Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1906-01-05
The Mem I'm
South America
By EDITH DoANE


It was the dinner hour at the Ocean
House. Inside the spacious dining
room the hum OF conversation and low
laughter Of women's voices mingled
with soft strains OF music. At the open
windows the light curtains swayed
gently in the ocean breeze.
A burst OF infectious laughter came
from a gay party by one Of the win
dows, and Robert Woodruff, seated
nlOne at a nearby table, glanced up In
amused interest. Something vaguely
familiar about one OF the group-a girl
who sat with her back TO ~him-roused
his attention. He was consumed with
a burning desire to see her face, but
some one was between them.
Just then the little party rose 10 go.
As the girl pushed back her chair she
turned. and with a glad thrill he recog-
nized her-Elizabethl How often the
picture Of that slender, almost faultless
figure, the appealing eyes. the odd lit
Gle touch of hauteur In the expressive
face. had been I'm bis mind during the
past dreary months. II only she had
given him q chance to explain, now.
by the force OF his love, grown strong
through months Of hunger. he would
compel her to listen. Perhaps she
would ignore that foolish mlsunder-
standing after these two long years.
She was very near now-in another
moment she must pass him. He rose,
and his face was very bright and eager
as he stood, tall and straight, beside
his chair. On she came. pausing a mo
ment at the table next to his own.
Now she was so close he could have
touched her, and his heart throbbed
painfully. Then slowly, deliberately,
coolly. without u glance, she passed
him, her soft white draperles trailing
gracefully down the long room.
Outside In the corridor little Billy
Preston hurried past her, his fat, good
natured face aglow.
"see Bobby Woodruff he painted.
Must be in there-name's on the
registcr-not in room-must have come
by late boat-I missed h~im-salllngV'
he gasped explainingly.
The smile on Elizabeth's l~ips-every.
body always smiled at Bobby-faded
With q quick shock of comprehension
she glanced back into the dining room
So that was Robert Woodruff, tina
tall, splendid fellow smiling an answe
to Billy's ELUSIVE greeting; he ha,
been so near and she had not known.
Her heart beat in great, suffocatln.
throbs, the lights were swimming be
fore her eyes. and In her ears ran
Billy's high pitched voice.
"Here he is, Miss Worthingtor
Here's the prodigalr' he bubbled Joy
ously. keeping to himself just be
cause the papers are full of that oil
bridge he managed TO build down Their
In South America. Can't shake his oil
friends like that. can he, Miss Worth
ington? Doesn't he look fine. though?
And Billy beamed ecstatieally.
IL am so glad TO see you" she SAID
with a tremulous little smile, trying I
speak steadily. Her dark eyes wer
full OF tender light.
But there was no answering smil
on the stern face above her. "Mis
worthington is very kind" he sal
~eourteously and bowling gravely.
Her face was very white as sh
turned proudly aside. She had live
in the hope OF his coming-and he ha
come-and did not care.
Later In the evening, so late that tn
long suffering chaperons had alread
begun to issue warning signals TO the
unheeding charges, Billy finished
waltz with Miss Worthlngton. III
companion had beer ~singularly silen
you look done up" he said an
iously. "Come out on the porch, whel
Woodruff and the rest OF the crow
are"
ooh, no-T'- she commenced in
quick. pleading voice, then stopped an
walked beside him with gentle dlgnit
Billy drew her a chair within Il
friendly circle and she leaned graf
fully back n her shadowy corner. tt
sound OF vlolins came softly from Il
distance; below them was the mufle
beating OF the surf against the rock
an unusual spell Of silence lay upo
the little group.
"Woodrun. tell us a story" said Bill
suddenly.
ayes. do"-"About South America
An adventure NO, u lONc btOIyl
chorused the others. The girl IN Il
shadowy corner said nothing, bl
Woodrun's eyes turned to her for oil
brief instant before he spoke.
"Well-it isn't really a story; theI
isn't enough Of IT," he began. "TheI
was a fellow down there. / knew hi
pretty well, better than any one els
did. l think. He lived In South Anne
Ica-had beer there for a long time
and when we began on the bridge
went nj to the mountains with u
He was an odd sort OF a chap an
hadn't much TO say TO the rest OF II
boys. He used to go OF by himself an
smoke in the moonlight. Some way
was sitting here In the moonlight thu
made me think OF him.
''Well. one night he told me his stor
He had been in love with a girl In
Brazil. we will say. To hear him ray
about her you would think she was Il
only woman In the world. He thougI
she loved him-she said she did-bl
they were not formally engaged b