El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-09
Pleading For AnOther

You have influence with her. Hardy.
Can't you do something for me-
Don't bc a complete fool. Walter
advised Hardy. Who ever heard of
one man pcrsuadinE a woman TO marry
another man.: Since the days of the
stern parent. that is"
well. cyprilla likes me well enough.
only she's "a person Of whims. Doesn't
want to marry. is sure she isn't in love.
intends to devote her life to orphans or
suffrage or something, 1 don't want you
to go To her and tell her that she ought
to marry me. I can attend to that part
of 1t myself. But she respccts your
judgment. you know, and believes in your
views. Just laugh her out of her eman-
cipatcd notions. won't you? Then I'll
attend To the rest"
"Cyprilla will outgrow her present
crochets just as she has half a dozen
others Don't you remember when she
plunged into Italian and determined to
be n great scholar? She thought of moth
ing but Dante for six months, and then
athletics became her hobby. Be patient
and she'll come around all right"
But won't you try a little guying or
something? That will hurry along the
end" Walters tone was n little plead
ing. and his cousin yielded.
We'll. I'll do what l can" he agreed
YEARLY. But you understand that l
can't really do anything"
Walter ncquieSce1 joyously. He had
as great confidence in Hardy Graham's
powers as the elusive Cyprilla had in his
judgment.
Cyprilla was out in the garden weed
ing when Mr.. Graham was announced
"TcIl him to come out here" she com
manded the maid. and in n few minutes
the grave, correct Mr.. Graham was stand
ing in the garden path and thinking that
Cyprilla looked rather well in n farmers
hat. Then it occurred to him that the
face under the grotesque straw brim was
thinner than usual. in spite of its rosy
color. and that the bright gray eyes were
4 little sunken. Probably she was begin
ming to regret Walter already. in which
case Mr.. Graham felt that his labors
would be considerably lightened- He did
not find il easy to begin conversation
with her. 1t occurred to him that per-
haps. after all. Cyprilla had a right to
her whims and that it was impertinence
to interfere with her. So he talked about
the lateness of the spring and the fresh
ness of the garden instead. By and by
Cyprilla threw away her trowel and
stood erect She slipped OF the sheep
skin gloves and the big hat and showed
damp little rings of brown about her
forehead.
I'm tired" she announced. II guess
I'll let Thomas finish that bed"
You usually get tired of your under
takings, don't your remarked Mr.. Ora
ham quizzically. CypriIla flushed.
YES. ] suppose j do" she admitted,
with unusual humility.
at makes it a little difficult for Thorn
as when you leave things half done
But what difference does that make pro-
vided you nave succeeded in amusing
yourself for an hour or SOP" continued
Mr. Graham thoughtfully- He felt n lit
te dismayed when Cyprilla didn't fash
out a retort. She only looked n little red
and uncomfortable. Then he went on:
DO you think Thomas minds the extra
work?
NO" said Cyprilla shortly.
Now Nv offended you!' exclaimed
the ~contrite Mr. Graham Cyprilla did
not deny it, Have ! offended your" he
asked remorsefully.
Cyprilla turned her eyes toward him..
They were full of tears.
"Cypriila, I'm n brutei" he cried. "You
know j wouldn't hurt you for worlds.
I'm n miserable ~busybody. 1 had no
right to taunt you If you had broken n
dozen engagements with Walter. Please.
dear. don't cry. Don't you know /
wouldn't have Cyprilla, my DEAF child.
don'ti'
For Cyprilla. the faddist, whose latest
whim was to be emancipated, had seated
herself on the lowest one OF the steps
ieIuluS 10 tne pltZZd anu was SOpDlHS-
Mr.. Graham sat beside her. He was
conscious of n strong desire to tax her
in his arms and let her sob there. But the
knowledge that he had had impulses OF
that nature before made him distrust the
apparent pity of this one, so he sat quite
rigid and listened to Cyprilla's sobbing.
BY and by her voice emerged from be-
hind her arms. on which her face was
buried.
81 couldn't help it," she sobbed. 81
couldn't, 1 ~don't-don't love Walter. I
wish 1 did. Oh, i wish / did, I'd do
anything for him except mar-marry
him. You know that, don't you? she
suddenly demanded, looking at Hardy.
He only nodded He couldn't trust him
self to speak.
But ] don't-I can't" pursued Cypril-
la. And i can't undertake marriage
and make n failure of thet too" Then
she began to cry again.
"Cyprilla," said Mr.. Graham as calmly
as he could, "do you 1--we my one else?"
Cyprilla blushed furiously and then
grew quite white. You have no right to
ask" she said. and her voice came from
a great distance.
"Cyprillai" cried he. Selling her hands
and looking into her eyes. 'Cyprilla, you
do love some one else-and"-
Cyprilla jerked herself away.
You have no right" she said broken
ly, when lam so-miserable-to-to-
surprise Will you go awayT"
81 WILL" said Mr.. Graham gladly and
triumphantly. II will go at once and re-
sign n commission which / bear, and
when / come back, in 10 minutes
Thomas, Thomas, call me n cab-whcn
! come back / shall have a right. and you
need not be surprised"
Then he fed. and Cyprilla forgot to be
miserable.
And now Walter believes firmly in the