Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-06-23
FOLDING DOORS.

Thea's fault? I simply can't imagine her
quarreling with anybody"
"Of course she wouldn't"
"Then, If you didn't quarrel with her,
and she didn't quarrel with you, however
did you quarrel with one another?" I
shook my head and looked into the con-
s~eryatory.
"We didn't exactly quarrel" I said.
"We thought it better to part-at least,
that is what we said"
Mrs. Haviland Is an excellent little wo-
man, whose only weakness is a mania for
marrying off her friends.
SIT was in this house," she exclaimed,
almost tearfully, sin this very room, if 1
am not mistaken, that you and Thea
eyes; it was" She left us alone for
two whole hours, the good little soul!
"You both gave me your confidence
then!' She is one of those nice little wo.
men whom everybody confides in, you
know.
believe me, I should confide in you
now, If there were anything to confide,
but there isn't" I didn't want to talk
to any one about it either.
She shook her head slowly. "When you
talk about-it-as if it were a mere moth
ing, I know that you are not in earnest,
Mr.. Richmond" she said responsibility.
/ twirled my mustache uneasily. She
was evidently determined to know all
about it, and somehow she always gets
her W way.
"The simple truth" I said, "my dear
Mrs. Haviland, is that Thea and l found
out that we were absolutely different in
tastes and opinions"
OF course; that Is the proper thing"
"She Is as serious as-this music room
of yours"
"Most people consider it a charming
room."
Certainly. Thea is the most charming
of women-with enc rival" She smiled
and held up her hands deprecatingly.
"My respect and admiration have not less
ened in the slightest"
II am glad of that" she cried, clasping
her hands. "But it makes me regret all
the more that you-oh, why should your"
because /, on the other hand, am as
light as your pretty pink room."
GAS attractive in another way, " she OBJ
served, with a complimentary smile.
swell, the long and short Of 1t is that
Thea was always green, and I was always
pink, and neither could change the other"
"Why need you try?" laughed a little.
"Thea Is quite a missionary, you know.
OF course she was bent on reforming me.
IAN impossible task! But you might
have persuaded her that no structural al
iteration was necessary"
"She intimated her disapproval of smok-
ing and billiards the day after our engage
ment."
"Surely she didn't insist ON her objec.
ton. That would be unreasonable"
swell, no. She conceded smoking and
a little billiards, but she wanted me to 60
to church about three times a week, to
give up betting-it's only a trifle now and
then, just for fun, I assure you"
81 know. Like Fred" She nodded.
Mrs. Haviland bets a pair of gloves occa-
s~ionally herself and pays when she loses.
"She wished me to avoid music halls,
to forswear whisky and to take her to a
lecture on the primitive something or 9th
ers once a week."
''Why notp" My hostess shrugged her
shoulders and held out her hands expan-
sively. I shrugged my shoulders with less
OAOSoAAooS puu O4uuA O"PAooAos
because I'm-pink, I said. She stud
led the bows ON her slippers for a few mo-
ments.
"You were very fond Of herr" she ask
ed suddenly. I dropped my gloves and
picked them up again before answering.
EYES," I said %stubbornly, II was"
"And you area"
eyes, said, II am"
"You wish sometimes that you hadn't
parted?" I tapped the floor impatiently.
"yes, I do. But IS we could not
agree"-
"Oh!' she cried responsibility. "You
might have tried a little harder. It was
only a matter of really understanding each
other; only a case of a few concessions on
each side. All people have to make them,
even Fred and l." They certainly seem
to get on very well.
"I'm certain Thea wouldn't" I said
doggedly.
Don't you think she was very, very
fond Of your"
"That's just what I wasn't sure. If I
had BEEN
II venture to say that I am sure" !
thought I heard q movement In the next
room. You can hear through the folding
doors.
''There isn't any one in there, I sup.
poser" I asked. ''It sounded just like
''The wind rattling the window" she
said laughing. II haven't fastened it.
Don't you think Thea very pretty and
sweet and good?"
"Most certainly I do. well, I shall
na~o A1l,r1r -, opo Tito how ~ nauar
shall.
"Then why don't you put the matter
frankly to her. II you appeal to her love
for you, I know she will meet you halt
way. And, my dear Mr.. Richmond
she put her hand on my sleeve in her
eagerness-"you wouldn't be any the
worse for an occasional keeping in
greenr"
I considered the matter carefully for a
few minutes. "You are quite right, az
usual" I said resolutely. ~ will go and
see Thea as soon as I have thought out
what to say. But I don't suppose she'll
ever
Nov you are getting dismal, y said my
hostess brightly. "Go and think it out
in pink" She opened the folding doors,
and l went through-alone.
Thea was fluttering against the passage
door, with her hands on the handle, like
a frightened bird trying to escape.
"Thea, my dearestl" I cried.
"She didn't tell me you were coming"
she said brokenly, land she locked thu
doorl And-and''- Then / held out my
arms and she flung herself into them.
shan't tell you what we said or how
we compromised u differences. But ]
may remark that Thea Is growing as mer-
~ as-pink, and ! am improving under a