The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-02-17
Through Santa CLaraNheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTE

All this did not, however, abate her
admiration for both-perhaps particu-
larly for this picturesquely gentlemanly
young fellow. with his gentle audacities
of compliment, his caressing attentions
and his unfailins and equal address.
And when, discovering that she had
mislaid her fan for the fifth time that
morning, he started up with equal and
unclminished ire to go again and fetch
it, the look Of grateful pleasure and plead
ing perplcxity in her pretty eyes might
have turned less coaceited brain tnan
his.
But you don't know where it is?'
Il shall lind 1t by instinct"
| "Iou are spelling me--you two" The
parenthesis was a hesitatins addition.
but she continued with fresh sincerity
- shall Ge CHite helpless when | leave
here-if am ever able 50 by myself "
| Don't ever 60, then"
But just now want my fan-it il SO
close everywhere tolay."
Il fly, lnaleInoiselle"
He started - tae door.
She called after lin. Let mo help
your instinct, then had it H.. in the
majors study"
That WAS where was goirg"
He disappeared. Rose got up and
| moved uneaslly toward the window
How queer and quiet it looks outside.
! It's really too bad that he should b. sent
after that fan again. He'll never find
it" She Resumed her place ut the piano,
Adele following her with rouni expect
ant eyes. After pause she started no
again. I'll 90 and fetch it myself" she
said, with a half embarrassed laugh.
and ran to tae door.
Scarcely understanding her own ncrv-
BUSINESS, but finding relief in rapid
movement. Rose flew lightly up the
staircase. The ma jor'5 study. where she
had been writing letters during his alb
sence that morainS. was 1T the further
end OF long passage and near her own
bedroom. the door Of which as she
passed. she noticed half abstractedly was
open, but she continued on and hurriedly
entered the study. At the same moment
Emile, with a smile on his face, turned
toward her with the fan n his hand.
.'Oh, you've found it." she sail with
nervous eageruess. Il was SO afraid
you'd have all your trouble for nothing"
With half breathleSs smile she ex.
tended her hand for the fan. but he
caught her outstretchel little palm in
his own and held it.
"Ah, but yol are not going to leave
US. are you:''
In Il fash Of consciousness sh. under.
stood him. and. as it seemed 10 her. h.r
own nervousness and al and every.
thing. And with it cIrn, swift aprre-
citation Of all it meant - her AMI her
future. To b, always with him. anil.
like him, part Of this refined auI r--.-
ful seclIlsioa-akin to a.l tim. h.! 80
attracted her in this house: not H. Le.
Obliged to educate heralf M :,
it, but TO he in it On efual fa-rn,
at once: TO know that it vas Il, Wild |
foolish, youthful flIcy, brt a We
thoughtful and prudent resolve that
her father vCrld understand and
her friends r,5p,ct-thn,s We, th. /
thoughts that crowded quickly rn.a her /.
moro like an explanation Of her feel +.
ings than rsvelatioa-in the brief $50. |
ond that he held her hand. 1t was not |
perhaps love IA she had dreamed il aud
even belieTel it b,fp.": 81, WA NJ,
ashamed or emba-ra sci. s,. even fol.
with slight pride that sa. wa. NJ,
blushlnS. 9le rIiaei her eyes frankly
What she would have sul she did nat
know, for the door which he had clo.ed
behind her began to shake violently
IL was not the fear Of some angry in.
trusion or interference surely that made
him drop her hand instantly. It WAS no.
her second thDEght-ths idea that some |
one had fa.aI in a fit against il that |
blanchei his face with abject and nnrea.
sonlnS terror. l. must have been some |
thihS else that caused him to utter an
inaruculate cry and dash ont Of the room |
ana Gown the stairs like a mailman,
Wit had happened:
III n'r own Erf possession she knew
that an TINS was passing rapidly, that it
was not the door now that was still
shaHlnS' for it had swung almost shut
again but 1t was the windows, the book
Shelves. the floor beneath her feet that
were all shaking. She heard q hurried
scrambling, the trampling Of feet below
and the quick rrlstling Of skirt in the
passage as If some one had precipitately
He'd from her room. Yet no one had
called to her-eyen he had said nothing.
Whatever had happened they clearly
had not cared for her to know.
Tine jarring and rafting ceased as sud
denly, but the house seemed silent and
empty. She moved to the door. which