The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-12-12
Il MAlELME RaIDaEs

0SIEN WAHDA was suffering /
4 from very recent heart wound at |
she hands Of his beautiful betrothed,
katherine Eldridge, who had broken /
their engagement as ruthlessly as one |
breaks and throws aside a nut with q
worthless beFnei--not knowing she had !
cast away a pearl worth all her tribe"
Austen, being young, and proud, ana
very firm Of viii, had taken the blow
with unfinehing courage, and, immedi-
atelY thereafter, the train across the
continent to San Francisco There he
put up at the Hotel Cavendish and Wan-
dered lonely about the strange streets,
looking at his future with unseeing eyes.
With these same eyes he glanced at
Marguerite Darlington when she first
passed him. in the hotel corridor. The
second time they met, he saw that she
was very pretty. Her brunette beauty,
with its glowing color Of cheeks and lips,
reminded him Of dark red rose. He
called her so to himself, as she went
by The third time he discovered that
she was modest and gracious. On this
occasion her eyes had met his own, with
shy, momentary glance Of exceeding
sweetness. Katherine's brilliant eyes
of changeless blue had never given him
look SO womanly in its unconscious
kindness. That night Austen Whistled
s he moved about his room-softly and
pensively, it is true-but he had not
whistled since the day he came down
the steps Of a certain stately residence
with an engagement ring in his vest
pocket
After this it was easy to locate Miss
Darlington in the dining-Toom, in a spe-
eialIy quiet corner, where she sat with
her married sister There was no mis-
taking the resemblance between the
tWo) and pretty boy OF ten. Austen
chose a table within range Of their
gaze. He was progressing to the point
of feeling that he would like to know
their names, when most unlooked-fOr
episode shocked him to a standstill.
AS he came in from his street wan.
dering, one early twilight, he saw the
slender figure that now so often fitted
before his mental vision, moving light
~, but with set purpose, down the long,
wide hallway Cnever had he encountered
the dark red rose in this part Of the ho-
tel before!) and turning into the little
massage way that led to his own apart
ments He hesitated, beWildered-tben
stood motionIess, in amazement. Look
ing down the passage way, he plainly
saw her, standing at his door and tying
g great red rose, with long, green-leafed
stem on the handle Of his bell! Having
received this indelible impression on
his inmost consciousness, he retreated
with speed that suggested a wild escape
from threatening danger, and took
refuge in a cloakroom near by, where he
waited. breathless, to hear her pass
Then he sped to his room, to find the
rose, berathing fragrance at him, fas-
tened 10 his door with a knot Of thin
white ribbon He unfastened it, frown-
ing perplexedly, and took it into his
-and there discovered that the
IN was passed through a small white
card on which he read Miss Darling.
ton in regulation script, In the corner
was a pencil scribble, Room 61" Ht
sat down to face his thoughts.
They were very disappointed
thoughts, almost contemptuous, wheI
the shock of the surprise was over, and
he could contemplate the act in its real
How was it possible for a woman who's
whole bearing Suggested gentle digit!
and maidenly reserve to take up thu
brazen methods Of a reckless, audaciou
firt? None but a girl Of coarse fiber ant
most deplorably deficient training
could be guilty of such a bold maneuveI
He had noticed, as he watched from tn
cloakroom door, that she walked rapid
ly. with a half-mischievou smile ol
her charming face. "A dark re-
rose" Pshaw! A Haunting peony
Were these the manners o
western girIs?-or was she, indeed, on
for whom other women must blush an
be sorry? And why should he feel thi
sense Of personal aggrievement becaus
stranger had fallen below his ides
standard! Dark hair, a damas
cheek, long, dark eyelashes,
friendly glance or two, wa
there anything more 70 prize, or remem
Der? He had never even heard tn
sound of her voice! Why should he 81
glaring angrily at the fresh, innoceI
go-between, in its dewey blooming
gnawing his mustache, and longing /
vent his scorn in stinging words?
last he spoke aloud, and the quOtatiO
relieved his mind, though his own eaI
alone were listening.
"What's Hecuba to him or he to Hecub
That ne should weep for her?'
He smiled determTedly, as one WI
makes an eau or veIa.iOus thought, an
rang the bell that summoned the ha
porter. Their conference conclude
with a reiteration of explicit direction
in this form:
oVery wen, be sure to leave 1t at Il
right door-tie it on the handle, min
and manage It SO no one will see yo
DO you understand And then con