Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-20

ly Phemie's eyes filled with tears, and
she just went off then and there and
left the paint pots and things without
saying another word
DR.. Jasper's visits became more fire.
quent. Mrs. Albatross was constantly
seen about the village with him. They
met in cottages. She was devoted, SC
she said, to nursing the sick 1t was
certainly new development She was
never seen with her daughter, nor was
Jasper, but he saw her daughter oftenel
than she knew Still it seemed less an(
less possible to do without Mrs. Alba
tross. Her ability, her cooked foods ant
port wine for Ceases her influence
with the squire, who disliked ant
obeyed her; with the parson, whose
good will was important to the doctor
and who was afraid of Mrs Albatross
| for she browbeat him in the chair al
parish meetings, picked holes in hi
sermons and organized the penny read
ings, which he disliked, under his very
nose-all this and good deal more
for Mrs. Albatross was woman ant
not above feminine arts-put Jasper il
rather tight place.
He knew that Mrs Albatross wanted
to marry him, and there were days
yes, whole days-when he really thought
he should be obliged to marry Mrs AL
batross
The moment came. 1t was in the lit
tie sitting room up stairs
Something had happened. DR.. Jasper
saw that plainly enough.
The lady was flushed and excited,
and he missed the usual confidential
hand squeeze.
CT wanted to see you," she said
and paused. Nothing has come to your
ears, SUPPOSED"
The doctor looked inquiringly.
"Well, then, I'm dreadfully troubled,
annoyed beyond measure, put out. OF
course, you know my maid, Susan. She
has been with me ten years and is not
gossip
what on earth do you mean? Do be
plain. Surely with me you might be
quite plain" And he moved a little
nearer, feeling at that moment curious
kind of attraction which almost com
PEELED him to lay his hand upon her
arm and force her to be quite honest
Don't keep me Oh tenterhooks, he
said eagerly ''Tell me!''
~ will, said the lady II feel
can tell you anything. don't think
have any other friend in the world-at
least, not like you. No one understands
me, no one has helped me as you have.
and we've got to part. That is all"-
"What OIL earth," said Jasper, really
shaken and troubled-he had never seen
her grow pale like that or her lips
culver like that, and she was not Of
the crying sort, and she did not cry now
-" what-what has Susan been say
ing?"
"Only that it's all over the place,
and that she thought at last she ought
to tell me-
"You don tmean, you don t mean
He couldn't quite say it.
eyes, do, she said. And she rose
and walked up and down the room full
Of a sort of angry vexation, mingled
evidently with a conflict of passionate
feeling she could neither conceal nor
subdue.
sit down." he said. He had risen
He took her arm. She was positively
trembling. He led her to the sofa by
the fire.
II shall have to leave this place, !"
she said in a sort of hard voice. The
angry tears came into her eyes. He had
never seen her weep. This was the
nearest approach to it.
IT know what you are going to say
Don't say it No, you shan't go. You
are useful, The people trust you. 1t is
your sphere. l am the marplot. .
"Why should You go?' said Jasper,
hardly measuring his words why
should either of us go? Why not stay
and stay-stay together?''
"You don't mean it?' Men at such
times are more fools than knaves.
Eyes, yes-I-do
Jasper had taken her hand. The wo-
man with the iron will, the keen intel.
lect, the nature self contained, which
seemed at times as hard as nails, turned
toward him and in another moment fell
crying and laughing Historically into
his arms. At that moment, as i'll luck
would have it, Phemie, hearing unusual
sounds and thinking some one needed
assistance, entered.
go and fetch some sal volatile. Your
mother is not very we'll. >" Indeed, at
that moment Mrs. Albatross seemed to
have really tainted away Whether she
tainted or not no one will ever know
The doctor himself was doubtful
Jasper never entered the house again.
He went home, packed up his things,
wrote hurried note in a disguised
hand to Picnic, who on the following
day would be 81 years old and come
into $500 year, which had been left
her, to the disgust Of her mother, by
her fond father-and Jasper went to
bed.
He must have risen early. No one at
his lodgings saw him 60 out. His hot
water was brought up at O'Clock. His
boots had not been put out over night
The servant knocked again at 8. The
door was not looked She entered. She
saw boxes packed and labeled LEFT
till called for. +" The bed was empty.
The station was mile off. There
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