Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-14

| dress for Gertrudis Rudisinda, ran the
needle into her finger.
"Madre de Diosr' she cried angrily. who
would have expected such foolish words
from you, and now have prcked my finger
and stained the little frock. 1t will have
to be washed before worn and is never 50
pretty after"
II am sorry" said Sturgis humbly. But
1t seems to me that If a man wishes to
marry maid he should ask her in q
straightforward manner, with no prelimi-
nary signs and hints and serenades-and
all sorts of insincere stage play"
He should at ieast address her parents
first"
True. 1 was wholly the American for
the moment May l speak to Don Jose
and Dona Ignacia Concha?"
How can l prevent? No. will not CO.
quet with you, Weelam But 1 am angry
that you have thought of such nonsense.
Such friends we were! We have talked and
read together by the hour and my parents
have thought no more of 1t than had IL
book in your pocket. Why did you not
read it to me instead of making love? Let
me see it."
II brought It to read later If you wished,
but came to ask you to marry and to
receive your answer. l never expected to
ask you-but-lately-thing have changed
life seems somehow, more real. The
thought Of losing you has suddenly become
terrible"
you have been drinking Russian tea"
said Concha. stitching quietly. but flashing
without malice.
ut is true" he replied 1T suppose T
never really believed you would marry Raj
mundo or Ignaco or any of the caballeros.
They think and talk of nothing but horse
racing, gambling, cockfghting. love and
cigaritos. / thought of you always here.
where at least l could look at you or read
with you. But one must admit that this
Russian is no ordinary man. / hate him,
yet like him more than any l have ever
met. Last night l stayed to punch with
II tn ta11r bod Itch,
That is to say, he did; could have listen
ed to him till morning. Langsdorff says
that he has the greatest possible command
of his native tongue, but he speaks Eng
lish well enough. / wish / could despise
him, but do not believe | even hate him."
"Well?" demanded Concha. She kept her
eyes on her work land the delight that rose
In her breast from her voice..
Well?
why should you hate him?"
DO you ask me that, Concha, when he
makes a fence of himself about you, and
his fine eyes-practiced is nearer the mark
look at no one else?'
But why should that cause you Jealousy?
He is man of the world, accustomed to
make himself agreeable. and 1 the
daughter Of the comandante."
He is more in love with you than he
knows"
DO you think So Weelfam?" Still her
voice was innocent and even, although the
color rose above the inner commotion. But
even So what of 1t? Have not many loved
Il do not know"
The tumult in Concha turned to wrath
and she lifted flashing eyes to his moody
face. DO you presume to say you are
jealous because you think 1 love him-a
stranger l have known but week-who
looks upon a child-who has never
never thought" But her dignity. flying
to the rescue, assumed control. Her upper
lip curled, her body stiffened for a moment
and she went on with her stitching. You
deserve l should rap your silly little skull
with my thimble. You are no better than
Ignacio and Fernando. Such scenes as
have had with them, They wanted to fight
the Russian, How he would laugh at them!
have threatened they shall both be sent
to San Diego if there Is any more non
sense" Then curiosity overcame her. "You
never had the least, least reason to think
1 would marry you. and now, according to
your own words, you think you have less.
Then why, pray, did you address me?'
Because 1 am a man, / suppose. 1
could not sit tamely down and see you
CO."
She looked at him with a slight access of
interest. man.? Perhaps he was, after
ALL And his well-bred bony face looked
very determined. albeit the eyes were visit
full. Suddenly she felt sorry for him. and
she had never experienced pang of SYM
pathy for sutton before. She leaned
forward and pattdd his hand.
Il cannot marry you, dear Weeliam,''
she said, and never had he seen her so,
sweet and adorable. although he noted with
a pang that her mouth already drawn
shall never marry at ALL For many years
forty, fifty perhaps | shall sit here on
the veranda and you shall read to me-
And then she shivered violently. But she
set her mouth until 1t was almost straight,
and picked up the little dress. Not that,
perhaps" she said quietly In a moment.
Il sometimes think 1 should like to be a
num- that, after all. it is my vocation. Not
clustered one, for that Is but selfish
life. But to teach. to do good. to forget
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