Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-14
DAMARIS VANE.

nonsense, you know"
Don't ask me to analyze my feelings
he answered, bending a little forward
II only know that love you. Ican't tell
you the why or wherefore"
II don't profess to have any heart" she
replied slowly. Il have never cared for
any one, nor am | ever likely to be wildly
IN love. like you'll don't attempt to
deny that-but liking and loving are very
different, l believe. Then-no, don't in.
terrupt mel firt-I can't help it. l am
too fond of myself ever to be what people
4 in love. 1t must be a most firing and
depressing process, l should think. AS
told you before, l ] have no heart"
Now, look here, - said the man, rising
from his seat and. speaking earnestly. "If
you don't care for me much, at least you
don't care for anybody else, so why not
take me? / am content to put up with a
lukewarm liking. 1t is better than nothing,
at all events"
Damaris Vane considered a few minutes,
her fan to her lips.
Every well" she said at last, with a
sigh. "But you must clearly understand
h a there Is one thing I could never put
up with, n that Is q jealous husband.
Now, l am sure you would be very jeal-
ous."
"Try me-" he exclaimed. II swear I
will never be jealous"
Swearing is no good. I want proof. !"
well, let me prove it to you"
"That is just what l want you to do.
Now, listen: l am staying on here for a
little over a week and what l suggest ia
that for that time we shall both of us be
at liberty, and l shall take advantage of it
by flirting with the first interesting man 1
can find. You, of course, must not inter-
fere, for you will have no opportunity to
do SO. For your part, you may retaliate
by making love to anybody, or everybody
If you prefer that, l shan't object, 1 can
assure you"
"Very well, he said despondently. 81
suppose l must agree to that"
"Of course you must" she returned,
laughing. sit is a most sensible arrange
ment. This day week meet me here about
this time and I will see if l feel inclined
to consent to a regular engagement. I
think it will be most amusing"
She glided off into some small talk, &C.
casionally casting a glance at Hunt to see
what he was doing. He looked a little dis
~consolately round him for a second or two,
and then drifted into a chair beside Mollie
Bentinck, a pretty faced little girl of IS.
Matters were much the same the next
day, when there was a large riding party
to some distant ruin. Hunt rode with
Mollie Bentinck, who showed a wild de-
sire to cling to her horse's name, and
whose hair promptly came down, owing
to her incessant humping.
1t must have been kindness and nothing
else IN Miss Vane's part that made her
stop as she was cantering past, managing
her lively mount to perfection, to inquire
If Mollie was frightened.
"Becauseif SO, you had better go home"
she said. II am sure Mr.. Hunt will be
pleased to take you back"
Delighted, / am sure" said that gen.
tleman. "In fact, to put it selfshly, I
should prefer going home. It's awfully
hot for riding"
1t was rather a~ggravating when they all
came in hot and tired after the ride to find
Cyril and Mollie strolling about the gar
den looking p~rovokingly cool and fresh.
"Oh, we quite enjoyed ourselves!" said
the latter in reply to her hostess inquiry.
"We ate strawberries and sat under the
big tree in the garden, and Mr.. Hunt read
poetry to me-"
Damaris gave a groan as she departed to
take off her habit.
"Poor Cyril! That he should ever descend
to reading poetry to o schoolgirl she said
commiseratingly. "How glad he will be
when the week Is ended!'
1t was with a curious feeling that Da-
maris found herself waiting under the
trees at tho end Of the week, having dis
missed Howard in search Of a shawl she
never had.
HE is sure to come" she kept on re-
peating to herself. II must give him long
enough. He is sure to come"
Which showed how very little chance
she really thought there was Of Cyril turn
ing up.
At last, just as she was giving up hope,
a mans figure came across the lawn, and
she saw, with q feeling of thankfulness,
that 1t was the one she was waiting for.
II thought you were never coming, " she
said, starting forward.
II hardly thought you would expect me
to go through the form Of coming" he
answered gravely. "You have shown me
enough that all Is over between us"
"No, indeed, " she answered hastily. 1T
Is a mistake. p
"Stop!" he said. II must tell you that
1t Is all quite over between us. Mollie Ben
timex accepted me a few hours ago. You
know we were both Of us to be quite free"
"All is indeed over" Damaris replied
quietly. II hope you will be happy"
II hope SO. Mollie is, at any rate, no
woman Of the world to play with mems
hearts as you do"
Don't be melodramatic. At any rate,
you have shown me that I have done yours
no harm. Mollie is q nice girl. / hope
she will be all you wish for"
II think SO. And you, l suppose, will
marry Howard"
Il suppose 80" she said az she moved
into the shadow, leaving Hunt to cross the
moonlit lawn alone.
Left alone In the darkness Damaris stood
Footsteps came across the
lawn, and her hostess appeared.
my dear Damaris, aren't you coming
imp No one knew where you were. Such
Captain Howard has to leave
tomorrow morning, and we are all bewail-
AA8 ~ uCpu1UulCs" SO1AO OuN UCWul4 ~
too, He has to 60 to Ireland to join his
"His ilanceei But l didn't know he
was ~engagedl'' And Damaris came for
ward.
"Neither did any Of us" was the serene
reply. ut seems that they have been en-
gagged some time, but her papa objected to
the match, so 1t was kept quiet. However,
Captain Howard has just had a telegram
10 say 1t is all right, and he is to go to Ire
land at once. Come and congratulate him
low. London News.
Wells Unde the Sea.
In the garrison station forts standing in
the sea at Spithead the supply of fresh wa
ber is obtained from wells inside their own
uxAll~ --Al-l L