Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-03-29

flushed like June rose as her com
panion whispered something for her
ear alone. The man was of different
type; his was a mature youth. He
was perhaps thirty years of age. tall,
sunbrowned and sturdily built. He
had an air Of self-reliance and respon-
sibility that sat we'll upon him-a
strong man in every way he seemed.
The girl was the eldest daughter of
a rich American merchant, whose pal
atial villa dominated the height above
them. The man was member of the
British Geological Survey, at present
stationed in Java in order to investi
gate the recent seismic disturbances.
1t was but natural that he should
spend much Of his spare time at the
Americans hospitable home. To a
man wearied with wandering in many
lands, it was like a bit of Eden. 1t
was but natural, too, that be should
lose his heart to the loveliest of the
lovely daughters of that Eden, al
though to her it seemed a strange and
wonderful thing. 1t was short WOO
ing, whose end was from the begin
ming. The glory of first love lay around
the girl; her footsteps trod in an en-
chanted land. AS for him, no one else,
he told himself, had ever filled his
heart before-no one else had realized
the ideal of his dreams. He was as in
toxicated with her beauty and grace as
any boy might have been. To find her
here, in this out of the world place, it
was like the fairy stories of his almost
forgotten childhood. She was like a
rare songbird that had flown out Of
this little world of flowers to blossom
in his heart. He laughed at himself
he had a trick of laughing when he
did not care to anelyze a thought too
deeply. He did not want to go beyond
his love and happiness today. He
would let no vision of his naughty
English mother disturb him; nor did
he pause to consider the difficulties of
his chosen career-today here, tomor-
row at the other end Of the world.
What business had he with a wife
Love paused not at such questions.
Family pride, interest, ambition, were
meaningless words before tue deeper
reality of this. Love alone was life. Sud-
denly, across the path, little reptile
darted. The girl sprang back, scream-
ing, "A scorpion!" she cried.
Her lover laughed, and aimed a care
less blow with the knotted stick he
carried, but before it could descend
a great stone, loosened perhaps by an
earthquake tremor. went rolling down
and crushed the creature to atoms
1t was a trifling incident, unworthy
of mention, but the girl was strangely
shaken.
1t meant to sting you" she declared
with trembling lips.
Even so, Sweetheart" he answered
lightly. indulgently. you see the
devil takes care of his own"
How can you'll" she protested, the
indignant color flashing in her face
1T is poor subject for a Jest. Th'
sting of the scorpion is DEATH"
IL know-I know; but Vivien
Sweetheart, l am too happy. to be Sc
rious about life OF death. Let m'
laugh while l can. When l get yol
over in England. away from thii
beastly malaria. you'll laugh, too.
want to show you to my cousins. Yol
will be like lily among red roses"
She shivered in the warm air ant
drew closer to him.
"Iet us go back" she said, abrupt
ly; "it is growing hot. and tn
around, how 1t is shaking! Will thes
awful earthquakes never end!"