The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-03-05

ne followed the couple and at last
/ made up his mind that she was Miss
81 Leger. Then he purchased a bon,
Quet from a street vender and, ap-
! proaching her, offered it She accepted
II and slipped her hand within his arm.
Her Rttendant fell back, Convinced Of
har denfity.. Ashley took a fancy 70
press his suit without revealing the
fact that she was known to him.
~But supposing." abe said In voice
thtnly disguised. shat l am not Of
your class.
That cannot be-" he said. zone to
the manner born cannot conceal Il even
In disguise"
II may be homely."
THAT ] VIII risk"
You haven't seen my face"
Il have seen your figure. l have
heard your voice. Neither could be-
long to any but beautiful girl. But
were your face pockmarked, were your
eyes green, your nose beet. still would
love you"
She was silent He felt her hand
tremble on his arm.
'-oh, to have a lover like that" she
responded presently-"to be loved for
oneself by one who loves SO well that
lack of beauty, blemish, has no
weight to turn his loveT"
you viii find me such. You are
beautiful. l know II. But supposlng
some accident, some illness, should
convert that beauty into ugliness, still
would love you"
'If You only wouldr'
Il know would"
But suppose you should find my
face, which you insist on believing
beautiful to be hideous."
Il would love you"
They had passed beyond the crowd
Of merrymakers. The torches dlckered
In the distance. Shouts of laughter,
the footing Of horns, the tread of feet,
came confusedly. Ashley unclasped
the hand from his arm and pressed it.
Tell me. sweetheart" he said, els it
yes2"
you do not know what you are do
Ing"
II know this-that l love you"
when you see my face you win
spurn me-"
"Neverr'
"Even IL you should wish to keep
your word I would not permit you to
make the sacrifice. A hero once loved
q beautiful woman. She refused him.
Smallpox destroyed her beauty. They
met again, and she accepted him. He
married her. They lived a wretched
life"
ut would not be so with me-"
Il would not trust you"
4 beg Of you. do not hold me OF
longer. I am becoming beside myself.
Send me away from you, and l VIM
bury my grief under the bosom OF the
Mississippi"
you don't mean it."
~T do"
you win surely die If deny your
81 WILL"
Then l must yield"
Removing her mask, she turned to-
ward him the face Of full bIooded
African negress. He started back.
Reckon yo' been mistaken, mars"
she said in broad negro dialect.
Ashley drew forth a well filed wal
lot and was about to open it when the
negro snatched it.
II want 1t all, Mars Ashley. Ef yo'
don' Glib 1t TO me I'll tell Missy Rosa
Ind"
You know herT
II ought to. I'm her maid"
"Keep 1t, and If you keep the secret
as well you shall have more" And,
turning on his heel, he rejolned the rev
elers.
An hour later Ashley again passed
the green and red dominos. The wo-
man shook his wallet at him trium-
phantly. He was about to turn his back
upon her when she lifted her mask and
showed the features Of Miss ST. Leger.
She tossed his wallet to him with a
merry laugh and turned away. As she
did so her escort raised his mask and
showed the face Of Julius Warfeld.
Rosalind St Leger regarded her aea
as bit Of coquetry that would serve
TO draw the northerner only the more
closely to her. She was mistaken. He
left the city the next morning without
call or a line Of adieu When she
realized what she had done she bitter |
y rued her folly. She waited a year,
hoping that he would relent; but, fan |
ing to hear from him, there was moth
ing for her to do but complete the part
she had played by marrying Warfeld. |
The only comfort remaining to her |
was to send her wedding cards TO the |
man she really wanted.
HERBERT DOUsMAN