yourself, free agent"
What will you do with them?"
Present them to my wife on my we'd
ding day, or, that failing, to your hus-
band on yours"
could have sprung into the room
and throttled this cowardly threatener
Of a woman, but instead | slipped a
sash Of the veranda, and, leaping down
among the flower beds, hurried out Of
SIGHT and hearing. Half an hour after
lsaw handsome, rather distinguished
looking man stalking through the gar
Gen path toward the road. | made
urn and met him. The distinguished
ook CHANGED to be sort of daredevil
fecklesSness Of air and manner as | APP
Preached him, and he seemed decidedly
out Of humor.
lifted my hat courteously as we
passed; he did the same, with half i'm
paQent stare, turning to look after me
as sauntered up the walk.
found Richard Dunkirk, ESQ.,, an
SLngln the trout stream below the house
,le next morning. angled, too-not
i" trout, but for his acquaintance. He
%oWied at sight of me, but baited my
lOo ,, cIeyerly and presently he became
N'u' saw that he was trying to dis
S ,,eF who | was and my relations with
Mss Bonange.
we separated with apparent mutual
pressure IN each other. We encountered
'oaA the following day, quite like old
40aItances, and invited him to dine
%uy aunts. He gave sort of startled
sd'e' but assented. 1t was too good an
'poTtunity to be lost.
n, AN acquaintance of yours, believe,
'S RUTH said simply as | care
gsy announced to her and my aunt
~ MI, Dunkirk had come to dinner.
|Ns Bonange had seemed out of sorts
a. Jay or two. She gave me a half
P.Fate look at the announcement.
lou see am not jealous, Miss Ruth"
'@l IN an undertone.
,s lou are certainly generous" she re-
NV. was half of the opinion that she
wv wv not come to dinner; but she did.
,.. . were On the whole quite pleasant
Party, DunkirL snapt tina evanino