El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

eft Jim kitteTy ,CdS Sittill round like yOt
are, he'd do these dishes himself"
fortably ON the doorstep. ''Then 1 would
better be warned by his example and
leave such work alone, for you don t
think much of Jim, you know, Artalis-
Sa -
How do you know 1 don't?'' she
cried, tossing her head, wholly pleased
with his cool audacity. She would have
made him wash the dishes if she might,
but womanlike she would have admired
him the less had he stopped to the work.
''Oh, l don't know, Of course, but 1
am Yankee enough to be pretty good
at guessing" imperturbably blowing
smoke rings over his head. Don't you
think you ought to be rather ashamed of
yourself to snub him so cruelty? Serious
ly now, Artalissa?'
Il don't know what you mean,' the
girl declared, darting an oblique little
glance at him from her sloe black eyes,
her strong teeth cleaning in that smile
which always seemed to light her face
with certain glow of evil. ''Some-
times girls play off and treat the worst
the fellows they really like the best. -
''Do they" he asked, with dull in
difference, as if his mind had already
wandered to other topics. He generally
left the burden of their conversation to
her, rarely troubling himself to respond
beyond the demands of mere civility,
yet Artalissa, piqued and puzzled, with
strange perversity found herself far
more interested in this strange follower
than in any of the others who, with
mistaken assidUity. had paid her court
Her swift glance of Impotence softened
now as she looked at him, something in
the unconscious arrogance of his strong
masculinity irresistibly swaying her SEN
suous, animal nature. In the unreason-
ing polty of a woman heart the king
can do no wrong.
III have one less to wash dishes for
next week, thank fortuner' she ex-
claimed after little Miss Ellery is
going"
Brown, occupied with cleaning the
ashes from his pipe, said nothing for
moment. And where is she going?'' he
slowly asked at length, with show of
desultory interest.
Il d knows l know, and d knows
1 care, - replied the girl, with a care
less laugh. But know what she is
goin to do L heard them jollin her
about it at dinner tonight. She's goin
to be married. -
She was decidedly disappointed that
this bit of news, to her woman's soul
of such vital interest, seemed to fall so
fiat. There was absolutely no response
from the motionless figure in the door
way. But that was just his way, she
petuiantly remarked to herself One
might as we'll talk to a stump.
''She's gOin to have n kitchen of her
own to try her high toned ways of dom
in, she resumed after moment, with
rather less animation, talking merely
for the comfort of expressing her
thoughts aloud. 'She used to be comm
out here most every day, hennin round,
offerin to make the dessert or somethin
or mother, sayin that she'd been to
cookin school and Iettin on that she :
knew how to do it all better than any
body. But | jus went to Mrs. Ellery
and says l, Il amt been to cookin school :
SO much as I've been to district school,, i,
says l, but if my cookin amt good !.
enough for this ranch L can just go
where it is. | amt above bein helped .
with my work, says |, in a place
where there's as much to do as there is
here, but L amt asiin for cookin les
sons from anybody. l talked right up
to her, just like that. Mrs. Ellery
hlushed and was dreadfully cut up. She
saifI was quite mistaken. Miss Edith
she's always calm her Miss Edith to
me, emphasizin the words SOS to hint
that's what I'd ought to call her-as if
ever would!-me, that's an educated
and as good as her any day!
That's one reason 1 hate to have her
round. She puts on too Whyl" break
ing off in sharp vexation as she turned
about to find herself alone and wrath