Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-10-28
HER EXPIRATION.

his going, and we would be 30 never
again l felt convinced. She had absorb
ed him. Mind, desire, future, were
packed in the little palm Of her hand.
Yet I was not vulgarly jealous. / loved
Aubrey Yeldham better than ! could
have loved a brother, but l had seen
her and had caught the reflection of his
sentiment, though in IA tempered degree.
/ had met her but once, in n verdurous
Devon lane, where she had lost her
bearings and we had come to her assist
ance.
Her name was Ruth ~IaIscelles, and
she was a widow. That was the sum
total Of our knowledge. She might have
been 90, but we estimated her age at
25, deducing our theory from a certain
fatigued languor Of voice and expression
that accorded i'll with the girlish satin
Of her skin. This was arrived at on the
first day Of our meeting-wo had not
discussed her since. But one morning.
when he had called at the little farm
cottage where she lived and had found
her flown without a word Of regret his
despair bad been too much for him.
The whole story rolled from his lips;
his love for her, her seeming r~eciproc-
ity, their wanderings in the woods, her
reliant, trusting attituGe-that bad
taught him to wish himself some knight
of the Holy Grail and not a mere DO
Hmirched man Of many passions.
l was so out Of it, as the phrase is,
that 1 could volunteer small elucida-
tion. That she was a coquette of the
first order seemed the NEST feasible so
luton, and l offered it. He derided the
nation-it was apparently so frivolous
n venture that it failed TO anger him.
But one day, after we had returned to
town and were working well in bar
ness, he with his book, / with my illus
trations for it, be burst out afrosh:
"She unintentionally let out where
she lived. 1t is a village ON the coast Of
France. She must have returned.
"Wellt" | said, suspending my work
and pretending to extract a hair from
the fine point Of my drawing pen.
well, +" he burst out, 1.-THE world is
our oyster. If we sbirk opening it, We
can't hope to fitch pearls"
THAT mcans?" l hinged expectantly.
THAT means, in plain words, that
don't intend to give up the biggest
pearl that God ever sci to make a man
rich"
"You intend to follow her?'' 1 cues
tioned-needlessly indeed, for his kin
ding eye contained a fire Of decision anu
energy that for ii days, since the sorry
one Of her disappearance, had smol-
dered.
He had been absent but n week when
1 received the telegram announcing his
intended return. / stood-with my
back against the mantel and hands
warming themselves behind my shelter
ing coattaiIs-eager to recognize his
rampant mount Of the stairs, to feel the
clasp Of his hand or tho thump on th,
shoulder blade and hear his CHEEKY
Congratulate me, old fellowr' that
knew must come. A cab stopped outside
and a key turned in the lock. Then &
slow, heavy tread assembled. We met il
the passage. There was no need fol
more than a glance at him to abridgC
the exuberance of welcome that hat
bubbled to my lips.
The silence was SO long-so pregnant
with unsyllabled anguish-that at las
I closed a warm hand over his finger
as they clasped the arm end of his chair
"Well?'
"Well." no said huskily. starting
little from his coma aud pdxing a Goa
with the toe Of his boot, tits over"
$50 l supposed. and the pearl wa
mott
''Not for my handling" he inter
rupted. II knew you'd think somothin,
hard Of her. but you won't. you won
whon l tell you
He stretched his hand TO his glas
and emptied it before continuing.
at came about o than | intend
ed-the horizon was SO serene l wantet
to lay 10 for a bit-but it was no use
We were talking Of something's for
get what-and Imade a quotation. YoV
know the chap who said. Show me
woman's clothes at different periods O
her life and l will tell you her his
toryg'"
Eyes, 1 forget hij name, but l thinl
IL was a F%renchman.
well, l quoted him, pretending to
like perspicacity. 1t was a sneaking
cowardly ruse TO know moro of her."
"Well?'
"She snapped at my oifer-was al
most ardent in her wish TO test me
II caught her wrist as IL turned tn
handle Of the wardrobe door and remon
strated: i refuse to see them. / know
nothing of clothes, and I'm not a dotec
tive. won't pry into your past secret
either Of sorrow or Of joy
Her hand shook in my clasp.
Don't stop me, she cried impera
lively. Help mel want you to know
them
$50 be it, 1 said and pushed bacI
the door. Then she suddenly nung Der
self in front Of II, between me and tn
Of dainty frocks and shimmerin.
kices. She Looked like Cassaudra guard