El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-05

| uuence but you have taken the trouble
to make it clear that 1 was mistaken.
I need not detain you any longer now"
''But-just one word y
Il must not stay any longer" but
| she fingered still. waiting for him to
speak.
He stood looking at her for a moment
| in silence. Il have no right to infer
anything, Miss Ellery," he said; then,
! as if he found a certain difficulty in
| speaking, 7'but it seems to me that you
have been a little unjust and that per
| haps You owe me something by way of
| amends.
Indeed, - she faltered, her voice
| rather weak, her head turned from him.
IF my apologies
Il want more than that, Miss Ellery.
| 1 am audacious enough to crave a great
| favor certain peremptory confidence
growing in his voice as he went on.
mot that I shall demand very much,
after all. You need not be alarmed. l
am only going to ask you to stay with
me here. to let me enjoy your society as
friend, for just few minutes longer.
Is it SO very much?'
''Preposterous-at this hour, - muir
INJURED the girl, but his heart exulted to
note that there was no anger in the
tone
They tell me that you are going
away in few days. -
Yes she said AS he paused inquir-
ingly.
''Then i'll all our lives 1 shall proba
bly, never have an opportunity to ask
any favor of you again.
But this SO unreasonable, - she pro-
t,a1f
too long already. y
''Then ten minutes more will scarcely
signify"
Twill ten minutes satisfy your
Il will not ask for any more, " he
said, evading the direct answer to the
question. ''Ah, thank you he added.
his voice tremulous with triumph as
she acquiescently seated herself on
bench. He could have shouted for very
joy. Never could ne have dared to hope
for such rare good fortune as this.
1T seems too lovely to go indoors, -
she murmured, as if in apology to her
own conscience.
1T certainly does. he emphatieally
agreed. And may have the other end
of the bench? Thanks. And now what
shall we talk about? Is there anything
else you will let me explain to you, or
are you tired of personalities
Il am afraid you may be before have
done, she returned, with a friendly
smile, for 10 tell the truth l did not
stop here altogether to please you.
There is something else L want to say ..
to you, something 1 have been wanting
TO speak to you about ever since our
SUNDAY talk up ti,e creek. "
''Indeed?' he returned an inoredulous
smile broadening into low, amused |
laughed We'll, / must say had but |
dreamed that you could be induced to |
favor me with word on any subject, |
if You had but dropped me the ghost of |
a hint
1T is about your father,'' she hur-
riedly interrupted. Il think you ought !
to forgive him. -
And how about his forgiving me:'
ne demanded after a moment of silence |
1T seems to me that you have rather
got the cart before the horse. Miss
Ellerv.
'Ah, he has forgiven you long ago
He is your father. And if You would
but go to him
HE would be proud of me, would he
not?' he interrupted bitterly
"Why should he not be:' she an
swered with eager assurance. You
can hardly wish me- to pay you empty |
but
Say it, please, if it is anything kind
You cannot think how l am starved for
he pleaded as she hesitated
But perhaps you had better not, after
Ill. If you should make me drunk with
"Oh. if you are going to talk like
hat rising hastily. |.
But will not. l pledge you my word.
Don't go, please Miss Ellery Let us
ak this matter of my father over. You
peak of my forgiving him as if all the |
hardness and wrong We're ON my side. |
DO you know, with all my bitterness Il.
md am very bitter sometimes-I still :.
lave an 1nexpressible affection for my |
ather. He made certain mistakes in | ,
ny training, but be was cruelty punish
ID. l am bitter. but l am not quite so
hardened as you seem to think. -
Then why will you not go back to ' ,
im?'' L
Il used to dream of going home
rhen l should have done great things
o condone the Offenses of the past 1t
you'd be the greatest thing in the world
or me, equivalent TO being canonized, i
l could hear my father say just once, d
My son, l am proud of you. +" L
But he would say it; he could not 9
clip saying it when no saw you She o
0rgot how much the words implied in q
ne eager desire to support her argu- T.
lent. He could not look at you with L
ut being proud that he had given such u
man to the world. He would know a
lat your life had been brave and true;
nat yonr record had been clean, and he | Il
'Ould give you tho larger measure of | q