Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-21

| WINE the girl was uoing up tne parcel Sne
leaned forward, whispering:
"Have you forgotten me, Lizzie? I'm
Dorothy MAXWELL"
Tho parcel dropped from the girl hands.
II can't see through your veil" She
said. I'VE thought you were dead"
Dorothy glanced hastily around the
shop, where under the iiaring g~aslighta
she recognized many faces. She raised her
hand to her veil. then hesitated.
"Where is John:" she asked.
"John is married." the girl said sullen,
ly, land has set up in business tor him
SELF"
Dorothy clntched at the counter, and
for a moment the oppressive smell, the
garish lights, the sound of coarse voices
seemed to be one whirling mass that
blinded her.
she waited a long time" tho girl went
on in a vindictive unCertonc, 'but he got
tired and married last year. He used to
say some nasty things about you, l can
tell you, for going off as you did, with
never "a word, and you engaged to him
too. What are you doing now" she add
ed, raising her voice. "Still stopping
some girl or other from marrying the man
she likes, as you stopped me from marry
ing john" Dorothy shook her head help
lessly and, throwing some coins down up
on the counter, walked out of the shop.
Instinctively she turned toward the
park, her mind filled with memories OF
the past, with its hard and ceaseless work,
its privations and simple pleasures, and
with the part John Gregory had played in
that past. So her tender, helpful lover
was married, she thought as she orouched
on u seat under the dripping trees-mar-
ried, and she was forgotten! And she had
come to tell him that she had wearied OF
the luxury of the last four years, that she
needed him to be happy and that if he
would forgive and forget the wrong she
had done him she would marry him as she
had promised him in the old days.
John was married! She smiled bitterly
to herself as she thought OF her wild desire
as she drove to the Tottenham Court road
to tell him everything-of the accident in
Oxford street that had first brought her
under Lord Bewdavon's notice, of his con-
slant kindness during her following ill
ness, of the temptation to which she yield
ed because she was always tired and often
hungry and of the four years at Belper
Lodge-and now there was no need. Stun
ned n dizzy she rose to her feet, clearly
seeing that she had no one now upon
whom to rely to protect her from herself.
Her castle Of cards had fallen to the
ground, the maj upon whom she leaned
perhaps foolishly-to redeem the past had
forgotten her, and the agony of her disap'
%pointment was supreme.
DIT tho Iohi<e ~ fo-r .ot -
be shaken off in an hour, and the striking
of the neighboring clocks reminded Dor.
othy that she must return to dinner; but
as her cab bore her through the slippery
streets the whirling wheels seemed to re-.
peat, "As the tree falls SO it shall lie."
Dorothy %shuddered, but still tho words
rang remorselessly through her brain, fol.
lowing her up the broad staircase at Bel.
per Lodge and into the quiet of her own
room.
Then she faced the situation. She was
at least necessary to Lord Bewdavon, and
he, to whom she owed so much, should
not find her wanting. He loved her, and
John had forgotten. Perhaps she deserved
that he should forget. But when she was
dressing for dinner tho pathos of the stu.
alton came to her suddenly. ~ shall be
sentimental for once" she thought. 'To-
night ! shall wear mourning for my dead
love. Tomorrow I shall forget"
The bright eyed French maid could not
understand madame's inexplicable desire
to wear the only black gown she possessed
that night. A bright dress, the pink and
white, would drive away madame's mi
graine, but Dorothy silenced her objeo-
tions, and in silent protest the woman
clothed her in the somber garb she had
chosen.
Dorothy had reached the first landing
on tho way to the drawing room when she
heard the hall door open and a"Yes. my
lord" from the footman In reply to an
eager question. The next moment Lord
Bewdavon was beside her.
"Ah, you have seen the papers" he
said, touching her dress. 81 was too wor-
ried to telegraph. How thoughtful, how
good of you, Dorothy" he went Oil softly.
"You have worn this tonight because you
knew how much l loved HIM" And his
eyes filled with tears.
"Your father she stammercd.
"He died last night. He would have
loved you as much as I do had he known
you, Dorothy. / shall never forget your
sympathy" Again he touched the black
dress, then kissed her as he had never
kissed her before.
One morning a fortnight later Lord
Bewdayon, now Duke Of S~traIhwayte,
drove to Belper Lodge, leaving shortly aft
erward with Dorothy. When he returned,
the servants addressed her as "Your
grace. BLACK and White.