El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-19

| inc a white gown. she had taken on
| her hat and the sea breeze just ruff1ed
| the little golden tendrils round her
| forehead. They were hardly darker
than the frail sea poppies she was car
| rying in her hand
Because L am not worthy OF you. L
| don't know why you should love me,
Diana
But you love me? or you say So"
"Ah, I do mott 1 worship you IL
feel 1 should like to kneel and kiss the
hem of your gown"
~'Only the hem of my gown?" The
ewes, on a level with his own, smiled
frankly into his. The kiss fell-not on
the gown 1t fired his veins like potent
wine.
Diana, tell me why you love me.
If 1 could think of any reason why
you should, L should feel safer"
She frowned a little as if rejecting.
II think it began when-when L
saved your life. All, if 1 had been too
late. should never have known what
love meant" Her voice broke on the
word.
You would have loved some one
else.' he said quickly. He would not
face what underlay his speech.
Mo- said Diana quietly, Il think
not
1T is the wrong way round. 1 ought
to have saved your life"
1T is more of the century as it is.
But Tom, L want you to be very care
full. If you have the cramp once, you
are always liable to it again. Promise
me you won't go too far"
II promise you anything you like"
He was holding down his conscience
with a ruthless hand, but the delicious
gravity that had overcome the smile
she began with made it struggle hard.
isn't it time we were going in?
The moon is rising"
sit must be the sun setting. We
have only been here a moment, or an
eternity. Time does not exist in Para
disc"
'But it does here. Every one will
be scandaIized.''
81 wonder whether Eve trimmed her
conduct to suit her neighbors."
"They were only wild beasts
mot tame cats? Kiss me once more.
Diana, L can't believe in it. l shall
step out of Paradise into the every
day world and find it is only a blessed
dream"
"Come back into Paradise again and
dream again."
you see, l thought it was only my
duty to let you know" said the mar
ried mans wife. She had strong no.
lions of duty, and Tom Boston had
once been platonically her property.
''Thank you 1t was quite right"
81 said at the time it was a most
coarse and impertinent wager, but
most men are horrid about women"
Diana said nothing. Perhaps she
was too busy watching the silvery
path the now risen moon made on the
water.
$50 when L saw you walking with
him l thought you ought to know. L
was sure you wouldn't encourage his
attentions for an instant If you knew"
"You were quite right" said Diana
again.
eff girls had any idea of the way
men talk in clubs and smoking rooms
they would never marry, never"
81 think not" said Diana. and
laughed.
She was standing by the open win
dow. and the fading yellow peoples |
fell from her hand to the road be- |
meath.
What a heavenly nightr' said the |
married mans wife, coming over to |
her. You are shivering! Have you |
caught coId?'
"Oh, MOI" said Diana Tit is the
change of atmosphere
But let me explainI Give me at |
hon ,ir,r hill
mer'
She did not even draw the gown |
from the grasp he held upon it, but the
scorn in her eyes took all power of |
defense from him.
Explain? You made me the subject
of vile jest. You triumphed in your,
miserable success. When you can ex-
plain that away, l will believe in
your
DIANA, set any penance on me, try
me as you will. l swear + love you!"
"Lovei What do you know of love?
You have shamed, tricked. insulted
me, but you shall not degrade me with
your love. And l thought-oh, if L
were but man! But you are too pitt
full for revenge! Only never dare to
speak to me again.
She turned and left him in the sun
light, and he watched her go, speech
less and hopeless, for in very truth he
loved her.
We'll, that's over,'' he said aloud,
but his laugh was not steady. 1T
seems to me l have played the part of
Actaeon with singular success" and
then, under his breath, "Oh, what a
cursed, despicable fool 4 man can ber
Cincinnati Enquirer.
Always Short.