The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-08-31

ter, for she certainly had no idea of t!t
value OF her scrawny acres. Lambert
| reputation was that he had a way with
women" whatever that may mean; bu
certain it is that when his gray eye.
looked straight out from their blacl
lashes, the object they rested upon, pro.
vlding it was of the feminine gender
felt herself for the moment the centre o1
the universe, and many a wiser girl than
lony might tell you So. Perhaps tha,
was the reason she stammcrcd and
blushed, slipping her chinc,a on and of
1t the heel in embarrassment, when he
said: Have ycu, ever thought of selling
your property, Miss lopez
Miss Lopez. to his surprise, he found
non-comnittal to the last degree. All
his cross questioning elicited nothing
more than laconic Nope" Then
Lambert deliberately trained his gray
eyes upon her and smiled down into her
little freckled face. with tie result that
she told him the whole story.
"Ye gods!' lie calculated inwardly, as
she explained that Johnson, of the Nam
moth Mineral Monopoly. had made her
an offer at figure that the Original Oil
Oligarchy could never touch. much less
outbid. SO this was not his own ex-
elusive scheme. after all The new debt 5
he had incurred on the strength Of his
prospects arose before him as he stared
blankly at the wall. Johnson's company
was rich. backed by substantial business
men, while his was worse than poor, its
heaviest stockholdcr a miserable spend
thrift up to his ears in debt, his one hope
now shattered by Johnson's rivalry
Johnson's eagerness to get the land was
only another proof of its value; lie must
have it, he simply had to have it, and
he would have it. he was saying t. him
self, while Tony, her tongue once loosen
ed, ba5bled on, telling him the terms of
Johnson's proposition, and ending by
saying he had pledged her to secrecy as
to his part in it, and cautioned her
against all other would-be buyers.
Lambert smoked long and furiously
that night over this new phase of his dif-
fculties. and as the smoke wreatls grew
denser they evolved the vision Of a rosy
girl, with laughing eyes, who had prom
iscd to share his fortunes, however great
tfcy might be. Tony's little freckled
face, he remembered, always beamed
with pleasure from the depth Of her bon
net when she saw him. and Tony, with
a rich oil we'll back of her. and foreign
travel, private tutors, Paris gowns,
might in time become like other people;
but here the laughing blue eyes arose
through the smoke-wreaths to mock him.
He drew the difference between this
lovely creature. the finished product of
care and cultivation. and little Mexican
What 's-Her-Name slipping her ehinela
on and off at the heel as she talked to
him. Still, Tony was good little thing;
she was slim and straight, and if she
could be induced not to tcg herself out
in such outlandisll colors she might be
almost pretty, he unused. Then he stop
ped short and laughed at himself, de-
risively. What could = matter to him
whether she were pretty 'or not?
Tony was waiting ft..r him the next
time his trap clattered down the dusty
road. She had that Tnfding manner
that is so fattering to man who knows
the weakness of his strength. Johnson.
she told him, had raised his offer for
the whole tract. several thousand rocky,
acres Lambert groaned.
He had to have it, there was no choice;
so, with the figure Of Johnson's offer
staring him in the face. the prospect of
pursuing him from behind,
and the only means of obtaining the pres
oective millions walking close beside him
Blue Eyes were forgotten. and he did it.
1t was quickly said. Then he kissed
her blushing checks and the coveted
and was his-and Tony. He had dis
.reetly refraincd from saying anything
more about her property after hearing
Johnson's offer, so she did not know he
jared anything about it, and there was
not a doubt as to his sincerity in her
simple little heart.
Johnson was the first man Lambert
net when he went back to the hotel. He
made strained effort to be affable, and
.anbert. who could afford now to be
generous. pitied him for the disappoint-
nent in store for him, and tried to outdo
lin in forced friendliness.
Tony was undeniably good little
hing. although Lambert regarded her
merely as his means of escape from IN
olvency, and his only feeling for her
vas vague sort of gratitude. She
,ored him by the -abjcct devotion she
avished upon him. Once, however. it |
lad really touched him. when she had
aid: ."For you there is smoothing in the
world would not gladly sacrifice
But he had only said: "Yes. yes, that's
good girl, but you shouldn't wear
right pink. 1t is not becoming.
Lambert's success went to his head,
nd made him long to throw his arms
round the neck Of the whole world and
reat. He spent money with princely
,y;shncss, and Johnson came in for all
is share. And Tony. too. was happy;
nc went about with suppressed mlrth-
,lness in her eyes, as if she had
ccret sourcc of happiness nobody but
.rsc,f knew-whicl,, indeed, was the