Middletown transcript., 1906-03-03

Colonel Morgan was not in ex
istence l would never be evel
friends again.
You love him; so you hate me
Zetto said slowly. Why shoulc
l not hate him, when l love you
Don't speak. Don't tell me
have no right to love you, for
have. A cat can look at IL king
I've been thinking of doing some
thing for you to-day something
a little out of the ordinary lint
of diamond rings he glanced
scornfully at the letter, as
though he had been reading it
upside down and half crumpleG
in her hand, while they were
talking something which would
at least convince you that my
love had some quality ol
strength. If / offer you a birth
day gift, will you accept it?
No! Mona replied Indignantly.
No woman would accept a gif,
from a man who was not at least
her friend.
| thought not, he muttered. ]
knew that you loved him, and
that you would spurn my love il
I offered it, even in q diamond
ring. I haven't offered it; but
will tell you this: L am not a
laborcr. I took this place sim
ply because I loved you and
wanted an excuse to be near
you. I have tried to win your
love. Now l know why I have
failed. l am going away. You
will never see me again, but you
will hear from me just once be-
fore this day is done. You have
called me a coward and said that
you would never be my friend
again. It's a tough good by, con-
sidering what I've worked and
hoped for. But you might change
your mind. Women do some
times. If I should send you a
birthday gift tonight, that you
accepted before you accepted
his, and thought more of than,
you expect to think of his,
wouldn't that be sure sign that
we were friends again?
] do not understand you, Zetto.
L
l want one word. Answer me,
yes or no, he said sternly. It is
a little question of life and death
with me. Answer me, yes or
no. Would it mean that we are
friends?
If | ever accept a gift from
J you it will mean that I believe
that we are friends, Mona said,
trembling; for there was some
thing so fierce and sinister in
Zetto's face that she knew there
was some hidden meaning in his
" ord s. something connected
with his threat. He caught her
hand and kissed it almost saw
agely, vaulted the veranda rail,
leaped into his saddle and disap-
peared.
Mona still stood looking out
over the mountains, still holding
the letter in her hand but she
had forgotten both. Spanish
irony is not often wasted words.
zetto had not wasted them. He
meant something. But all she
could understand was that it was
something against Colonel Nor
gan. She could only think of |
the bitterness with which he had |
said: II would kill him."
She started for the stable, but
she stopped. She was
not afraid to go. There was not
. better rider, a truer shot or a
braver girl on the Rio Grande.
She was thinking of the result.
Her lips smiled, but her anxious
eyes did not join them.
He'd only laugh at me for rid
ing eight miles to tell. him that
zetto had threatened to shoot
him. He'd tell me the woods |
were full of bigger things than
Zetto who had all done the same.
And Zetto won't go to the fort. |
He knows Ned's coming here and |
he'll try to do it near the house, |
so that | shall know. If only |
knew when he was coming Icould
meet him part way. Perhaps he |
can't come tonight. I hope he
can't.
She walked slowly back to the
house, thinking how little she
expected, when she read the let
,er, to be hoping that he would
not come. The sun was not set
ing, but the shadows were creep
ng up out Of their hiding places
u the eternal twilight of those
leep defiles. She went up into
I. :.