Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-11-19

done rose, gigantic, before her, blacl
with a thousand nameless doubts. Sh,
almost faltered; only a strong sense o
propriety withheld her, and IA sting o
memory of the night before sufiiced t.
strengthen her resolution.
Gould you not easily console your.
self with Miss Hunt? You seem te
admire her very much" She spoke
with some bitterness ana her face
hardened. The girls heart was max
ing its protest, unconsciously, but
surely.
An expression, half of amusement
came into Bainbridge's face, as he
caught the strange light in her eyes,
but he made no answer, and, in spite
of the girls Indifferent shrug, a look
OF annoyance crossed her face.
A breath of wind, heavy with the
fragrance OF summer, futtered the
ribbons OF her soft gown, as she
turned to him, her eyes black with
sudden emotion.
You took her to the hop-did you
not?"
1T was by the merest chance" he
answered with a gesture that seemed
10 indicate: What else was | to do?"
There was silence for a little. Then
he looked up suddenly, and said:
Il was surprised not to see you
there"
Dorothy said nothing, but shaded
her eyes from the sur with one small
hand and gazed idly at a climbing
rose at the other end of the veranda.
He had not asked her to go, and a
sort OF silly pride forbade her to let
him know that no one else had.
II meant to come here" cambridge
began, after a pause, ito tell you
everything. l thought perhaps" he
went on slowly, that you would not
mind-so much. But / heard-some
N told me, that you would be at the
dance with Eggerton. That is the rea-
SON."
The girls heart began to beat, and
a look OF surprise swept the latest re-
sentiment from her face.
Something in the mans tone, in
the earnestness of his manner, forced
his sincerity upon her, and she half
relented.
But the die was cast, and there was
no going back now. She caught her
breath, and the wave of tenderness
that overwhelmed her for a minute
was quickly crushed down.
Dorothy drew a deep breath. There
was a pause. Presently she spoke.
mo n asked me to go to the hop"
she said, determined to let him know
everything now. "I knew you were
there with her, and I thought, of
course, you didn't care about me-"
Her heart was throbbing painfully,
as she went on, u%nsteadily: sand now
since am going to marry some one
else ] don't see the use of talking any
more about it,"
i suppose not" Bainbridge re-
turned, coldly, reaching for his hat.
&C od-by."
sfb careless tone made her heart
that. .slhe could not let him go like
Harry"
He turned back.
Cant we be friends?"
He gazed at her fixedly for a mo-
ment and an ominous cloud gathered
on his brow.
mo, | think not"
A glimmer of disappointment passed
the girls face.
DO you mean" she asked, locking
her hands tightly over each other,
while a look of hurt surprise appeared
on her face, that we are to be stran-
gers"
Il mean" he answered, slowly, in a
voice in which pain mingled with pas
sion. that it will be everything, orr
nothing. ! shall always love you, and
cannot pretend to a friendship which
| do not feel"
He paused for an instant and looked
straight into the girls eyes. 1T is
better" he said, calmly. ito be an
enemy than a hypocrlte."
Something in his voice awed her
into silence. The sun had begun to
set and great patches Of gold fell on
mans face, now white and deter
mined-a face that brooked no COM
promise. Z
Suddenly he came close to her and. !.
stopping, pressed his lips to her white
forehead.
w. - ~ a t4.aNfan4s hMa.N l