The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1905-12-26

When Mercedes had met AlvaradC
early in the morning she had acknowl
edged his profound salutation with the
curtest and coolest of mods She was
furiously and bitterly angry with him,
for, between duty, honor, friendship
and her love. he had not chosen her
She knew that he loved her She had
known it a long time, and. if she had
the slightest doubt the sincerity with
which he had spoken the night before,
the fierce, passionate fervor Of the
kisses that he had pressed upon her
lips, his utter abandonment to his pas
sion. had more than satisfied her. Yet
when she had offered to throw every
thing TO the winds-lOve, duty, obedi.
ence-if he would only take her away
he had hesitated. With her. WON.
an who had all Venezuela at her feet,
held in his arms. he had repulsed her
refused her, He had heard the open
confession of her overwhelming love
for him, and he had resisted her
With the feel of her heart beating
against his own he had strained heI
to his breast and prated of honor and
duty!
She was mad with anger and disap-
pointment. She lOathed him: she hated
him; she ragged against him in her
heart Why had he not killed De Tobar
where he STOOD seized her in his arms
braved the anger of her father and
galloped away-anywhere out into the
mysterious southland where they could
be together? Well and good-she would
marry Don Felipe. She would as
sumo happiness that she could not
feel and kill him with the sight of it
He had disdained her: he should suffer
suffer in proportion to his love, such
torments as he had made her suffer
last night-shame, disappointment, in
dignation.
She had not slept the entire night.
either. thinking these things. yet it had
not all been pain. How nobly he had
lied to save her-he to whom ii lie was
worse than death! He had tried to as
sumo dishOnOr for her sake He loved
her-yes. there was no doubt of it.
She closed her eyes with the thought
and her whole being was filled with eX
quisite anguish. He loved her. he was
made for her. yet when he might have
taken her he refused De Tobar was
indeed Il brave and gallant gentleman,
but his qualities We're as moonlight to
the sunlight compared to those of AL
varado. In spite of herself, though
the mere suggestion of it angered her
she found herself obliged to grant that
there was something noble in that po
sition he had assumed which so filled
her with fury 1t was not with him
a question of loving duty and honor
more than herself, but it was Il ques-
ton of doing duty and preserving hon
or, though the heart broke and the
soul was rent in the effort
In spite of her careful avoidance of
his eyes her cold demeanor that morn
ing she had marked the haggard, pale
face of the young soldier to whom she
had given her heart, which showed
that he, too. had suffered. She watch
ed him as he rode. superb horscman
that he was, at the head of the little
cavalcade Tall, straight. erect. grace
full, she was glad that lie rode in adj
vance. with his back to her, 80 that she
might follow him with her eyes her
gaze UNDECIDED by any but Sonora
Agapida, and for her she did not care.
AS he turned ut intervals to survey
his charges, to see that all We're keep
ing closed up and in order. by furtive
chances she could mark with exultation
the pallor that had taken the place Of
the rudy hue on the fair cheek Of her
lover She could even note the black |
circles under the blue eyes beneath the
sunny hair, so different from her OWL
midnight crown.