El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-17


her protector, sitting as requested
at the far end of the room, quietly eat
ing.
But where was the other man? She
glanced nervOusly around the room.
| until she espied him in q little,
| curtained off apartment, dimly light
| ed.
She gathered all her forces together.
| and stepped quickly into where he
was.
He almost fell from his chair when
he saw who it was, but managed to
pull himself together, rose to his feet,
held out his hand, and said in his
usual voice, "This is an unexpected
pleasure"
Now that she was there. she felt
very foolish and plunged right into the
to avenge the girl, and get away. She
had forgotten, for the time, that SD e
had ever contemplated atrimony with
this man.
She waved his hand aside.
None of this" she said. 81 was at
the Telephone Exchange ,tonight, and
made this engagement with you, in
stead of the girl you wished to insult.
What have you to say in defense of
such shameless conduct"
For an instant the whites of his eyes
cleaned like stars, then, he smiled q
little, as he thought, She cares more for
me than I knew.
"Come, "he said, ''this is all bosh
about my insulting the girl. You know
nothing of her. She isn't your kind.
Don't let US quarrel about a matter 30
triaing. Won't you take my hand?"
Never" she said. $50 you think
this a small matter, do you? Suppose
I were to consider 1t sufficient cause for
q man to lose his place?''
"You would not dare do such q
thing" he breathed, rather than utter
ed, and hts face grew hideous with
rage.
piled, and there is not man in my en-
plcy that would not discharge for
the same offence"
admiration of you, as a defender of your
sex, II believed in it, but, unfortun-
ately, do not"
"What do you mean? She asked.
81 mean that it was a far different
feeling that prompted you to come here
tonight"
"And, pray. may 1 ask what it
was?'
Jealousy, madam, and what is
more," (he came close to her as he
spoke) ''if you discharge me, every
person in this town will know by to
morrow night that jealousy of tele-
phi one girl was the cause"
Sir she said and her eyes blazed
with sudden fire. 'if were man, 1
would knock you down."
81 will do 1t for you." said a voice at
her back.
Whereupon, the stenographer
promptly knocked him down. turned
out the gas, caught the lady by the
arm, and passed out q side door. be-
fore any one.knew what had happen
ed.
In a minute they were In carriage,
driving home at q rapid pace.
Neither spoke until they were in the
lighted hall.
She held out her hand, ST don't
know what to say" she began. II
could thank you, and all that, but 1
don't want to when I feel SO much
more"
He took her hand, aud looked into
her eyes for the first time.
"My dear lady," he said, "you are a
better judge of finance than you are of
human nature"
81 mean that you had made up your
mind to marry that scamp, not because
you loved him, 1 hope.'
'No, 1 was SO lonely" she said with
q little sob.
MAY L Would you think me pre-
sumptuous;if I asked you to let me come
up some evening, and talk with you?"
he asked, "fOr I. too, am so lonely
''Would I? You don't know, you
dom understand. 1 am more lonely
than the beggars on the street."
The world smiled little later when
it read an announcement in the papers,
headed.
"She married her stenographer.'
The boys in the Office said, logan
has fallen on his feet.''
But only those two hearts, that were
lonely, and are not, understood.