Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-10-05
KISMET
B, EARL. MARBLE
i.o4. by Daily ssery Pub. O.,


 Copyright, 1904, by Daily stcry Pub Col VXT HEN Henry Appleby went down wv into Mexico to superintend the working of one of the big mines In which he had an interest. he left behind him g lovely girl Estelle Marston. between whom and himself 8 tacit understanding existed of a future engagement, though no formal love-making or positive en- gagement had been reached. Appleoy had been college athlete, built almost like gladiator. and had dark gray eyes and dark brown hair, 8 firm, but kindly mouth a positive chin, and manner which was usually reserved, but which could be aggressive if occasion author ized or warranted He was man among men, but was inclined to weakness when the wiles of women encompassed him. Estelle Marston was spiritual dream. Blue-eyed, light-haired, fair-skinned, yet healthy, volatile, and happy, as hap piness goes, she was the ideal of more than one young man, and many were the smiles of satisfaction when Appleby went away, and, as many of them thought, left better chance for them to win the fair Estelle.
 But she was the star of Appleby's thoughts, and her spiritual nature ap- pealed to him constantly, acting as a lodestone to keep his heart true to the magnet. She appealed to his better na- ture, as pure woman of that type in variably does when man becomes in terested in her.
 So matters rested between them. Though no engagement existed, each ex- pected the other to be as true and faithful till they should meet again.
 Appleby attended strictly to his work in and for the mine, and by his manage ment the output was large and prohta- ble He saw and heard but little of what was going on in a social way, except among the half dozen American and English families who lived in tho Vi- cinity, all of them interested with him in the mine. There were few young people among them, and these not at all to his liking. Somehow he had got the habit, whenever he met lady, of comparing her with the fair Estelle, of course invariably to the detriment of any of those thus compared with her. He was agreeable, and that was all He made polite calls, played outdoor games when asked, and was looked upon as desirable but impossible young man.
 There came change at which his im- mediate circle was dumbfounded, and the rest of the population shrugged it's shoulders and awaited developments.
 He had attended native ball one evening, and noticed a figure rather tall- CT than the usual squat and dumpy ones surrounding her, and had inquired about her.
 "Hispano senorita," he was told.
 His informant took 1t for granted that an introduction was desired, where one took the trouble to inquire, and, seizing him by the arm, took him almost by force to a group of which the girl was the center, and introduced him.
 What followed, Appleby himself scarcely remembered afterward. He danced with her, he walked through the courtyard conservatory with her, he talked with her, he npplauded her and his heart leaped with delight as she danced a fancy castanet Spanish dance, and he had eyes, ears and tongue for no one else during the evening.
 That some of the young natives nut tered imprecations on him for his mo- nopoly of her did not concern him.
 s.I do not care" he said, recklessly. "She is worth taking desperate chances for"
 He asked permission to call and see her, which was granted, rather mere than willingly, he remembered after ward
 ''I am live with distant relatives" she told him when he called. "Do not mind them-they are nobody-I not introduce you. My father one line grandee: my mother, Hispano senora-Santa Maria! both dead, poor souls! He was so tall and stately, like you, senor, only more slender; she was graceful, like what you call it-a willow-and with such a canaille!" <
 Nothing could have been more certain to win Appleby's attention, if not indeed his love, than this sort of talk He had theory, that, like parent, like child The law of heredity, in his eyes, was one , in which he most devoutly believed While he could amuse himself at ball, or in a filtration, either innocent or oth- erwise, with such person as this Sen orita Mercedes, he could not think of going any further with one of the race IT her father was squat, and her mother fat and dumpy. The senorita had fath- omed him-whsther unconsciously or otherwise, may not be known. But prob- ably this was not her first love affair, and possibly the opinions and acts of some other Americana had opened her seemingly innocent eyes very wide.
 And those eyes!
 How glorious" exclaimed Appieby often to himself, as he contemplated their luster and their tenderness. when