Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-29

has been mercifully given to US to for
get. In the past Raymond, first of all,
wonld have scotfed; in the future he
would come to doubt the horror Of the
present moment. But it caught him
and held him then with a mighty
strength. The primitive creature comes
out when it il dashed with the whip Ct
real pain all the bars Of custom and
convention cannot restrain it. He for.
got the honor of his sane moments. He
snarched away the hands and dragged
her to him and turned her face up
again to his.
"Why did you do it, Ciyely:" he re-
peated.
She clinched her teeth and steadied
her voice, and then she told him.
But you were utterly wrong" he
said. He was dazed to have been so
misunderstood, and he offered no ex-
PLANTATION. But she did not need one
now She had seen the full measure Of
her folly.
II know" she answered, II was
wrong, and-I am punished" She
threw her arms about his neck and sob.
bed, and he held her close. 1t was only
for a little time. Then she drew away.
Her arms fell at her sides. at cannot
be helped" she said, and she turned
and went away.
There was nc change in Raymond.
either then or as the years went on. He
was a good officer and a good man and
unembittered But Cicely Glanville
changed. The world loves nothing bet.
ter than to find al explanation for what
has mystified it. 1t does not trouble ia
verify it's belief. at is plain" it said
now, "why Cicely Marlitt married
Glanville. Raymond was not the man
to have allowed her to indulge her pro-
pensities.
The propensities were toward fiirta-
lions that s%candalized that conservative
i'd respectable institution the army.
Even the men Of the regiment resented
that it should be given fame through
Mrs. Granville. And the women feared
and hated her, but they also admired.
Popular superstition to the contrary
notwithstanding, most women see the
charms Of a rival. Envy is as keen
sighted as love is blind. And the clever
ones admit them.
Being isolated from the small circle
Of feminine wit, Mrs. Granville added
to her attractions much masculine clear
sightedness and wide range of interests.
She was as good to talk to as to look
upon. She spoke with the tongue of q
wisdom that was more-not less-than
womanly, and she sang with the voice
of a siren, and men fell down before
her and worshiped her and, throwing
the cloak of their infatuation over the
clay feet Of their idol, came finally to
forget them and believe it all spotless
alabaster.
They held her up to wives and daugh-
ters and sisters whom they would have
disowned for following in her path.
And they ruined the peace Of their lives
and of their homes for her-all, too,
without the hope of aver a capricious
fancy for reward. She brought them
low and laughed at them, but they still
had faith, as had her husband, though
the heavens should fall. She was known
to the borders of the service and beyond
as a creature Of no heart who had caus-
ed disaster and even death and had
shown neither remorse nor pity.
Yet when she was free once more
Raymond went to her. His old faith
was unmoved. Tt was a better sort Of
faith than any other she had inspired.
Years had gone since she had seen him.
She sat ono again before the fire-this
time in her fathers home. And Ray"
mond stood looking down at her. Tho
face, above the black dress of her mourn
ing, was as saintlike as of old and SEEM
cd as young and unsecured. The long,
gray eyes were as placid, but more deep.
He did not ask now why she had done
these things, Perhaps he knew. But he
said to her, as though the time between
had never been:
"Cicely, do you love me ~still?"
And the sweet lips parted to say the
words that they had never framed save
for him, II love you still"
He reached out his hand and took
hers. She tried to draw it away.
"But you do not want me-now?"
she said.
He held her fast and answered: II
want you now" There was no doubt in
his firm voice.
"You do not know" she tried to tell
him.
eyes, / know" he said, "and yet
and yet / want the Cicely who was my
honest little playmate years ago, who
was my trusted love in the past, who
will be my faithful wife in the time to
come. For old sake's sake, / want her,
DEAR"
She laid her tired head upon his
shoulder and closed her tear filled eyes.
"And for old sake's sake" she said,
''you shall have her. "-Gwendolen
Overton in Argonaut.
KyDuIalrn saCYc-- r.