Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-08-04

absently. my mind cohning my request
before Delphine's father.
"Do you think I'd have the face 20
ask her to burden her splendid young
life with meT' ne demanded hercely.
'Shc seems to favor YOU" ! ven,
tured. feeling that I had to say ome
thing.
"The sweet tender pity Of her would
give more attention 70 the wounded
dog than the well bodied one" he an
swered, with infinite pathos. Il did
know n man once whose body was Is
bad rs mine, and he was married to a
saint and the father Of lovely children.
I couldn't dream Of burdening Del
phine, though. even if"-
My pity for poor Jerry was forgotten
ut Delphine's welcome. Surely there
was an answer 4 my warm pressure
Of her little hand; surely her dirk eyes
held in their rogulsh depths a CLEAN
OF love. / sat beside her at the table,
too, with Hathaway at her left. l re-
member what he had said-"It win be
Dick OF me-" Hathaway looked too
compliment for my comfort, though.
Delphine's father took the .%conversa-
ton pretty much into his own hands.
AS we ate our soup he talked OF n
Dynk OF BorneO's betrothal customs;
then he went from one foreign people
to another, Jerry meanwhile helping
him Out with n gay suggestion OF a
witty remark. The rest of us had lit
tie chance for speech. We didn't crnNe
It. We would rather look at Delphine,
gray gowned, with a crimson rose at
her throat and u chaplet Of autumn
leaves IN her hair.
As tho coffee was served her clear
voice took up the conversation.
"You left out the prettlest Of them
all, papa" she said, smiling at him
1.-THE custom Of the Yao Midas, n Bur
mese-Tartar people. They WOO only
by music. The sutton sits under a de-
sire tree and plays his favOrite instru-
ment As. the girl of his choice APP
proaches he plays louder and with
more feeling. II she pass by no real
ICES that she will have none Of him,
but should she stop and lay q flower
upon whatever instrument he is play
ing he knows that he has won her"
HUM grunted her father as we
rose from the table. Delphine and her
guests went to the veranda, while the
man in whose hands lay our fate went
to his library.
Presently Hathaway, with n very red
face, slipped IN. He came out with a
swagger that made me want to punch
his blond head. Next was Jenkins,
who came out looking scared.
81 don't see how she can accept more
than one Of us" l thought.
When my turn came-the twelfth
found Delphine's father looking ex'
ceedlngly bored.
"Permit me to soy that l think you
fellows are a pick of FOOLS" he re
marked pleasantly. However. I an
instructed to soy that you may have
her, and BLISS you. my children"
Dizzy with Joy. l was staggerlnI
from the room when he observed dryly
Each OF you has tho same answer
30 you're welcome to what encourage
ment you can get"
A hard slap. sure enough. VIVA
next7
After 1 Joined the others Jerry. on
under the great oaks, began to sing"
"see the Yao under his desire tree,
remarked Jenkins n~ervously.
The song was n love song Of renur
citation with weird words and will
melody. Ye lovers, how that crippl
sang! AS the marvellous voice die
away Delphine. sobbing, ran down til
steps. Snatchlng the crimson ros
from her throat, she knelt befoT
Jerry and held 1t to his lips. We hear
the boys exclamation; then Dolphin
cried out something and put her Owi
sweet mouth in tho place Of the rose.
II was Hathaway who broke tn
spell.
"We've lost, fellows" he muttere
huskily. Jerry was In the runnin
after all.