Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-15
CHAPTER II.

DA1AS3 CAAa hQd DCCa lGlU OOGl AFTER fhf
preliminary reading of a chapter.
Strong Martin had selected the banks
OF the creek for his battle-ground with
conscience. 1t would be pleasanter down
there on the water pebbly brim, where
no n was likely to intrude today.
He was hidden from the view of the
hungry ~churchyard f~easters by the high,
sandy banks of the creek that were
fringed with trailing blackberry bushes
and blue eyed periwinkles. From the
spot he selected he could hear the clat.
ter of dishes and the lively chatter OF
the feeders and the fed.
With his eye closed he saw it all.
In an agony of indecision he flung
his hands outward and upward and
groaned aloud: eff I stood alone, it
would be different. 1t would be easy.
But-the old folks-and-Liza." Then,
with clinched fist and resolute lips, "It
is a forced hand" And again in a voice
almost of despair he said it: ga forced
handl A forced handl"
Upon the calm afternoon air the
clangor of a bell smcte sharply. 1t was
the bell in the little wooden belfry Of
the red brick church calling the multi.
tude back to the closing exercises. The
COWS were slowly climbing the opposite
bank OF the creek. The blue crane un-
tucked it's small head to reconnoiter.
Strong Martin got up and stretched his
cramped legs, stamping vigorously with
his benumbed feet.
"a profitable hour, he said bitterly.
II came here to settle a matter of con.
science. l I'M sure of only one thing: I
am hungry. No, Of two things. The
knot is knottier than ever. 1t is q forced
hand"
AS he clambered precipitately up the
steep bank of the creek he suddenly
came face to face with Mamie Colyer.
In IL hand she held a cup of coffee, in
the other a loaded plate.
Il have been looking for you ever
since you left the church. l saw you
when you came out. Here, take it. You
must be dreadfully hungry" She was
looking at him. She could not. She
was so absurdly short and he SO CORE
spondingly tall that his grateful glance
could only perch on the befowered
Of her big hat.
II am hungrier than I thought. 1t
was good of you to think of NE, Miss
Mamie. did not expect it of you"
Others have been thinking of you
oO1 to1kinr oho,t r,r3 |
"Yes?"
Her hands were free now. He had
taken the cup Of coffee and gulped it in
three or four mouthfuls. His utterance
somewhat impeded by sandwich.
mo n has thought of me in this
way. 1t was very sweet of you, Mamie.
But | am angry with you. Quite
She employed her liberated hands in
her large Gainsborough hat far
enough on the back of her head to give
him the full benefit of an extremely
gaze which she had carefully pre-
for the occasion.
"Adrien Strong says you are acting
ike an imbecile. He is very much up
ct about you"
There was a tang of wormwood in
us voice as he answered, 81 think Adri-
n will not suffer much on my account"
"Adrien Strong is very fond of YOU"
he said decidedly.
His own name, shouted in Adrien's
dice, came clearly and shrilly through
he lacy screen Of elder blossoms. The
irl put her hand out hurriedly for the
mpty plate and cup.
"There, go. Everything is waiting
n you. You are a beautiful looking
Waitl / know it's dread
lilly bold. but l can't let you go back
like a defeated prizefighter.
She stood on tiptoe close in front of
i'm. Her slim brown fingers gave his
await a savage little jerk, bringing the
wv around from under his left ear.
"There, you look just one degree less !
lsreputable. Do smooth your hair down {
trif1e."
He was beaming OH her in an ecstasy |
gratitude. It was SO pleasant to have t
me n care whether he was hungry {
sat1ated, trim or disreputable. j
DO go. If you stand there much Ion.
# looking S ridiculously grateful. l I
all forget that I am angry with you. !,
am sorry, SO sorry-for-everything. I
ut, of course, I don't believe it," 8
Don't believe WHAT" Strong asked,
Iguely interested in the words, vivid {
in the speaker, whose soft, upturned '
es had altogether forgotten to look r
ern. q
dom believe anything" With sud- i
n passion she stamped her small foot. \
There, 60. I have only made matters s
orse by coming here. Adrien Is call q
g you. Adrien says it is ridiculous to t
ppose you could have taken those 1,
f.
HE did, did he?" The boys voice +
IS choked with the sudden up leaping y
passion. i,
Yes, and Of course it Go, 90, gol" n
She was stamping her foot at him.
was calling him from the top Of /,
J bank. The bell kept up it's monoto. 1,
US summons. The white winged y
lifted it's slender body awkward {,
and sailed away on frightened wings. ii
must go and face them all. II was a i,
ced hand. =,
With O flutter of ribbons Mamie dis. h
peared behind a near pomegranate
III. Adrien came crashing forward n
or the pine needles that made the 81
ping ground slippery. His voice, tart II
l cross, reached Strong a second in a
rance Of his hurrying feet: 10
Man alive, Strong Martin, you are "a
ing like an imbecilel A positive i'd ht
I" ~
i don't understand you" til