Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-04-13
AMARYLLlS
By MARTHA
McCULLOCH.WlLLIAMS
DOWNRIGHT, 1903. by 7. G. Mcclure

Outsde 1t was raw anu SuSty, Win
-bite. high lying clouds scudding so
+bickly across pale sky that only
won and watery sunshine strained
+hrough the breaks between. Inside
there was the balm Of May, especially
T., the south parlor, where l knew
should find Myrtilla.
Nyrtilla is tall and twenty. with
chld's foot and turn Of the head and
mock that would become an empress.
She has coral red lips, fine. straight
nose olive skin, dark almond eyes,
,oovily dashed and liddel and low.
straight brow. deeply Swallowed by
dusky floss silk hair. In virtue of all
This she reigns as a queen over most
men. We had been engaged until two
weeks ago-to be exact. until the date
of the Verinews' ball and the episode
of the Grantley girl.
The ball is ancient history now; be.
sides. it has really nothing to do with
,he case I left Off dancing-with the
Grantley girl at a. INTO fling myself
into twceds and set forth upon a
weeks Journey Coming home from
It found my table numbered With
my letters to Myrtilla down to the
most fragmentary note-those Of the
last week unopened-my ring. my
hooks bracelet or two the locket
with my picture and litter of those
idjo,tc things one sends at Christmas
and Easter and on birthdays. 1t was
this litter that saved me from utter
despair. reasoned that if Myrtilla
had cared enough for me to keep it all
this time she could not give up caring
for me in moment.
Still | knew there was a tough job
ahead. But did not dream she would
90 to the length of refusing to see or
hear me or even to listen to my side Of
the case through Aunt Bah, most tact
full of Intermediates. Her people back
ed her, too-all but Dicky. Dicky is
fifteen and owns the distinction of be-
ing the only thing in trousers Myrtilla
has found herself unable to subjugate.
l cannot 1atter myself that Dicky's
advocacy Of my cause was wholly dis
interested. Dicky has q fine taste in
terrier pups and a relish for stolen gal
lops on my hunters. AT home he is al
lowed nothing more hazardous than a
steady going cob However that may
be, it meant lot to have any sort Of
q friend at court. Otherwise, how should
the hall door have swung open at my
. approach? The servants had strict or.
/. ders to shut it civilly in my face.
no. In mn xxyI1v ~,
want her why you want any girl, when
, you've got heaps Of dogs and horses"
, Dicky said, grinning. as l shot past
him. "She's been real hateful polite;
no good for even a fight this whole
week." Dicky's voice pursued me down
the hall. L II T88 s. ~
. The south parlor is a square jut, open
, upon three sides to the sun. with walls
more than half windows iron barred
outside and full Of green growing
things Within THERE'S a big fireplace.
Myrtilla stood in front Of 1t, her eyes
intently fixed upon the smoldering logs.
At my entrance she started ever so lit
tie, turned her head the least bit and
kept on staring in the fire.
"Myrtilla," ventured irresolutely.
my hand still on the doorknob. #e
She sat down and took up her en-
broidery, her face still further averted
Then knew had won half a point
If she had been as angry as she be-
lieved herself to be she would have
marched away with her nose in the air
began again formally, Miss Grey
but stopped short She had begun to
whistle over her work softly, medita-
lively, as though she knew herself to
be alone
Something happened then. am mel
Their poet nor romancer. but my ranging
eye saw in the south window a crea-
ture Of tropic charm, slim and tall
green gowned as wood nymph, with
wonderful golden tawny eyes and d
crown still more wonderfully red. As
| went to her she shivered and set all
her green gown tiuttering defensively
but paid no heed to it. only said joy
ously, barring my head:
"Amaryllis! You are a real godsend
was never so glad to see any one ir
all my life"
Myrtilla's head came around SO tina,
- eye. l fancied she stared, but dared
not make sure Of it. My wood nympf
barely nodded: her tremors were all al
rest. l bent toward her low enough It
look into her golden tawny eyes ant
ran on: 80. .ye.Ytr
+ What have you done to yourself
You are SO beautiful. SO strangely. Sc
rarely beautiful, it makes me desperate
mat l did not keep my heart for you
or, rather, 1t would make me desperate
II hearts were things that could be Civ
en- or kept at will"
Certainly the wood nymph stared
. the golden tawny eyes looked at M
onwinking. Myrtilla's head had t'lrn
- ca little more. Her lips were thu
least bit parted. as though her breatt
- came hard. l Strengthened and stncE
q hand In my pocket - added:
ID The pity Of II II Therp'a = frup hen r.