El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-29

only the musicians remained.
AS they tiled out through the ample
doorway, with their instruments under
their arms, the first faint streak OF
early dawn became visible in the east
One of them, a lank, plain featured
young man of ungainly aspect, but
penetrating eye, called the attention of
the others to it.
Look" said he. There is the day
light This has been a gay night for
Sutherlaudtown."
TOO gay" muttered another. start
ing aside as the Slight figure Of a young
mau coming from the house behind
them rushed ha stily by. why, who's
that?"
As they one and all had recognized
the person thus alluded to, no one an
swered till he had dashed out of the
gate and disappeared in the woods on
the other side of the road. Then they
all spoke at once.
Its Mr.. Frederick"
"He seems in a desperate hurry"
"He trod on my toes"
did you hear the words he WIS
muttering as he went by?"
AS only the last question was calcu-
lated to rouse an interest, it alone re-
eeived attention.
"No: what were they: l heard him
say something. but l did not catch the
words"
HE wasn't talking to you or me.
either but | have ears that can hear an
eye wink. He said, Thank God, this
terrible night is overr Think of that
,v,I \,
he calls this night terrible and thanks
God that it is over. I thought he was
one to enjoy this kind of thing more
than most folks"
$50 did L."
And so did L.
The tive musicians exchanged looks.
then huddled in a group at the gate.
He has quarreled with his sweet
heart" suggested one
I'm not surprised at that" declared
another. II never thought 1T would be
q match"
shame il ii WERE. muttered the
ungainly youth who had spoken first.
As the subject of this comment was
the son of the gentleman whose house
they We're just leaving they necessarily
spoke low but their tones were rife
the topic deeply interested them One
of the five who had not previously
spoken now put in word
Il saw him when he first led ont
Miss Page to dance, and saw him
again when he stood up opposite her
in the last quadrille. and l tell you.
boys. there was a mighty deal of diff
ference in the way he looked at her
81, In 81, ha ha 10
first. You wouldn't have thought him
the same man. Reckless young fell
lows like him are not to be caught by
dimples only. They want cash."
"Or family. at least. and she hasn't
either. But what n pretty girl she is!
Some fellow as rich as he and as well
connected would be satisfied with her
good looks alone"
Good looksv High scorn was OBJ
servable in this exclamation. which
was made by the young man who 1
have before characterized as ungainly.
81 refuse to acknowledge that she has
any good looks. On the contrary, /
consider her plain
"Oh, OH" burst in protest from more
than one mouth. "And why does she
have every fellow in the room dangling
the yellow fiageolet
But she hasn't a regular feature"
"What difference does that make
when it isn't her features you notice.
but herself"
81 don't like her"
A laugh followed this.
''That won't trouble her. Sweetwater.
Sutherland does, If you don't, and
that's much more to the point. And
he'll marry her yet. He can't help 1t.
Why, she'd witch the devil into lead
ing her to the altar II she took a no
ton to have him for her bridegroom"
There would be consistency in
that" muttered the fellow just ad-
dressed. But, Mr.. Frederick
flush! There's some one on the
doorstep. Why, it's sheT'
They all glanced back. The grace
full figure of a young girl dressed in
white was to be seen leaning toward
them from the open doorway. Behind
her shone a blaze Of light-the candles
not having been yet extinguished in the
hall-and against this brilliant back
ground her slight form. with all it's be-
witching outlines, stood out in plain
relief. There was an anxious bend
to 1t. however. which none of them had
ever observed in it before.
"Who was that?" she began in a
high. almost strident voice. totally out
Of keeping with the sensuous curves of
her strange. sweet face. But the ques-
ton remained incomplete. as well as
unanswered. for at that moment her
attention. as well as that of the men