Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-01-13
A ROBBERS PRIZE.

society or diversions; l young and sus-
ceptible, she q%ueenly and fascinating.
She was two years my senior. sho
had been q belle two seasons, and, dis
gusted 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 tho summer vacation. I was
twenty, she was twenty-five, and we
spent all those lingering scented sum
mer months in the same house. Idare
say she Thought Of anything SO
improbable as my falling in love with
her.
Her look when 1 confessed the state
Of my 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 c most pro-.
voking, steady %incredulity in her beau
tiful face. The full. finely cut lips quiv.
cred with suppressed smiling.
Does any honest love deserve to DO
laughed at, Miss Ruthy' / questioned,
with a half angry tremor in my voice.
Certainly not" said Miss Ruth. al
dare say you arc honest enough, but
you're not old enough"
Ruth Bonange sank back among her
cushions, convulsed with laughter. |
stood meanwhile, every nerve tingling,
passions of anger ~deyouring nae.
"Aiss Ruth," l said, IL am waiting
for my answer"
"You ridiculous Steve, haven't you
got it?' shesaid, sitting upand staringat
me.
you won't laugh the next time I tell
you | love You, Miss Ruth, / said tony.
self as she gathered her silkon draperies
around her and swept into the house.
"a gentleman in the parlor to see
Miss Bonange, ineard the one servant.
my aunt kept say.
Miss Bonange was lounging the morn
ing away in my aunt's room! She seemed
to hesitate two minutes. n%crvoualy pull-
ing to pieces the card Peggy had brought
her, then with her proudcst mien swept
from the room.
Stepping through the window / care
fully gathered the fragments Of torn
pasteboard from the carpetand put them
together on tho palm Of my hand.
Richard Dunkirls, Esq" was what |
read.
1T is her loycrr' Ny brow throbbcd
Mt the thought.
The door slammed. "sho is coming"
l thought, aad Gcd tothe yeranda again,
just in time to hear her voice in tones
Of expostulatlon answered 10y another's,
icy with steruness.
Hers said haughtily:
81 would never marry you were ]
thrice os much in your power as l amir
"WhO then?' was the response in &c
cents Of slow sarcasm.
ono matter, so it is e man more man
~ than you"
| could hear her Quick drawn breath
and the angry rustic Of her dress as she
moved away from him. 1t was coward-
~ to stand there eavesdropping. l felt
SO, but l set my teeth aud staid.
"If were a man." 1 heard her say
presently, II would force you to yield
me my property"
your property These arc mine
made mine 10y yourself, q free agent
"What viii you do with them!'
present them to my wife ON my we'd
ding day, or, that failing, to your hus-
band OF yours
l could have sprung into the room
and throttled this cowardly threatoner
of a woman, but instead / slipped q
sash Of the veranda, and, leaping down
among the flower beds. hurried out Of
sight and hearing. Half an hour after
! saw a handsome, rather distinguished
looking man stalking through the gar
den path toward the road. / made a
turn and met him, The distinguished
look CHANGED to be a sort of daredevil
recklessness Of air and manner as / app
preached him, and he seemed decidedly
out of humor.
/ lifted my hst c~ourteously as we
passed; he did the same, with % half im-
pudent stare, turning to look after me
as ! sauntercd up the walk.
/ found Richard Dunkirk, Esq, au-
Cling in Che trout stream below the house
the next morning. / onglod, too-not
for trout, but for mis- acquaintance. He
scowled at sight Of me, but / baited my
hook cleverly and presently he became
civil. saw that he was trying to dis
cover who / was cad my relations with
Miss Bonangc.
We separated with apparent mutual
pleasure in each other. We encountered
again tho following day, quito like old
ncquaintanccs, aud i invited him to Gine
at my aunts. He gave o sort Of startled
stare, bat aesented. It was TOO good an
opportunity to be lost.
can acquaintance of yours, / believe,
Miss Ruth" / said simply as Gaze
lessly announced to her and my aunt
hat Mr.. Dunhirk had come to dinner.
Miss Bouange had seemed out of sorts
for a day or two. She gave me a half
desperate look at the announcement.
"fou see iamno 10 jealous, Miss Ruth, p
faiid i1 Pa ~nndertone.
you nl3 certainly generous" she re-
iwas half 81 the opinion that she
vorio acf Come 81 dinner but she did.
Wewere 90 tHe wlot quite a pleasant
party. Dunfiik lFait ihe evening,
rather a rty oititatian. Once or t"ica
alw M.a boaanse canae color 90
sel1ltiinf Ao afaii, lut sle sfaia in ihe
plfipf am ntal icr enc ari