The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-11-17

at last, she had resolved to tell him
OF our betrothal and request that his
visits should be discontinued; and ]
thought the quicker this was done, ths
better 1t would be for all concerned.
So, when / was unobseryed by the
~Spaniard | managed to whisper;
Tell him now"
And In her own sweet, womaniy way,
quietly, and with kindly spoken words
Of regret at his disappointment, she
told him all. I saw long before she
had finished that Santa Eldo's Span.
ish blood was up. His dark eyes took
on a steely glitter; his wide. disagree
able mouth twitched conyulsiYely; his
tall. 1.-THE form trembIed under the in.
iluence Of his powerful emotion; and
everything told that he was in such
a towering passion as only one like
him could have in his hayward heart.
I'm going!" he said, ~springing to
his feet precipitately. but / warn
you that you will yet have cause to
regret that you have toyed with the
heart of Santa Eido!"
And, before either OF us could say a
word, he was gone; but | didn't forget
his savage look and the beast,like snarl
for a month,
One day, some little time a~fterward.
Belle showed me a note, Of which this
is a copy;
Miss Belle: | want to beg your
pardon, and that OF your betrOthed
husband. for my ungentlemanly de
pertinent on the occasion Of my last
call at your house. | a plead no
excuse except that | was deeply wound.
ed at your summary rejection OF me.
Thinking Of you in the way / did. and
being naturally very passionate, it does
not appear strange at all 10 me that
| should have exhibited my chagrin
and modification in a manner that
seemed TO you uncalled for and rude.
| beg that you will forgive me. now
that ! am going far away. and al.
low me to call tomorrow and receive
from your " lips, and those of my
fortunate rival, the assurance that,
when you shall know me no more
forever, you will not think TOO So
verely Of Yours sincerely,
SANTA EDO"
What shall I do, CARR" asked
Belle, as | finished reading the note
and handed it back to her.
At first | did not say anything, from
sheer surprise. 1t seemed strange that
mar like the Spaniard should wish
to apologize for anything of the kind.
II struck me as being unnatural for
one Of his temperament, and certainly
my part it was entirely unlocked
for. SO thought it all over care
fully as | watched her slowly fold the
paper and put it in its envelope, But,
aside from the surprise | felt, | could
see nothing to cause me to suspect
that he was not, as he had signed
himself, sincere. So | said, after a
"He acknowledges that he has done
wrong. He wants to make amends,
and it would be hardly fair for us to
deny him the privilege, especially as
he Is going away so soon and will
probably never bother you again
That night dreamed of my sweet
heart, In my happy dreams, no
marring vision of Santa Edo came to
dispel my peace or disturb my slum.
The next day wore away quick.
ly, as all days do to m actively EN-.
and, before was aware of it,
my train had almost completed the
return run and was rafting along
Melville at a rushing rate. The
was Just dipping out Of sight be-
hind the scared hills away to the left.
and the chilly autumn wind whistled
by my ears, as | leaned out of the
cab, in a way that reminded me that
was coming, But | didn't mind
1t, for | was used to exposure, AS
usual, l kept a keen lookout ahead.
An engineer cant be too careful, you
know, when he realizes that a bit Of
-ecSiessness may endanger hundreds
IF lives as dear as his own.
But there | was, thinking Of the
people in the coaches behind. when,
me, a life was in danger which
vas worth more to me than the whole
world beside. | did not know 1t then,
but | saw 1t a moment later, and 1t
almost froze the blood in my veins!
As we rounded a sharp curve,
through a deep cut not half a mile
rom the station, | saw, not 20 rods
before us, a lying PROSTATE
lcross one of the rails, and, a little
a man standing on the ties,
light in the middle of the track!
As we came yet nearer, | saw that
he woman was tied there, and that
he man was my Spanish rival, Santa
edo!
Great Heaven! l dared not ask my.
elf who was the woman! | dared not
liter her name!
Keeling, half fainting from my In.
ense excitement, l whistled down
seized the lever and, throw.
ne myself upon It as a maniac hurts
himself against his prison walls, | re-
'ersed the engine.
We were running fast, and couldn't
top quickly, The loaded train pressed