El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-14
TCONTINUED.l

hitching her rocking chair a degree
nearer. Il wonder how much longer
you will keep us in suspense, regard
Ing the girl with sort of tender curios-
ity, a certain CLEAN of excitement light
ing her dark eyes as she perceived
smile deepening and dimpling about the
pretty mouth.
Not much longer, L think, Nelsine,
the girls face flushing family as she
answered, with a soft little laugh
AIRS. Ellery's face, stiffened momen-
tarlly with surprise, was swiftly trans
formed to ecstasy. Edith, you darling
girl, you don't mean TO tell me -
No, don t, - she replied, with teas
ing nonchalance, tbut / think / may
before long
.!SUS are not engaged, them her
face falling disappointedly.
Not irrevocably, but / have taken
couple of months to decide if will be. "
and that was the reason Of your
sudden determination to visit US, y
jumping at the conclusion with swift
feminine intuition. well, of course it
is lovely, but all the same I wondered,
you DEAR queer thing
After you had invited me over and
over again / confess l cannot see
much occasion for wonder if 1 finally
came the girl interrupted, with some
genuine pique. Mrs. Hallet was re-
turning home to Denver, too, and urging
me to come with her. Really my mind
was almost made up to come before
this-happened.
''It was sweet of you to come, dar-
ling, whatever the reason, kissing her
rapturously. But will you tell me
en-this-happened. how it happen
ed and all about it? I am simply dying
to know. First of all, who is hep
''You will approve, L think. 1t is
Marshall Woodbury."
Marshall Woodhury-of all menu
her face expressing glowing appreciation
of the advantages of such union.
"You are to be congratulated if ever a
girl was. But why did you hesitate, you
perverse child?'
1.-The woman who hesitates is LOST
the girl murmured absently, her gaze
following the line of the creek. 81 feel
rather lost when 1 think of it, Mel
sine -
1T was not my way pursued the
other reminiscently. 'tWhen 1 fell in
love with Hugh-ah, me, what a goose
asl-I could hardly eat or sleep until
l was sure of him, while you paus- !
ing tentatively and studying the girls
calm face with sort of puzzled Won /
der.
Ny appetite continues good, thank
heaven, laughing unconcernedly. |
'fAnd unless 1 dissipate with coffee at
unseemly hours still enjoy the sleep of
the just. -
You don't appear to have it in you
to make a goose of yourself in that way
like the rest of us, Nelsine protested, !
a touch of reproach in the tone. You
have firted too much. 1t has spoiled
you.
II have experimental a little,
smiling demurely. BE Just TO me,
dear. -
Il dom know what you expected -
Il expected miracle to happen, and
1t did not l asked that the water be
turned to wine, but
You asked too much. Men are none
Of them perfect
But one must-experiment to find
that out, don't you think? One must be
educated up to the point of compro-
mise. ~
oh, l don't understand you at all,
you trying creaturel Here you ought to
be the happiest girl in the world, with
such chance before you-everything
that you could ask. To be sure, there
may be a slight disparity in point of
years; but, " she added, with naive in
genuousness bethinking herself, there
is every compensating advantage -
10 be sure. Let us never forget the
compensatiDg advantages. cried the
girl, with something of sardonic n. irth
And l suppose you really do care
Cor III, ii. !
think of it. -
Il care for him great deal, " she ad-
mitted quite calmly. eff L am ever to
marry at ALL 1 am sure could scarcely
do better. He is really very nice -
You damn him with faint praise.
as somebody says Nelsine declared
smiling family, with baffled air
''The question Is not as to the depths of
his affection, l take it. He is madly in
love with you. of course
''Oh, to that, [ might say, in the
words of the good book: He is of age
Ask him. A hint of sarcasm lay in
her rather mirthless laugh. ''To tell the
truth, he appears quite-rational l
even think it is not altogether flatterine
TO my self love, but 1 am rather per
suaded that it was my talents as Il
which principally won me
favor III his eyes, and he is kind enough
to feel that 1 may be safely intrusted
with the care of the children. He is a
widower, you know. And when affec-
tions are served up warmed over, who
is it says Of second love that it is mere
ly a flower laid on the grave of the
first?''
"Oh, don't! How can you? When it
g such utter nonsense too. The adapta-