Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-06-14

my wealth, you have heard that | pos
sess amazing gold mines in the new
world. l assure you my money has
all been honestly acquired and also
taken from mother earth, present
from the old Montezumas of Aztec
time"
They talked of old times, and the
many memories they had in common
since the flight of years how precious
these recollections became-a halo
seemed to surround each incident in
those days of yore, making romantic
what at that time had been exceeding
ly prosaic happenings.
Really the marquis enjoyed the half
hour in Mazette's society more than
he might have cared to confess while
still hugging that determination for
vengeance in his heart-while that
grim spectre haunted his life he could
never be wholly happy.
And when he said goodbye he must
needs take both her hands in his and
press them-as such an old familiar
friend should have the privilege of
doing though it startled him little
to see the blush that flashed athwart
MaZetteS cneekS.
The Marquis of Montezuma whistle1
softly as he ran down the steps from
the studio 1t was the first time in
many long day he had felt so light
hearted and cheerful.
AS the lower steps were a little
gloomy he almost ran over a lady in
the act of ascending. OF course an
apology sprang to his lips, for his
awkwardness seemed to have alarmed
her. The next instant the Marquis
uttered an exclamation of astonish-
ment in which there was also a trace
of alarm. for, as he turned to the lady
he found himself looking into that
beautiful but dangerous face of the
Senorita Juanita.
Why the sight of a lovely face
should cause the marquis to tremble
might seem a mystery, but he knew
the reason-it was not that he feared
this Spanish girl so far as his own
personal safety was concerned, but
there were others;
Mazettel
That Dona Juanita had been dogging
his footsteps of late he had no doubt,
and her motive in doing so was no
mystery, since she had vowed to dis
cover who the authoress of his wrongs
in the past might be in order to
avenge them
But what had that to do with Ma
zette, since she was not concerned in
his misery of the past?
'Ahi the interest of this jealous
uvp ha Il - 10 ~
ent-the future.
And that was why he trembled, be-
cause suddenly oyertaken with the
overwhelming consciousness that Ma
zette's happiness was precious to him.
The shock did more to tear away the
cobwebs with which he had concealed
the truth than anything else thas
could have happened.
Besides he could not forget the blush
that had swept over her face as he
said goodbye.
Dona Juanita was the first to speak
she had made half-frantic struggle
to lay hold of her veil, doubtless in the
expectation of lowering the flimsy
gauZe in time to conceal her face, and
when she found it was too late, her
hand fell to, one side, and she met the
astonished gaze of the marquis with
a defiant smile. saying:
Il have not had the pleasure of talk
ing over old times such as you promis-
ed, Senior Jack. I sadly fear you find
other attractions too great a tax upon
your time"
"Ah. | am a very busy man, seno-
rita; you can readily understand that
They shower attentions upon a sue
cessful man in London-once might
have starved to death upon the streets,
and few lines in the morning Times
would have been my poor obituary.
Now, it takes columns to chronicle my
most simple doings, how l live, what
l think and such stuff; Bah! I am
disgusted with it ALL"
Tell me. Senior Jack, have you Civ
en- up your design for vengeance?" she
asked, fixing her great black eyes upon
him as though there might be much
more in this question than appeared
upon the surface.
mot yet" he answered slowly.
''Ah! then there is still hope" she
muttered, and he did not comprehend
at the time just what this meant.
though later on the full importance of
it burst upon him.
Hope for what?-her designs were