The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27

mad for that one evening.
He paused. looking at her. Her pro-
file was toward him, pale and inimova-
ble She neither turned nor spoke He
continued. with a slight diminution OF
confidence:
I've been a wild sort of fellow. con-
sorting with all sorts OF riffraff and
thinking lightly of women. I've met
lots of all kinds. 1t was all right to
talk TO them that way. You were diff
ferent. 1 knew it from the first. But
that night in the cottage / lost my
head. You looked so pale and sad; my
love broke the bonds I had put upon it.
Can't you understand and forgive me?'
He leaned toward her. his face tense
and pale. AS he became agitated and
fell into the position of pleader. she
grew calm and regafned her hold on
herself. There was a chill poise about
her that frightened him. He felt that IL
he attempted to touch her she would
draw away with quick. instructive re-
pugnance
She turned and looked into his face
with cold eyes.
No, 1 don't think / understand.
should think those very things you
mention would appeal to the chivalry
of man even if he didn't care for a
woman"
do you doubt that love you?.'
Yes" she said. turning away: II
don't think that you ever could love me
or any other woman"
Why do you say that?"
She locked out over the grassy slope
in front Of them.
Because you don't understand the
first principles Of 1t. When you're fond
OF people you don't want TO hurt and
humiliate them. You don't want to
drag them down to shame and misery
You'd die to save them from those
things. You want to protect them,
help them, take care OF them, be proud
or them and say to all the world: Here,
look; this Is the person 1 love!''s
Her. simplicity. that once would have
amused him, now had something in IL
that at once touched and alarmed him.
There was a downright conviction in
1t, that argument. elOquence. passion
even, would not be able to shake.
And that, Mariposa," +" he said ardent
ly, us the way love you
That the wayP' she echoed scorn-
fully. ''No-your way is to ask me to
destroy myself body and soul. You ask
me to give you everything, while you
give nothing. You say you love me,
and yet you're so ashamed or me and
your love that it would have to be a
hateful secret thing. that you told lies
about, and would expect me to tell lies
about, too. 1 can't understand how
you dare to call 1t love. / can't under
stand Oh, don't talk about IL any
more. It's all too horrible and cruel
and false!"
Her words still further alarmed the
man. He knew they were not those Of
a woman swayed by sentiment, far less
by passion.
That's all true" he said hastily,
that's all true of what said to you
that night in the cottage. Now it's
different. Aren't you large-hearted
enough to forgive man whose great
est weakness has been his infatuation
for you? 1 was rufflan and you an un-
suspecting angel Now 1 want to offer
you the only kind of love that ever
should be offered you. Will you be my
wife?'
Mariposa started perceptibly. she
turned and looked with amazed eyes
into his face. He seemed another man
from the one who had so bitterly hu-
INFLATED her at their last interview. He
was pale and In earnest.
''Will your" he repeated.
NO. she said with slow decisiveness.
''I will not
MOP" he exclaimed, in Ioud-voiced
incredulity and bending his head to
look into her face. Nor"
NO" she reiterated; Il said no %
She felt with every moment that their
positions were changing more and
more. She was gradually ascending to
the command, while he was slowly
coming under her will.
why do you say nor" he demanded
Because I want to say no."
'But-but-why? Are you stiu an
gry?"
II want to say no." she repeated. Il
couldn't say anything else"
But you love me?" with angry per-
sistence.
mo. don't love you"
You do" he said In low voie&
You're not telling the truth. You do
love me. You know you do"
She looked at him with cold dsnanoa.
and said steadily:
"I do not
He drew nearer her along the bench
and said with his eyes hard upon her:
II didn't think you were the kind OF
woman to kiss a man you didn't care
for"
He knew when he spoke the words
they were foolish and Jeopardized hts
cause, but his fury at her disdainfuI
attitude forced them from him.
She turned pale and her nostrils quiv-
cred. He had given her a body blow.
For a moment they sat side by side
looking at each other like two enraged
animals animated by equally violent IL
different passions.
THANK you for saying that,~ she
said. when she could command her
voice; NOW I understand what your
love for ME means"
She rose from the bench He seized
her hand and attempted to draw her
back, saying:
"Mariposa, listen to me. You drive
me distracted. You force me to say
things like that to you. when you know
that I'm mad with love for you. Lis
ten