New-York tribune., 1901-06-16

than Tony might tell you So Perhaps that was
the reason she stammered and blushed. slipping
her chinela On and off at the heel IN emDarrass-
ment when he said: Have you ever thought
of selling your property, Miss lopez
Miss Lopez. to his surprise. he found non
com1nittaI TO the last degree. All his cross
questioning ELECTED nothing more than lacOnic
"Nope" Then Lambert deliberately trained his
gray eyes upon her and smiled down into her
little frecxled face with the result that she told
him the whole story.
aye eodsr' he calculated nwardly, as she ex-
planned that Johnson, of the Mammoth Mineral
Nonopoly had made her an offer at a figure that
the Original Oil Oligarchy could never touch,
much less outbid So this was not his own ex-
o1,.;,.e scheme after all. The new debts he
had incurred on the strength of his prospects
orosa before him as he stared blankly at the
wall Johnson's company was rich, backed by
s1bsfa ntiaI business men. while his was worse
than poor its heaviest stakeholder mIseTao.e
spendthrift UP to his ears in debt ms one nope
now shattered by JohnsOn's rivalry. Johnson
ee,-erness 10 get the land only another proof
Of it's value: he must have IL, he simply mad 10
have it, and he would have it, ne was saying 10
himself while Tony her tongue once loosenel'
hahhled on. telling him the terms of Johnson's
proposition, and ending by saying ne had
pIedeed her 10 secrecy to his part in It, anu
cautioned her against all other would-be buyers.
Lambert smoked long and furously that night
over this new phase of his difficulties. anu as
the smoke wreaths grew denser they evolved
the vision of a rosy girl. with laughing eyes.
who had promised to share his fortunes, how
ever great they might be. TOny's little freckIed
face he remembered. always beamed with ple''s-
ure from the depth of her bonnet when she sd"
him and Tony, with a rich oil We'll oacK 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 fin
ished product of care and cultivation, and lttle
Mexican Whats-Her-Nam slipping her ehineIa
on and off at the heel as she talked to him. Still
Tcnv was a good little thing; she was slim and
straight and if she could he induced not %
toe herself out in such Outlandish coors she
might be almost pretty he mused. Then ne
stopped short and laughed at himself. derisiveiy
What could it matter to him whether she We're
pretty not?
Tony was waiting for him the next time his
trap clattered down the dusty road. She had
that conhding manner that is fattering to a
man who knows the weakness of his strength
Johnson. she told him. had raised his offer for
the whole tract several thousand. rocky, unpro-
ductive acres. Lambert groaned. He had TO
have it, there was no choice; So. with the figure
Of Johnsons offer staring him in the face. the
prospect Of bankruptcy pursuing him from be-
hind. and the only means of obtaining the pros
pective millions walking close beside him. Blue
Eyes was forgotten. and he did il.
IL was quickly said Then he kissed her blush
ing checks and the coveted land was his-and
Tony. He had discreetly refraned from saying
anything about her property after hear
ing Johnson's offer. So she did not know he
cared anything about IT, and there not
doubt as her sincerity in her simple little
heart
Johnson was the first man lambert met whom
he went back % the hotel RE made strained
effort 70 ht. afrable and Lambert who could az
ford now To De generous pitit.i him for the dis
appointment in store for him. and tried to Quito
him in forced friendIiness They walked up u
the bar like two old friends. and Lambert pro-
posed a toast To Success" Each man drank
deep 70 himself eying the other commiseratingly
for the shock ne about 10 receive.
Tony undeniably good little thing. al
though Lambert regarded her merely as his
means Of escape from insolvency. and his only
feeling for her was a vague sort of gratitud'.
She bored him by the ahjrct devotion she law
ished upon him. once however. il hai really
touched him. when she had said: For you there
is nothing in the world would not gladly sacri-
flee"
I;ut he had only said: Yes. Yes. that's a gOoI
tie