Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-12

over to the dusty chimney jamb and
rested n elbow upon it, looking down
at her with growing impotence.
Three burrows had already plowed
their way across his smooth, broad fore
head, telling Of solitary and meditative
hours. A look of perpetual revolt was
becoming fixed in his eyes. Upon the
entire man was stamped the aspect Of
II wholly in protest against the world
as he found it.
Earnest, loving sympathy welled
from Liza's heart to her lips and froze
there. 1t was not easy to proffer it in
view Of Strong's dumb protest against
her Intrusion. She took temporary refuge
in levity to gain breathing time.
How luxuriously you live, Strong
One queensware plate, Clipped; one
cup and saucer, no handle on cup;
bone knife, might be a utensil or a
weapon; steel fork, two pronged; two
German silver tablespoons. Superfuous
elegancel Nothing spoonable is visible.
Salt in empty sardine box; sugar ditto.
Viands are corn bread, fried bacon,
cashaw cooked in molasses, baked sweet
potatoes; cookery-dubious; napery-
none"
Strong's face darkened visibly under
this airy impertinence. He stood gnaw-
ing the ends Of his long mustache in
impotent wrath. Slowly Liza turned
toward him and lifted her lovely eyes
to his face. There was no mirth in
them now; instead, a biting scorn, a
flashing indignation, a resolute daring.
She was there to save, not to scott. She
must not finch.
"Do you like it, Strong?'' she asked
in a cool, high voice.
"Do I like what?"
She waved her hands comprehen-
sively.
"This-all of this; this shocking
unceiled cabin, with its smoke black
rafters overhead; this worn, sunken
bare floor; that noxious pond out yon-
der, with its blood chilling air; this
horrible isolation; this dreadful lone
illness day and night, night and day.
Oh, it is horrible, Strong, horrible!"
sit is not SO bad when one is in uni
son with it."
but you are not in unison with it.
You cannot be. l read revolt in every
line of your face. You are SO young and
strong and free. Think of it, Strong,
free; free to go out tomorrow, If you
will, and take your place among the
men who are doing and daring and
achieving; free to measure your brain
with their brains, your Drawn against
theirs, 1t means so much, just to be a
man, Strong"
He laughed almost ~viciously, and
was about to say something in keeping
with the mirthless sound, but she put
out an imperious little hand and went
on with increasing yehemence:
II know. know what You arc going
to say. 1t is uphill work for a man to
make Roadway here unless he is born
in the slave owners purple. But why
stay here? 1t is such a great, big, roomy
world-a place in it for all sorts, Strong,
places where no credentials but u spot
less name and a strong will are needed.
"And l have neither" The gloom in
his face darkened into hopelessness.
Neither? Do you intend that the
stigma Of our fathers vocation shall
wrap you, too, in a pail? With me i'll
must. For me there is nothing but ac-
ceptance, but l tell you, Strong, wom-
an as I am, if it were not for the ten.
der, loving hearts at home hat would
throb with pain if I forsook them, I
would 60 away from here tomorrow. I
would say to you, Come, and let us
make a home together, where the lines
are not so sharply drawn, nor the path
to honorable distinction so steep and
narrow Strong Strong! Strong How
can you stand still and see the great
race of life run and you not in it? Why
stand ye here idle, inert, supiney'
She stopped in maiden confusion, His
eyes were hooking her.
81 was right in telling Seth to keep
you away from me. Icould see how un-
pleasantly full you We're of crude en-
thusiasms. Then, more justly :"Child,
do you suppose you are presenting any
new ideas for my consideration this
morning? Do you suppose that when l
was working like a Turk at Singleton
to keep abreast with the fellows who
had an earlier start of me I did not
dream the regulation dreams about do
Ing and daring and achieving? Do you
suppose ! have seen all my fair castles
to the ground without one pang?
with such pangs as the very
devils in hell might pityi"
There was no supineness about him
now. He was standing erect, his broad
chest heaving with the intensity of his
emotion, his sad eyes glowing feverish-
ly. Liza could see his hand tremble as
he passed his handkerchief slowly across
his forehead. She went nearer to him
and laid her clasped hands on his bos-
ON. There was an inexpressible tender
ness in her sweet face and in her clear
young voice when she spoke:
"What has changed the face of the
world 70 completely for you, brother
Strong? You used not to be a cynic,
Seth says"
"Lies!"
"A-woman?"
"No. A man."
Zone man? One solitary man? One
lie?"
Zone solitary man. Butt loved
him. A single lie-but-a potent one."
"And you could not stamp it out?"
STAMP out a lie! 1t is like a prairie
fire. You stamp it out in one place and
while you are painting wei its harmless