The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-02

Dolores. Another atmosphere now
wrapt her completely from his intiu-
ence that she had forgotten even her
former dislike and fear of him; and
that feeling which, combined with her
love and anxiety for Polly Hamilton,
had 80 troubled her that she could not
tell if she was repelled or attracted,
was now so entirely in abeyance that
for the present she was no longer con-
scious OF it.
She looked up as he approached her
and said, with a careless nod:
-"Polly will be here presently. Sit
down."
"The longer she stays away the
better shall be pleased" said Clar-
ence, drawing forward chair so that
he sat directly opposite Dolores:
She looked up in mute questioning
of his words, but she made no other
answer.
Because her absence gives me the
pleasure of little talk with you, fair.
est cousin, and I have too little OF
that"
Dolores had put two beautiful am
ber-colored roses together, and laid
| them against the front of her corsage
it was now June, and she wore a
loose gown of cool, white India silk,
without color or any ornament, for
she was It'll in mourning. But the
golden hue of the flowers, like pris-
oued sunshine against he dress, had a
perfectly dazzling effect, together
with the cleaning light of her eyes
through her long lashes and the, sheen
of her bronze-brown hair.
"You are very beautiful!' said
Stanley. g.,
How often he had said those words
to other women-how often he had
laughed in his heart at the other
women to whom he had said them.
But now they really seemed to have q
meaning, and his breath CAME quick
and his pulses throbbed while he
watched this woman to whom they
seemed to have no meaning. 3 -.
"Do you think SOP" asked Dolores,
with supreme indifference. "What
do you know. of beauty?"
''Not much, indeed, cousin, till I
met you, 'f.said Stanley, with a humble
sincerity he had never prscticed till
that moment. .|
Yes, it was true, he said to him
self-all he had told Van Tassel, and
more, too. he loved, adored, wor.
SHIPPED this girl. She might, if she
cared, make of him what she would
something even good enough to be
loved BY, herself-or good or bad,
what mattered it? He could give up
the whole world and an that it con-
tanned, content only to sit at her feet
and worship there, if she would but
let him, .'..... t.'.,. : 60
"You must not call me cousin, "
laughed Dolores, mockingly. 81
don't believe we are even COUSINS
"Then something nearer, dearer,
Dolores. I love you! I love your"
He bent toward and would have
taken her hand, but she snatched it
from his touch and pushed back her
chair with a movement of violent,
passionate fear and loathing.
Don't dare to touch mel" she
cried. "You love me? Oh, you are
mad!"
IT am-mad, or anything you
choose to make me; but listen, Dolores
you shall listen! I love you! Il
have never before loved any woman. I
did not know could love. I am bad;
am evil; I know it; l acknowledge
it. But to love you would redeem
any man. I feel myself exalted, purl-
fed when I am near you. You can
make me an angel like yourself.
Without you, shall be, is, I
have ever been, a devil! Think,
girl, that you oan save soul from
Satan. Does that mean nothing to an
angel such as you are? 1t is your
mission to save me. I belong to you.
Is it my fault that have borne a
heritage of evil handed down to me for
hundreds of years, while you have in
herited only goodness and purity? 1t
is your duty to redeem me-the debt
my Indian ancestor owes to me. Dol
ores Dolores! We are the last of
our race. Tous belongs the countless
treasure of the Mendozas. It is ours
to enjoy, ours to possess it forever,
to lift the curse of the Indian woman
from the race of the Mendozas. You
said but now that I was not your
cousin. Behold! Is mot this the
birthmark of the Mendozas?"
With q sweeping gesture he pushed
back the golden hair from his temple,
and there Dolores beheld the we'll
known birthmark inherited from Pedro
Mendoza.
"The black hearth she cried. "Oh,
come not near me! Murderer, doublX
trebly accursed Yes, you do indeed
bear the mark of the Meudo2as; but
only those of the black heart are
cursed past redemption. Maruja!
Maruia! Even your love cannot save
him" r.
She wrung her hands passionately
together, While low moan of the
deepest distress burst from herlips;
her face became set and white, her
eyes rolled wildly, then closed as if
suddenly glued together; and, as she
sank helpless into her chair, her head
fell back, and Stanley saw that she
haG become unconscious.
1t was SO sudden, SO unexpected,
that he could hardly comprehend what
had happened; but in the next moment
his heart gave an exultant bound,
cat last, ut last" he muttered. 81
wouId haze loved her. / Would have