Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-03-10

$50 that's the way the land lies. Is
itf" asked Ivy Lyle.
The sensitive face under the big. rose
lined sun hat was very whi9 Her
lips qulvered a little. Tie hands that
held tie vagrant sheet tremblcd.
1T isn't that / care.' she told her
self. Il hadn't begun to care-in that
way. I was only becoming-attracted.
But the s~hock-the disillusion''-
When she had started out an hour
ago for her usual brisk morning walk
along the crisp, shelving sauds. she
had been one OF the most indifferent,
light hearted Of girls. She was done
with college, and the two years Of for
elgn travel had succeeded school as n
sort Of polishing process. She had per-
feet health ami misty dreams Of oil
the yelled future held in It's keeping.
She had aesthetic tastes, and her skill
in athletic sports was the admiration
of her less vigorous girl friends. She
had been having a beautiful time down
at this gay. unconventional resort on
the Michigan coast. And now-well,
Temporarily It seemed that her pleas
ure was spoiled.
And in her heart she knew that she
must have been beginning to think too
much OF the man whose attentions to.
her had been so marked or else this
discovery would not so affect her. Sit
ting to rest and watch the white crest
ed waves come curling up to break on
the border Of the lake like threads Of
rarest lace, her attention had been
caught by n small, white, whirllng OBJ
1ect that at first sight she had taken
for a bird. 1t had whisked lower and
nearer. Then It iOnted so close she
could put out her hand and grasp It,
and she found 1t was n sheet of note
paper covered with diminutive chirOg-
raphy. 1t was written on the station
cry Of the fashionable hotel looming
up on the dunes behind her. At FIRST
she had beer about to crumple It up
and cast it aside. but In the very net
of doing 50 n nnme-hcr own name
met her eye.
Even then she hesitated. But the
three words were so significant she
must know their writer's full mean
ing. The page was the continuation
OF n letter, and the first three words
at the top Of the page were love
Ivy Lyle!' Impulslvely, giving her
Eelf no chance TO weigh the niceties of
honor In the balance. she scanned the
page. As she read 1t slowly again the
fresh, soft color went tidlng u OF
her cheek.
love Ivy Lyle. I've fought against
il, for can't afford to marry her, ns
you know. But she has rather swept
me or my feet, old chap. At first
was taken with her innocent beauty
There was 10 one at this big hostelry
TO compare with her for looks. So
let myself drift. | thought she was
just IA Leaf little country girl and thai
It would be easy TO say a sentimental
farewell when the summer was Over
You know what these warm weather
flrtations amount to. So I've been so
ing to see her steadily and taking hel
everywhere. We've gone dancing nnc
swimming and boating and all the resi-
of It.. and, by Jove, for all she's
mighty quiet, I've come to find on
she's not the typical little country cir
at all. She's well read and Travelled
though she seemed rather aghast wher
she let that fact out. And she looks a
a fellow in n cool. apprlslng sort OF
way that makes him feel pretty cheaI
II his spoken thoughts are not quite III
TO her white standard. But she's no
really I'm the social swim. Sho's n ma
tive, I take 1t. It's been hard to PHI
her down to any confidence about her
self. She lives with a very dragon o
an aunt at a farmhouse on the edge o
town. She wears her cotton dresse
and shade hats In a way that take
the shine out OF the women up at til
hotel, but I've never seen her spOr
any of the swell clothes they wear
the hops here. Oh. confound it, what
ne use OF my incoming away to 20
at this rate? I've got to 20 away an
try TO forget her before it's too late.
"Damarls Chase and her father ar
to be here this week, they tell ms
And she's the girl the heads OF bot
our houses expect me to marry. Sh
may have the good taste TO refuse ms
aud / almost hope she Will. She's
great h%eiress, and the consolidation O
the business interests would be a car
ital thing; but, OH, hang me II ! though
Il would be so hard to get that littl
girls sweet face out Of my heart.
must do the sensible thing and go
for the $4,000 n year. Lord, but II
sorry for those poor devils OF king
who have 10 wed for reasons Of STATE
I feel disgustlnely like one Of then
I'm sleepy. Good night. I'll hnis
this In the morning. Ten to one
dream Of Ivy Lyle!'
It needed no signature. The write
was easily recognized. She crumple
the paper tightly in her hand an
thrust II into tho blouse OF her gov
as a rapid, heavy step came crunchin
down the beach. That step had b.
come too pleasantly familiar. Coul
he have known the sheet had bee
whlsked u OF Ills roomy Had !
seen II blown down 10 the beach?
Good morning. Miss Lyle" II
flung himself down beside her. III
handsome. boyish fuce looked straine
and set. as though insomnia In