New-York tribune., 1909-02-14
A MIRAGE OF THE PLAINS

brush came IN on the night WInd There Eas
SO much luxury II the nearness 20 the outside
The walls OF the room. the chars and tabls
the linen. silver, and glass. these things saw
only vaguely: they belonged % the LIE she
had welded. The only reality FOR her was her
expectation and the waiting night outside
Her fellow traveller, who wd- al a near table
began to be uncertain whether the face. with
its clear cut features, It's definite lines about
the lips. was not after al The face II a dreamer
instead Of an enthusiast. Masses Of hair Cast
a shadow over her eyes which looked black.
the heavy eyebrows and lashes that had
seemed 10 him before 70 prove power ard
strength deePened the rep0se that was upon
her.
lust as the waiter put q salad before her.
she heard q voice outside the window vllch
stopped her heart. II was his v0Icei II was
the voice that had called her INTO a new lie.
the voice that had wakened the prlmeval
woman IN her and had seemed more 70 her
than the music OF applause o- The sound Of an
orchestra. There was the same power N L
that she had felt before.
To the surprise of the waiter. she started to
rise from the table. But the words reached
her.-words OF q question, and the answer
came IN wOmau'S low love laugh, laugn
with truth IN il. Of surprised contentnent 2nd
belief She might have doubted the question
the laugh with the girli~h note n II. that She
could not doubt And al The long time wnrh
his voice from behind the gently moving cur
tainS. She began 70 sec the room very Eivi1iF.
the color OF the walls. the cIrVlng on tnr
chairs. the fineneSS OF the linen. ne nigh.
outside reCeded slowly from her conScIouSneS'-
When the waiter came with her coffee She
looked into his eyes, queer. dumb look u Wa
that be1ied the richness OF Icr VOICE hhsA
does the first train for the E4>t leave, Sng
asked And where can I send @ telegram
The passenger watched her as she walked
the length of the dining room AgaIn ne We
surprised that he had missed the whole Iee--
ing OF her face. There was pride N II Po"Sl'
and something he could not understand ne
did not see her pause on the threshold ioI
moment of indeciSion and then turn 70 IA7
door that led to the piazza
THE same strong impulse th..t had orousni si
her from New York 70 New Mexico toIceu
her to 90 direct to the thing that wouLd hul.
her most,-to see the girl L was cara ,- OI'
there. but she knew she could see l. ne H'-
ment favored her. The g,r. rose. SAVING sH5
was tired and must 60 t. her room She NlsSsl
the man lightly and passed the Wlndo"'-a
pretty, girlish. unsPoied face she had
Then there were only the Two OF tAtiA anu
the dark piazza, each one N deep shado~ sh,S
He lit a cigar and she leaned forward 20 see
his face. IN the light Of the match. Sne Sa" IL5
face IS She pictured il, strong featured, orolizel
with the desert sun. She was t1rturlng nei-
self; but she could not 60 Even Is Sne ;e--
him there, she began to picture herself n Is
old world. She could see herself unpacAnls
her things and arranging them; she coGIl - sS-
herself signing a contract Prunat-N Du15
would take advantage of her low spirits anu
make the contract more to his Own atvant4g1
Back there in 4 few DAYS this hour N the
dark would seem Just as unreal as her vlSi9ns
of her tent and her children. and OF the wedding
IN the sunset. She oe-
70 faa1 ? rrraf afTr