Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-02-21
THE VOICE OF
AN ECHO = ' o;s 10. :. ~

bridge. whose hooded tunnel threw n
dark bar across the moonlit mountain
stream. a man and q woman stood
looking into the pine clad amphlthea-
ter OF the ellis. which .ay In stiffness
beneath the spell Of a September night.
The black hollow OF the bridge. with
its one moonbeam sharp across the
floor, c%ontrnsted With the awful splen-
dor OF the granite gorge. buttressed
and pinnacied in every rising tier, I'M
der the food Of ghostly light and n
the only object OF the couple in coming
here was to see the view they were
amply repaid. From their conversn-
ton since they left the hotel. which
o. lay behind them hidden by a
fringe Of the forest. It would have been
dlfHcul: to say that thlD was not their
only object. The snail talk Of &C
uualntanceshlp. friendship aud even
love Is within certain limits and among
people habitdated to each others con
MENTIONS practically indistlnguishable.
Frequently Il is difficult TO decide why
the degrees should be Of &c much con-
sequence to the parties.
II was knowledge OF the world and
the good temper OF experience that
kent Mrs. uugonin and Arthur Kin
ualrd on perfectly unrufied terms with
each other. The conviction that be had
long ago forgiven her. gratifying as II
once had been. was now Of such long
standing that II had become confused
with her earlier and less justihable
conviction that be ultimately would
forgive her. Thus secure In vindica-
zion. the lust for which the dying Eve
%bequeathed to all her sex. Mrs. HUI
gonin could without the slightest re-
Election upon ner widowhoOd accept
once more the co~mpanlonshlp OF a man
who tolerated life as comfortably as
Arthur Kinnaird. The lmmlnence Of
the climactpric which size knew to be
threatening him was not to be read
from his figure. His step was alert.
bis cheeks were bronzed. his tastes
were rational. and whnt more could
be desireI
She pushed back her dark hair under
its somewhat youthful cap, and. leOn-
ing her elbows on the ledge, gazed
without speaking at the haunted dedie.
Kinnalrd gave a little laugh behind her.
Margaret" he said. upon my word. 1t
seems as II we were boy and girl
again"
why. particularly" she asked,
without turning her head.
'Oh. all this summer" be replied.
She did not ask him to be more ex.
pllcit. 1T is certainly IN ideal place.
she said with a half sigh. "Yet II Is
foolish to say that the beauties Of ma
ture restore ones youth. One may fee
young again. but one Is not really anJ
the less dispasEIonate."
II am not so sure Of that" said Kin
naIrd. "a should like to argue the pOin
with you-If It could be argued"
"You men are all alike" said Mrs
Hugonll with an Inconsistent shrug o
her shoulder. you give up to logi
what was meant for conversation"
Kinnalrd stroked his mustach
thoughtfully for a moment. And 9
you think ME dlspasslonateT' he OF
served.
Your said Mrs. Hugonln. turnlnI
with a delightful laugh. Why. Al
thur. there Isn't a sentiment or q con
vlctlon to whose support society coul'
order you TO contributed"
"If you mean that" he said slowly
at ia quite sS I feared"
"As you fearedT'
''You still believe me capable Of q
much mistaken self control as ono
was. And" be added calmly. II don
wonder
Though there was no bitterness ap
parent In bis tone Mrs Hugonin wa
startled. Really. this Is unlike you
Arthur" she said gravely, but yet wit
a sense OF amusement. "You petulan
With your past7 You provoked Wit
your -recollectIons1 Indeed. hav
mistaken you"
He laughed. but gently. Come" b
said. you have no right to be lrOnlcai
Though I once let you 20. II was bS
cause l thought you wished to be II
leased"
Upon my word. Arthur" said Mn
Hugonln. Il did not know you weF
serious or I should o have taken thi
as q joke"
Il am entirely serious."
"Reallyr' said Mrs. Hugonin. an
she spoke with some irritation. ="
thought all had been forgotten and FOL
given years ago" Then she drew bel
self up proudly. Gan Il be that afte
all this time you have conceived th
childish within nf forcing mo to At
an Apology"
"No- hardly that"
Il am ready to make H." she wer
on. "But n ! do
Kinnaird moved to the window b
side her and laid a hand on her aru
"You are much mistaken" be said. |
the uudlsturbed voice which so pr
voked her. "You must indeed thin
that / am taking leave OF my years.
never had much vanity. think. bI
what ! had when ! was younger nel
or made a pet Of. Look over there I
the rocks. and what do you seer
Rocks = and moonlight. But A
thur
THE rocks make me recollect."
went on. ~unheedlng. that one da
49,