Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-08-12
A DARK HORSE.

Oman, but whether for himself, or for the
comfortable income that was his, or for
the quite notorious dearth of men at Ma
pletree, or for the spirit of mere rivalry
among a multitude of maidens, who shall
say? Enough that he was loyed-loyed by
May Holt, tall, fair and sympathetic,
skilled to set a bashful man at case; by
Mona Forshells, dark, elegant, ~vivacious,
warranted to wear; by Evelyn Maynard,
.prettiest of them all; by Miriam Pennell,
a delightful girl, not beautiful, but merry
and adored in Mapletroe; by three Miss
Mannings and by four Miss Hewitts, by
five Miss Joneses and Miss Nora Earnsley,
by Ethel Birchington II all
Now, l am not prepared to hold a brief
for Walter. AS the eldest Jones girl said
"Why can't he make up his mind and
choose one of us and save us all this trou-
BILE? It's so SELFISH" And she stamped her
pretty foot.
But the wind bloweth where 1t listeth,
and Walter had no wish to choose. He
much preferred to wait, and, being per-
haps a humorist, perhaps a cynic, he main
tanned an attitude Of absolute impartiality,
made piquant by the utmost Difference.
He played golf with Miss Holt, shot with
Miss Forshells, sketched with Miss May
nard, gave aims with Miss Pennell, played
tennis with the Mannings, croquet with
the Hewitts, biked with the Joneses, rode
with Miss Earnsley, smoked with Miss
Birchington and dined with the mammas
as often as they asked him and he could.
Moreover, being Of a hospitable nature, he
returned their hospitality-gave casual
lunoheons charmingly, gave teas the most
delightful from rare china in the midst OF
Chippendale, gave little dinners admit
rably arranged, at which each mother In
her turn was asked to occupy the head Of
Walters table.
I ventured to suggest to Walter this was
cruel and had spoiled Mrs. Manning's din
ner more than once, if no one else's. But
he merely smiled and said, AT any rate,
it's better than being rude"
"Man is the hunter; woman is his
game" So says the rough king in Tenny-
sons princess" But what if MAJ be
not disposed to huntP 1t does not follow
there will not be sport. Walter was
hunted.
Miss Forshells took to golf, Miss May
nard shot, Miss Holt played tennis, Nora
Earnsley sketched, the Mannings rode,
the Hewitts biked, the Jonoses smoked,
Miss Birchington gave aims, Miss Pennell
smiled, Walter waited and l watched the
pretty comedy life had devised for my
amusement.
The pace quickened. 1t was thought
that Walter showed a preference for golf.
Perhaps he did, and odds were on May
Holt. Immediately all Mapletree began
to play. There was a dearth of caddies,
school children turned truant, fortunes
were being made, and Miriam Pennell
had her work cut out to keep the place in
order. Her caddies' bank-my poor sug-
gestion, l am glad to think-was in a fair
way of success when Walter tired of golf
and took to sketching. Immediately odds
shifted on Miss Evelyn Maynard, who it
was murmured had obtained unfair ad-
vantage by being first in the field, and a
sketching club was formed in her despite.
The hunting season came, and with it
the odds shifted to Miss Earnsley and Miss
Birohington. True, the three Mannings
made heroic efforts with two horses, but
the distances were long, nor did they look
their best on horseback.
1t froze. Frost was Miss Forshells'
chance-shs skated perfectly. The Joneses
did their best to spoil it by learning.
Walter was very patient, but fancy they
lost ground.
The Hewitts had an inspiration, tableaux
wants, in which they posed with Walter.
"The Huguenot," Sir John Millais' pic
ture, was a complete success, but 1t was
rumored there bad been solne rivalry be-
tween the sisters and that parental au-
thority had had to be called in. And In
support of this view 1t was pointed out
that Dora's violin was new, and Daisy,
the successful poser, did not go to town
that year.
However that may be, the tableaux were
repeated at the schools in aid of local char
tiles. Concerts and charity filled maidens'
minds, and Walter had to BIO consulted
many times a day. Walter discreetly re-
ferred all his clients to the vicar. The
vicar referred them to Miss Pennell, who
accepted the responsibility. sit won't
last, y she said to me. II wish it would,
but while it does / may as we'll make
hay"
She was quite right-it did not last.
Walter was called to town on business.
Charity grew cold. He started on a Wednes-
day, and Miss Jones was at the station
with designs on a convenient aunt. She
took a first class ticket. Walter went third.
Business took Walter frequently to town,
and travelling became the rage at Maple
tree. Miss Pennell seized her opportunity.
She took a tennis team to Hatcham, to re-
turn at 7:15 by Walters train. All the
lx.L Jz.a- .,,o,,k o,,l 1ho xunv, tho rr,p fob
Then. Walter broke his arm. An ambu-
lance class was promptly started, and Miss
Pennell gave instruction for a moderate
fee, to the manifest advantage Of her seven
accounts. "Out of the eater came forth
sweetness" y l remarked in this connection,
and she smiled. II like to turn misfor-
tunes to account" she said.
No need to tell what flowers were sent
to Walter, what inquiries made. Enough
that he made satisfactory progress, and
theatricals were set OH foot to entertain
his convalescenoe. Walter was asked to
choose the piece, and with considerable
sang froid suggested Patience" with
himself as B%unthorne. The chorus,
"Twenty Lovesiok Maidens," was i'm
mense, but dangerous, i~ndisputably dan
gerous. "Do you think he Is fooling usp"
asked Nora Earnsley at our first rehearsal.
ST he were any one but Walter, " l replied,
~ should certainly say he was; but, being
Walter''-here, being at some LOGS what to
say, l paused. "He certainly is blind"
said Nora Earnsley, and I was content to
leave 1t In that way.
However, I inquired Of Miriam Pennell,
for whose Judgment I had great respect.
"They none Of them can act" she said,
Except Mona, SO don't you think it's
kindS"
~ had not looked upon it in that light"
l said.
"Men don't see everything, " was her rc-
ply.
"They guess sometimes said l.
"Do they?" said she, reddening, as I
thought, slightly.
That evening Walter told me something
psivatsly. y
A week later, after the Patience per-