Natchitoches populist., 1898-03-25

not grayneSS had all gone, and the
parched, unloyely earth looked COO
and soft In the clear light. The sage
brush and cactus plants were tempo
rarily given tint of silvery green
and the wind, fickle fellow, seemed
conquered by the gentle moon, fol
hand in hand they searched every
nook and corner, blessing all living
things as they went The portel seem.
ed another spot, as it lay in food
Of milky rays; the chairs, the table
the dusty hammock-all seemed fresh
ly covered with shining satin. The
girl was In the same position, but the
corduroy gown had given place to a
white one, and the scarlet kerchief had
pale to rose. The rebellious hair had
been smoothed until it lay u dusky
rings about the face which the moon
! light had whitened, and the tender
rays turned to pink the two scarlet
spots-were they Of expectation?-
which burned beneath the glowing
| eyes. The sombrero's place on the
floor was taken by a mandolin, which
slipped from the hands of its owner
as she started from her lazy swinging
in the hammock, her accustomed ear
having heard the pressure of horses
hoofs against the hard ground long,
long before the riders could be seen.
Listening more intently she soon
knew there was but one horse, one
rider. The expectancy was ended
when Capt. Charteris slid from his
horse, tied it at the gate, and walked
toward the house, idly swinging the
leather mail bag as he came. Once
under the portel, he threw his hat on
the floor and sank into low chair
beside the girl.
Poor Frank went on to catch the
train for Santa Fe. Your brother
wrote and urged it. Bah! IT'S a nasty
ride from Ortegas!"
The man broke the silence.
Sing something-something Span
ish.'
Jack played soft chord on the
mandolin and sang tender serenade.
AS she finished he leaned over her and
said gently:
You shall have the answer to the
question of this afternoon now. How
can compare you to other women,
you who are so strangely different, 80
intoxicatingly eharming?" He leaned
nearer and took, unrebuked, the tan
ned fingers in his own. "You are
the result Of this strange life and cli-
mate, and I-oh, you know how feel!
You have shown your power over me-
since you first raised those eyes to
my face; and when / hear you sing,
then-then you know you hold me,
soul and body, as no woman ever did
before. You know it, don't you,
Jack?"
Enclosing her eyes as from dream
of bliss, she laid her hand lovingly
upon his shoulder.
You don't understand me, Captain
Charteris. l suppose I am not like
other girls, and it takes a long, long
time to understand me-"
Charters hid smile with his hand
The pleading voice was in his ears, the
red mouth near him, the eyes shining
unconscious love In his face, and the
moonlight, the wind, the echoes Of the
song reused his slow senses, and put
ting his arm around her he whispered
in his melting voice:
Jack, do you love me?"
There was no shyness in her rapt
face, as she drew nearer and mur-
"Oh, yes; yes, l do love you, and l
was so afraid you would never under
stand"
The smile grew broader on the Eng
lishman's face as he ardently kissed
her, and the mistaken moon incau-
tiously threw a glamor Of tenderness
into the steely eyes, while the vibrat-
ing little creature, with her head on
his heart, accepted the moons soft
Establishments. and worshiped on.
The intense stiffness of the summer
night seemed to ask for music, and |
Jack drew the mandolin toward her,
playing slowly that sweetest Spanish
air Media Noebe." While her fingers
we're on the strings, Charters, after
"Carissima, querida CHI
luita" In her willing ear and again
kissing her. strolled to the gate and
his horse. She sat still, u
bright bit of color in the vivid moon
light; and as he rode away, waving
lis hat as he went, she played with
I'll the strength In her quick hands,
sending after him food of melody
which sounded in his ears long, long
lfter the agile broncho had borne him
rom view.
She slept to dream over the last act
u her life, and awoke to redream it
's she wandered restlessly about the
touse or swung In the hammock. Har-
y and Farringden would not return
or two days.
Surely Harcourt," she whispered the
lame blushingly to herself, would
ONE again"
Seeking shelter from the heat in the
nnu hall hor nua fnlI a.. +h. faa..o44on