Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-06-07


Something that she read in his wrathful
mien made her hesitate as she answered
at is quite true Weare friends and moth
ing more. -
"It cannot be, my dear young lady, that
so young maiden should have given away
her preference without the consent or
knowledge of her guardian? Answer mo
candidly, Are your affections already en-
gaged?"
The color surged into Irma' S cheeks and
left them pale again. She glanced ut Frau
Won Wolde. There was no help for her
there. "That is Il question which you have
no right to ask, Count Reitzenberger, and
which refuse to answer l must beg you
to excuse me. -
"The Baroness Buchow is right" burst
in Albrecht. She has suffered enough at
our hands already. She shall not be
thwarted in her will. If she honors mo
with her friendship, accept it gratefully.
Listen to me, my uncle l refuse to be
party to your scheme"
He rose and held the door wide open.
| There was no smile on his face now. His
| eyes were full of trouble as they rested on
hers. He did not offer to take her hand
| in farewell He stood there in mute dis
| tress as she passed by--a fair, girlish figure
| in her white dress, her laces and blue rib
| bons-and she passed him without word
! The truce between them was over.
The forest spread it's wide wings even as
| far as the castle garden. 1rma loved the
| green paths and quiet shades, and here
she came with her book the morning after
her interview with the count and pretend
ed to read. But, though she kept her eyes
on the pages, she read there only Count
Albrecht's parting words-he accepted her
offer of friendship gratefully Driven to
bay, as it were, in order to save her, that
was what he had said. During the last
| three months she had come to understand
something of his uprightness, his higl
sense of honor. He would never marry
woman-though she were princess-to
| whom he could not give his love.
sit was my fortune" sighed lrma,
| "that made him nearly hate me at first y
| Did he hate her nowP
She shut up her book and wandered
still farther into the wood, down hillside
covered with fern and moss toward the
stream that ran between high rocks chat
tering and foaming on it's way On the
farther side of the stream was tract OF
open country, dotted with clumps of trees
and underwood and bright with heather.
The stepping stones were half covered with
water today. The current was running
fiercer than it's won't. She bethought her,
self of q rustic bridge a few yards farther
down.
The bridge hung high in the air, sup
ported by rough pine stems. 1t was a
picturesque but a fragile affair. Half way
across Irma put her hand on the rail. How
'. noisy the stream was! The rail snapped
off at her touch, one plank tottered I'M
der her feet, another fell with a splash into
the water She had plenty of courage.
She was light and active She knew,
moreover that she could easily leap that
formidable looking gap and gain the bank.
She was about to make the attempt when
she was stopped by a peremptory shout:
Gently Gently! Jump from that pro-
jecting stem. 1t is safc!
she looked up. On the edge of the
heather covered rock stood Albrecht Reit-
zenberg.
She paused, uncertain, half inclined to
retrace her steps. Perceiving her hesta-
ton he raised his voice and shouted still
|
: water:
"Can you hear me, Baroness Irma?"
She nodded assent.
"Step thereto the left. Do not look
backp'
t Inyoluntarily she obeyed. He held Out
, his arms The gulf yawned between
them. He could be of no help.
; "The stem will bear your weight. d.
| not be in too great a hurry.
: "Why does he look SO graye?' thought
4 Irma. lis he still angry"
f II had better return the way came
Count Albrecht. Do not trouble on my
l account
r "No. Do as I direct you. You SCI
which Is the best place to stand? DroI
your book-it might be in your way-ant
+. jump as far as you can. Nowp'
: One spring and Irma was safe on thu
o moss and heather while the plank on which
9 she had thought to stand slipped slowl.
but surely into the foaming water. AL
brecht held her hands clasped in his.
"Thank heaven that you are safeF' HI
/ cried "Oh, Irma, my Irma, could no
@ stop you. l came just too late for that.
could only look on in agony. Are you
frightenedP Are you hurt?''
' ''I am not hurt. did not know that i
r was dangerous l did not, indeed"
s She saw him turn pale at the thought o
! her peril, and the tears which she had no
v shed for herself fell fast for his distress.
"The bridge should have been destroyed
|, long ago. 1t shall be done today. di'
not dare to join you or to speak till yo1
j. had passed the worst If you had beel
K killed-ah! cannot bear to think of it
g should never have known another day
o happiness, and it would have been m
I fault-mine How could | let you wan
! der about alone when L was longing to b
' with you? My Irma, my best beloved
Thank heaven that 1 have you safe at last
Il Surely we have played at being friends an
v enemies long enough? Look at Inc and sa
Il that you love mel"
70 When he had made her an offer of mai
h rage three long months ago, she had bee
d ready, aye, very ready, with her refusa
= Now, when her whole heart was his, sh
could find no words amid her tears except
10 II love you! love you'll"
1t was enough for him. My bride M
II wife!' he said, and held her in his arms.
J, The green ferns rustled and Whispered
d the beeches tossed their boughs in the SUI
It light, the red squirrels played in the GA
e trees, the whole wood was full of life an
d JOY at that moment when the lovers pligh
,e ed their troth. Woman at Home.