Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-04-23

1 ettNs 90 pa t8tGA suGlu-
| was at my wits end how 10 con
trive meeting. as she was locked il
convent: aud as no scheme pre-
sented itself, al last adopted the sim
pie plan OF calling on Madame Rihe
ra, taking Hamilton with me.
We were shown into the drawing
room, where Zoe and little sister
OF 10 were at work. and | made tn,
most of the next few moments fol
Revell Hamilton.
Il have to go" he said, hurried
| Iy. TO England; bat | will come
back, Zoe, as soon as possible. ,
There was silence for minutc, and
then she answered softly VII
wait"
Then Madame Ribera came in, and
Felipa,- running fromme TO meet her
the little mink said: "0h, moth
er, this caballero has been talking
such nonsense to me and the other
one has been kissing Zoe's hand r
We were thunderstruck.
What does this mean ?" demand
ed Madame Ribera Hamilton bow
ed. 1T MEANS" he said, that |
love your daughter, and that shall
come back to claim her"
Il
Madame Ribera' S face expressed q
mixture Of emotions. You are a
stranger to US, she said, haughtily.
You have taken an warrantable
liberty, sir. Col
We retreated. abashed, while Zoe s
lovely eyes filed with despairing
tears; but, as we passed through
the door, Hamilton said. firmly: Il
shallcome back for Zoe Sothe little
episode ended, and, when an imper-
ative command to him TO return ar
rived late that night, he rode away
as unconcerned as though the whole
thing bad been an intermezzo, pret-
ty and pleasant while it lasted, but
OF no real consequence in the dra-
ma OF his life.
My own work in Venezuela came
TO a conclusion shortly afterward,
and / had to leave without seeing
Zoe, for her mother guarded her
more rigidly than ever, and it was
generally said that Madame Ribera
had given her the choice of marry
ing one of her many rejected suitors
or going at once into the convent.
Two and a half years later was
back again, however, in Caracas on
J political business, owing to recent
rebellion, and l took the earliest op-
portunity of going to Valencia and
looking up the Riberas.
Mercedes, the plain, insignificant
sister, whose sole duty in life had
been that of duenna to Zoe, was mar
ried, found, and il was she who
received me when | called at Los
Angeles, apologizing for her moth
er's absence on the score of iudispo-
sition. Her welcome was very mark
ed, and almost her first words were:
How very sad your poor friends
death was You will be able to give
US the details. ] asked her If she
was speaking OF Revell Hamilton, ot
whom the last news had was his
departure to India a year since with
his regiment. But you have sure
ly heard 7 she exclaimed. He was
killed six months ago at polo match.
Monsieur de la Feste told us so; be
was travelling in India at the time.
was shocked.
My sister, Mercedes went on
refuses TO believe in his death;
think her mind is not very reasona
BILE on the subject. / hoped She
broke oil. | read the reason for hel
cordial reception of me in her trou
bled face.
i was anxious to see you, sh,
went on. I promised to ask you u
call tomorrow. The fact is, my moth
er and | are uneasy about her
You are an old friend, Mr. Eastlake
and feel can confide in you
Monsieur de la Fesie has long wish
ed to marry Zoe. and we had per
suaded her at last to consent to re
ceive him tomorrow and give him
definite answer. Your coming seem
ed providential. We may count ol
you not to"-she hesitated-''no Z,
encourage any sentimental recollec
tions about Mr.. Hamilton?"
Il i bowed. Tomorrow, then, q
i3," she said, and took my leave.
/ made point of getting intro
J duced to the Count de Ia Feste tha
evening and asking him about Re
veil Hamilton:
He was rich young Frenchmau
gay. carless, arrogant.
"Ah, yes; affair that he said
light-heartedly. His pony circles
back and broke his neck. 1t wa
! at Poona-"
II thought the Fifth Hussars wer
at Abbotabad," remarked.
ei The count reflected. "The deucs