El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-06

limp Will dhAiSiN ohu StoO0
there looking at Halbert with startled
pain in his gaze; then, with a sudden,
uncomfortable impulse. he knelt down
beside the divan for a and,
grasping one of the sufferers hands in
his own. pressed it to his lips with q
sob Of distress and pain.
Halbert opened his eyes and turned
to lOok at aim. He was almost too
dumfounded to speak. Allen got up in
confusion. and Halbert kept smiling
and staring at him in a riot of evil
dered ideas. cropping, as he did, in a
queer labyrinth of uncertainties like a
man struggling to face some peculla
situation that his mind refuses to
grasp.
81 trust you will pardon my intru-
sion," Allen said, standing by a win
dow and looking out into the night,
''but they told me you had been seri-
ously hurt, and-and-it almost broke
my heart"
Hall TT sat up on the edge of the di-
van and. drawing his dressing gown
around him closely. remained there
looking at Allen like n surprised in
half toilet and somewhat nervous be-
cause of it. The kiss of the youth
burned still in the flesh of his hand,
and it travelled along h CT
feeling and warmed his heart.
Something was cropping In his MIND
for recognition. He still stared at Al
len and took in, with careful, scruti-
nizing gaze. the supple lines of his
tall, svelte figure. the curves of his
long neck, the slender hands n feet.
"Allen," Halbert said, and he got up
M walked close to the youth and
stood neal him, his eyes still searching
the boyish face, "Allen, 1 want to ask
you a question. In God name, don't
be offended If 1 am wrong. But 1 don
think 1 am wrong. 1t never occurred
to me before, but / am a blind fool,
and it unnerves me. Look at me, AL
len. and answer this: Are you a wom-
an"
Allen WINGED and turned farther
away and leaned against a table as IL
to steady himself. The young face
was scanned with pain. There was a
long silence as Halbert waited for the
other to speak. you are a woman"
be repeated.
Eyes. l am n woman" The words
came at last, firmly. almost defiantly.
like thunder in Halbert's ears, stun
ming him.
my God," was all hat came from
between the parted. eager lips Of the
other. But his costume-why this?
I don't understand"
Because everybody has a prejudice
against p~etticoats in the professions"
the girl answered. land 1 was bound I
would not let that interfere with my
progress. Why should 1 be bound
down, tied like n slave, because of a
mere selfish. unreasonable prejudice"
The color burned in her cheeks bril-
liantly, and Halbert stepped toward
her with n sudden. quick movement,
his arms outstretched. owe on his
tongue. in his eyes. in his gestures.
The girl stepped away from him as he
would have touched her arm.
MIR. Halbert.' she said. with dig
nifty, Il am your secretary and in your
rooms. and you have discovered hat
I am a woman. Please respect my I'M
happy position, for I want you to be-
lieve that I am neither a designing ad-
ventures nor n simpering dolt. There
is another class that you seem to be
unacquainted with-that you do not
to take into consideration" She
at him steadily, her eyes burn
ing with determination.
Halbert's head sank under the siege
of her look. Her speech hurt him: 1T
crushed him. Yes, he loved this girl;
he understood 1t now. He had been a
blind, self absorbed foo.
Girl, don't crush me under your
heel" He had not thought that there
Gould hn loal- Of rncnnct wharo LOCO
dwelt.
while l am your secretary you must
not speak of love. 1t is an unfair ad-
vantagesH
Then discharge you this moment"
cried Halbert, aroused. The girl could
scarcely suppress a smile, though she
struggled to be adamant. She turned
and walked quickly toward the door.
Come back, grille. Don't go and
leave me like this. You've wound your
self all around my heart with a million
tendrils. 1 can't let you go now-I
want you to be my wife. Don't you
love me? You won't so away now
when 1 want you most"
h turned and smiled at him.. He
was pleading in abject humility.
Don't you love me:" he cried out to
her-he. Halbert. the cynic-conquered!
We'll. yes" h called back, 81 think
I do" She was laughing. but her kiss
there IN his hand still. He knew.
"Then you will go to Abyssinia after
all. won't you. dear?"
Her laughter still greeted him from Il
distance. and he flung himself back on
the divan and gave himself up to love
dreams such as lever before thawed
chilly exterior of the man who had
fed from ~petticoats and hid from them
in moking rooms for the last y Years.