San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-15

~
ers gathered for the evening
" meal in gay humor The day
had been cold, the streets and
=lu crowded with Christmas shoppers. The
resdom Of the dining-room with its lights
and sAVors thawed out host of tongues.
However, when Austen May entered and
.ook his place at the center of the long table
opposite his landlady, he missed the usual
airing of medical opinion He looked across
he table and saw, tucked under Dame
oollock's ample wing, young girl of nine
teen or twenty He watched her with some
curiosity, knowing Mrs. Pollock's seclusion
Of her own yours relatives. Pretty the girl
certainly was not. Austen May thought it a
lite sad that that deficiency should shield
her from gala, attention. She held her
Ie.: not ungra,efully, with a grave com
pos4re which hanged but once. when an
ln4lvertent m.vement sent a napkin-ring
spanning to her opposite neighbor She
ne. Austen Nays eyes with quiet smile,
her dark eyes lighting for the briefest mo-
nent, and white, even teeth showing against
her swarthy skin. A scar crossed the lobe
Of ner left ear.
"A realady," said Mrs Pollock to young
Ma as she left the room, but reduced
very, very much reduced. Her father sailed
With Captain Pollock many a time to Peru,
when they could not count their money and
nov It's all gone, and he's gone and the
captain 1t is against my rule to have her,
ane IFS not just the thing but what can the
~ lilo do in strange city? And she's
Iten May left town for day or two.
tturned late one evening. and the new
1der entered the house ahead of him. .
De mail had just arrived, and as she passed .
Dthe group that struggled for it young fell
low held up letter and called Nunez"
Mss Nunez," she emphasized the color
mounting to her cheeks at the imagined in
dignity
She turned from apology. When she
D.ame back to the dining room she started
. hnd Austen May belated like herself /
She hesitated a moment at the door, then |
zoos ner place, sliding her chair as far down |
her side of the table as arrangements would |
allow. While they waited to be served, !
Austen May took up the evening paper,
AND she had an opportunity to study his
pleasant, fair-bearded face.
My beef rare again !" he exclaimed, as
the dishes reached the table. What mortal
man can endure this 7"
Take mine" said his Ofs-d-vis, demurely
offering her plate. A change would suit
me"
ut Is strange" he said, Ito be indebted
10 lazy :or such favor"
How IAN l like meat, cooked or I'M
cooked, she answered, when stove
have seen only lighted as plaything?"
An he sighed "Itmust be charming
TO live on figs and mocking- birds eggs-and
earthquakes"
sh. iausl lttle.
V~1e1.Hl take and a long crack in the
SIDE OF ny house is dearer to me than your
mmmsI with thunder-storms and your
Christmas with snow" She shivered as
sne spoke
Would you like to go back to your south
sountry ?" he asked.
Il could not go back to its idleness." she
said, quietly and spoke again only in mono
syiIables
May guessed her education from her
fluent English with its clear enunciation
Her full. soft voice was in keeping with her
lingering accent
Il was not many days after that Austen
May .5oked down upon her from the ele
Vated railroad She came out of the first OF
Rrow Of apartment houses, and he noticed
how ste differed in walk and carriage from
Ihe girls who passed-her light, elastic step
and the quick asSertiVe tread her grace
| fui inclination and their rigid masculine