The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1904-09-24
KISMET
BY EARL MARBLE


Copyright, 1904 BY Daily Story Pub Col
VII HEN Henry Appleby went down
wv into Mexico to superintend the
working of one of the big mines in which
he had an interest, be left behind him
lovely girl. Estelle Marston, between
whom and himself tacit understanding
existed of future engagement, though
no formal love-making or positive en-
gagement had been reached. Appleby
had been college athlete, built almost
like gladiator, and had dark gray eyes
and dark brown hair, firm, but kindly
mouth, positive chin, and manner
which was usually reserved, but which
could be aggressive if occasion author
lied 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 APP
pealed to him constantly, acting as a
lodestone to keep his heart true to the
magnet. She appealed to his better ma
ture. as a 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.
AppIeby attended strictly to his work
in and for the mine, and by his manage
ment the output was large and profita-
BILE. He saw and heard but little of what
was going on in social way, except
among the half dozen American and
English families who lived in the 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 i'm
mediate circle was dumbfounded, and
the rest of the population shrugged its
shoulders and awaited developments.
He had attended native ball one
evening, and noticed figure rather tall
er than the usual squat and dumpy ones
surrounding her, and had inquired
about her.
"Hispano senorita," he was told.
His informant took it for granted that
an introduction was desired, where one
took the trouble to inquire, and, selling
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 applauded her and
his heart 1eaped with delight as she
danced fancy castanet Spanish dance,
and he had eyes, ears and tongue for no
one else during the evening.
That some of the young natives mut-
tered imprecations on him for his mo-
nopoly of her did not concern him.
Il 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 more
than willingly, he remembered after
ward.
81 am live with distant relatives" she
told him when he called. do not mind
them-they are nobody not introduce
you. Ny father one fine grandee; my
mother, Hispano senora-SantaM Maria:
both dead, poor souls! He was so tall
and stately, like you, senior, 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
a 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 Irritation, either innocent or 9TH
erwise, with such a person as this Sen
orita Mercedes, he could not think of
going any further with one of the race
II her father was squat and her mother
fat and dumpy. The senorita had faith
omed him-whether unconsciousIy 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 eyesi
How glorious" exclaimed Appleby
often to himself, as he contemplated
JoHNNY's SORROW.