Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-10-01
HIS REVENGE.

They were sitting apart. There was a
frown on Peters face, but his eyes had
pleading look in them, while pretty Selma
was smiling and glanced roguishly through
her dropping lashes.
Peter and Selma were lovers and had
been such from earliest childhood. OF
course they had had their little quarrels,
but whenever Selma chose to bestow q
glance and a smile upon Peter he had al
ways been ready to come to her side and
sue for pardon.
Selma knew her power. Peter had been
the slave of her will whenever she asserted
it, and of late she had been very ready to
put her influence over him to the severest
tests He had tried to rebel but In the
end she had conquered, as usual, and in
spite of himself he had found that he was
powerless to resist the hayward whims her
fancy wove to annoy and try him.
The sun was setting Through the tops
of the tall pines the rays sifted their gold
upon the ground at Sclma's feet, where
she sat on all old driftwood log on the
bank of the river. The fcrryboat was tug
ging gently at its mornings as the water
flowed along and formed u little eddy just
below it. The wind seemed to have gone
to sleep, and the trees stood with unmov-
ing branches, as if listening and longing
for his waking again.
Peter was the ferryman. His little home
nestled under the tall pines on the bluff
above the ferry landing. 1t was not a pre-
tentious home, but he had tried to mako
it as coy and comfortable as his means
would allow, and Selmas taste had often
been consulted. Now, however, a cloud
had risen between them, dark cloud that
would soon bring storm OF ruin and des-
olation behind it for one of them.
II will not endure this playing fast and
loose with my feelings any longer" said
Peter, rising to his feet IF you love me,
Selma, you will not firt with this stranger
any more"
II never sought Mr.. Window" Selma
replied. "He always comes to me, and he
never quarrels with me-"
''That may be true, Selma, but he does
not love you like do-no man ever did
or willard often feel as if could kill
him with one strong blow when see you
together"
Hc stood there, u giant almost in stature
and strength, his eyes flashing with anger,
as Selma had never seen them before. She
could not help admiring him and felt
proud Of her power to inspire him with
such passion.
There was no doubt in her heart that
she loved Peter, and she felt he would
willingly give his life for her if she only
spoke the word. But there was growing
Waywardness in her nature, and even
now, when she longed to throw herself
into his arms, that very Waywardness made
her turn to him with hooking words OH
her lips.
You should put guard on your
tongue, or it will get you into trouble
sooner or later" she said. las it is, I
am tired of quarreling with you and don't
want to have anything more to do with
you. What would the future hold for me
anyway-living penned up there in that
little coop OH the bluhii' pointing her fin
ger in scorn at tho little home Peter had
made ready to receive her some day in the
future.
Peter stood watching her hungrily, his
eyes bent upon her in silent questioning,
but she did not relcnt, she did not smile,
she did not bid him come to her side. In
stead, she turned slowly and walked away
from him.
"Sclma!' he cried, but she did not seem
to hear him. Her feet never wavered as
she wendell her way from the river up tho
bluff to where the last rays of the setting
sun still fingered, leaving him in the
shadows below.
Day after day Peter kept closely at his
times when he told himself Selma would
return to him, but she never came, and o
bitter hate against the man who had
stolen.his love away from him was kim
died in his heart.
II will kill him!' he cried. II will go
tonight and find him and choke the life
out of himp,'
But he fingered on and on by the river,
hoping against hope that Selma would yet
return to him. Then hope died away alto
gethcr, and hate alone filled his heart
A man, while crossing the river one day,
told him that Selma had left her home
and gone to the city with Mr.. Window,
the stranger who had sojourned in the vii
lage for the last few weeks.
twill follow them and kill himr' Peter
muttered, and the ivan went on his way
fully believing that Peter would do as he
had threatened.
But Peter fingered at the ferry. In the
course Of time tidings came that Selma
was Mrs. Window, and that she was liv.
ing in fine house in the city, where hcl
husband was prosperous man of bust
ness.
Peter only ground his teeth and NUT
tered, "I'll have my revenge yet some
day"
The days made weeks and months and
years. As the time passed. however, Peter
grew more and moro morosc, and the hate
that gnawed necessarily at his heart began
to show in all his deeds and words.
One day the little home on the bluff was
on fire, and the people from the village
rushed there to fight the flames and to try
to save whatever they could of it's furnish
ings. Peter was standing at one side, lean
ing against one of the giant pines, watch
ing the destruction of his home, unmoved,
making no attempt to save anything The
people looked upon him wrathfully, and
some of them, more daring than the rest,
upbraided him for not making an effort to
help put out the fire.
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