St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-01-16

y y
stay, and you like her more than you do
me"
: Carlos denied this in words that were
neither Kind nor just to Ines; but Bet
ty damned her with faint praise.
She was not clever conversational
ist, nor was Carlos Franquelo, but they
kept each other interested until very
late, and when Carlos went home Betty
stepped out tosthe front porch with him
and putsher hand in his, with the least
bit of a pressure.
scan I KEGS you?' Carlos asked, bald
ly.
81 suppose so-because we're cousins,
you know" Betty assured him, as She
raised her innocent face to his hand
some Mexican one.
He whispered: II .lofe you, oh!
lofe you. You arc beautiful, beeuti-
full" and Betty laughed a little, and
told him he was silly, when they had
only known each other for two days.
Now, with Betty's beauty and other
attractiveness, it was natural that she
should have great deal of attention
from thetbachelors, but Carlos devotion
was so marked that they drew off one
by one, leaving the field pretty much to
him. They resented Betty's permit
ting the young Mexican to follow her
about incessantly, even though he were
q second cousin. As for the girl, un-
til 1t was too late she did not see the
harm she was doing. Then all the off,
GERS had deserted her and there was
only Carlos. Well, Carlos was. hand
some and good enough game, so she
led him on.
Itsswas not her fault, surely, that she
didn't know the Ways of Mexican
lovers. She had told plenty of
other men that she loved them,
and nothing had happened. But
one night she told this to Carlos
et his urgent equest, and the next day,
at about stables" as she was swinging
lazily in the hammock on the porch,
she saw three buggies, containing two
men each, coming up the line. In the
first sat Carlos and his brother, in the
others, reanoter make relatives.
Betty guessed the truth at once, and
her pink cheeks turned whites She ran
nto$ the house, and screamed loudly
for her uncle.
''Oh! Uncle Nat" she begged, when
she found him in his room, Carlos, and
Jose, and all his nasty old relatives are
coming here. Send them away, won't
Eou? Please do.s' She efung to his
lrm.
.'5Thy shall I send thep away? Are
hey going ito murder tale poor little
'iri9"
.sNo, no, no. But 1 think they're go
ng to ask you to let me marry them!"
'-All of them?"
! Betty lost her temper and few into
| white rage. 3'stop yoar fool joking,
nd do what / say! You tell them I'm
iek, and tell that - Carlos that ]
tate him." She ran and hid just as
he bell changed.
Carlos found the captain. and made
lis demand in due form. The young
ady's father not being there, he felt
hat her uncle could take the place of
i parent. He wished to ask the hand
# his beautiful niece, knowing that she
lerself was willing to bestow it,.
"How dc. you know that?" the cap
ain asked.
"She tell me sc"
"When?"
s.Las' night. She tell me dat she lofed
ne, SO to-day come for to ask her from
tou u ,s,. lssz,a. go y
: t'Are you sure She said she loved you,
-as@
''oh! yiss, sairtinly. She KEGS me. j
llso.'', ~
The captain left the room and went
offnd his niece. elizabeth, that fellow
says that you told him you loved him.
Did you?''
se'' The old fool!'
Did you?'''
ssss,upposing I did3 He made me. He's
m idiot to think / mean every little
hing T say
"Did you kiss him ?"
sfeNo.''
The captains face cleared-then he
ettllhou ghtt him of the ways of r'omen.
Did syou let him kiss your
perhaps. Iidon't know i
He caught her hand. Come in here
o Franquelo and explain yourself.
Toud better say you'll marry him after
hat proceeding"
Betty was frightened. Her defiance
.hanged to pleading. Please don't
make me see him, Uncle Nat, dear,
'lease. s.s -s,.se---s--sse
"Come on"
'But, Uncle Nat, can'tsay I'll marry |
lin. was only. .fooling. I'm engaged |
o another man.
Capt, Locke dropped her hand and
eturned to the sitting-room.
"Franque1o," he said, coldlv, for he |
isiked his nephew sincerely. "I regret |
hat this unpleasant thing should have
lappened~to you under my roof My
Iiece tells me that she was not in |
arnest. and she is soon to marry an |
ther man. However, she win not stay |
mother day with me to trouble you or
nyone else. shall send her home to-
ight."
Carlos face, as he silently left the
Dom, was an ugly sight.
Betty was sitting suikily in The wait.
lg~room at the Tucson station about
80 o'clock the same night. Her uncle
as seeing tothe checking Of her trunk
utside. When he came back, man
HON he. recognized even in the late
wiiipht dis Carlos FrannuaIo ran mast I