Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-10-19

them?'' asked Judith, with glance of dis
pleasure.
"From their woebegone countenancns
after the ball I am certain that you re-
fused both of them at Lottie Ashton's
party. And they are considered excellent
catches too.
The color mounted rapidly to Judith :
cheek, and she drew her straight, black
eyebrows together with an expression that
repealed curiosity Eugene lay back among
the cushions of his luxurious chair and
watched her with an odd look in his half
closed eyes. He was handsome man, 80
years old, and widely travelled. His half
sisters were much younger, neither of
them being 20 yet.
"Let us drop the subject" said Judith,
glancing with suppressed yawn at the
clock, which pointed to 1920.
cit had as well be discussed now as
LATER" said Mrs. Seymour as she finished
her twentieth pair of slippers to be dis
tributed among the convalescent patients
at the hospital eff Judith chooses to re-
knows that she is at liberty to make her
home here. In few years our fireside
will be lonely enough"
w lUu Uuo RlTlS lu1fIlout tuu llCI UdSAClOL
stepson at the antipodes," explained Eu-
gene to Judith.
Probably not at the antipodes, but GER
tainly married" said his stepmother calm
~. IT understand, Eugene, that Marie
Harding is again mingling in the gay
world. I do not imagine that she will
long remain a widow"
Thank you for insinuating that your
son will be the first to make her an offer, F"
said Eugene, mockingly, and again he
glanced at Judith, who, as her eyes met
his, suddenly lost all her beautiful color.
She bit her lips as if to punish them for
| trembling and stopped down to pick up a
| sketch which she had been drawing before
the conversation began. Again she glanced
| at the clock
"Well, the rest Of you may keep up the
battle as long as you please, Eugene said
glancing also at the clock as he rose. II
confess that I am sleepy, and will be oblig-
| ing enough to withdraw from the confer
ence But will warn you, mother mine,
that you may as well put down your arms.
Judith will come off conqueror"
| Half an hour later he heard his parents
and sisters come up stairs without Judith.
He had not gone to his room, but to the
library, thinking that she might come
there for some book, as he knew that she
was in no mood to sleep. When he found
that she was not likely to come up very
soon, he went down to the drawing room
again.
"Oh," he said, in apparent surprise,
when he saw her sitting in precisely the
same attitude as when he left her, "still
here, Judith? I suppose the conference
broke up in a row, judging from the OK
| preston Of your face. / thought, too, that
heard mother sob as she passed the libra
ry door,
| He went up to her and leaned over the
back of the tall, carved chair in which she
sat.
IT am sorry you came back, Eugene"
| said Judith, looking very pale and severe.
II do not care to talk to you any more to-
night, and if you will excuse me will go
| up stairs. -
| II will not excuse you, Judith, he
| said, OBTAINING her II have such great
desire to know why you refused Frank
White and Harry Stanton and then formed
this mad resolve to become an artist that
1 shall not let you go until you explain. I"
"You have no right to question me in
this way said Judith, white with anger.
| sit may be that have not, answered
Eugene in strangely gentle tone. "Do
| you think that shall be the first to lay
my heart at the feet Of my old love-the
| pretty Widow Harding-or-do-you
care?''
He drew her back against the high,
carved chair and made her look at him.
her eyes kindling with shame and resent
| ment.
IT know you have remained single all
| these years because she threw you over for
Major Harding" she said, looking def
antly up at him. II am also certain that
she never loved her husband as she did
| you, and that you can win her now if you
choose"
"Now that my prospects are improved
| and she is quite wealthy herself, said
Eugene scornfully. Judith, thought
you would give me credit for more pene-
tration."
"a man has-none for the woman he
loves" said Judith in low tone.
II confess you are right, for l have
known you well for ten years and never
caught glimpse Of your heart until to-
night"
Judith looked up in bewilderment, but
Eugene bent down and kissed her for the
first time in his life. As a son and brother
he had not been demonstrative. Still less
had he been so as cousin.
"Judith, don't you understand meP' he
whispered. II love you and believe you
love me, little girl. y
II wish I could believe you, wistfully.
"Do always seem to say the opposite
of what feel? That cynical habit was
the outgrowth Of an effort to conceal the
real state of my mind toward Marie Hard
ing, and afterward to guard against a
similar disclosure toward you, for I was
certain that Hal Stanton had won your
heart. Tell me again, dearest, what your
eyes told me once this evening-that it is
really mine after all. "
But my life plans, (" protested Judith
They are fixed now, and cannot change
| them. =
"You mean you do not love me then.
Death and ambition are weaker than love-
| Judith. !"
She thought again Of the future she had
mapped out for herself, counting love out
| 1t would be joyless, empty existence
after ALL
Indeed" he pleaded, "do you want
such happiness as D mans true love can
| give, or can you be satisfied with the hard
and narrow life that leads to famef"
II believe 1 can live without fame, Eu-
| gene" she admitted ut last. 1t would
be much harder, l fear, to live without
| you. &c Commercial Tribune
The Biggest Mouthful.
l # y I r. ~ "A ~.