Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-25

her, only nodded absently in passing. He seemed
unable to lift himself above the threshold OF her
cthargc consciousness, and the sense OF futile eHoFE
heightened the fever in his veins.
One night, as he argued the question OF improved
picks with Gilmer, his attentive ear caught loot
fall on the stair leading to the family rooms; me
door was open, and in moment he could see Loreha
coming slowly down, clad in a dragging white gar
ment and holding in her arms heavy geFahlu'h
pot The weight of the thing made her step eau
tious1v. Luis could see her frail wrists trembling
with the strain and he sprang forward to aid her
"Senorita! but this iss too heavy for you.
She regarded him over the yelvety leaves and 1or
her blue eyes seemed at least aware OF MIN u
ooh thank YOU" she said in toneess voice. i
was going to set it out in the rain It's sprlnking
q will set it out" said Luis. The conversation had
no effect of being dramatic and convincing, certainly,
but Luiss heart beat fast he felt as if relation were
establishing itself between him and this ialr mex
plicable creature. "But if put it here on the porch
the goats will eat it, you know senorita Ihey eat
all but railroad iron! will put it safely IN our yard
There iss there fence l am your neighb0F The
Luceros OF next door"
ooh, if it isn't too much trouble"
"Trouble!" cried Luis passionately. After all, pas
sion needs no established medium OF expression
at will be a JOY .senorita; we will make this little
tree blossom out all in glory of red
But it's white one. Mr.-Senor Lucero
the common color. It iss bold. I love white the
much more. For the white flowers will be like you.
scnorita, without mark or stain as the snow OF
heaven iss .
Gilmer's daughter surveyed him with widening and
somewhat bewidered gaze. There was tervld light
in the young MeXcan's eyes. He returned her look
with kind of tranced intensity. And as the girl
regarded his dark face, skilled in this eloquent
ecstasy sudden quiver touched her lips To her
cheeks rose sweetly living color and in her eyes an
abashed consciousness shone while, as to conceal
it. the eyelds slowly fell. She appeared to catch her
breath little sharply; and then she turned and went
with digniied slowness up the bare stairs
Lucero, holding the fower-pot like trophy
emerged into the wet gloom of the night pulsng III
dizzy rapture. Hola! how it was strange! he had
thought of her only with pity and IN moment 1t
was all changed and the pity was gone. This IN its
place was surely love- though it had come so strange
y Strangely? Holy saints of God, who can tell how
love comes? 1t was here in his heart. nat was was
certain. How sweetly she had looked at him! How
softly blue her eyes were! How freshly the blood
had spoken in her cheeks! He did not know exactly
why he should be so glad why hope should quicken
his bosom So There had been little to engender Ger
tanty But the spirit of man is primarily aware OF
the significance of tokens too slight for his mind TO
rest on and Luss innermost core OF being had read
destiny in Lorena Gilmers face.
Nevertheless he would have found less security
of comfort in the rainy winds outside her dwelling II
he could have foreseen the tragic gloom in store Tor
him Succeeding days, as it fell out, afforded him
almost no chance OF seeing Lorena, and when he dd
make out intercept her, he aghast at the girls
demeanor Blush? Santo CielO! had she ever bushed?
Her cheek turned upon him the unrespons1Ye-
ness of ivory And her eyes, truly her eyes were
more remote than on the day when she stepped hrst
on the soil of Aguilar She was ice. She was mar
ble When he brought back the geranium and she
took it with a changeess visage, barely speaking
Luceros heart sweed in kind of resenttul an
"Senortap burst forth the unhappy young man,
"does it not please you? Behold the blossoms! |
have striven-yes, like a peon have labored with
"You've been mighty kind to take so much trou.
be," SAID Lorena, looking coldly back as she went
upstairs. I'm right grateful
She was grateful that was all. And he, Luis Lu-
cero-for him decidedly there was nothing to do but
put end to himself forthwith.
1t chanced that soon after while he was st!
griny debating upon the least distressing means OF
doing this, relative from up the canon came to
town upon splendid young bronco, which exhibited
the fiery quality of its spirit by ploughlng up the
earth outside the LucerO house while It's master sat
at meat within
"He has mettle" observed Luis, watching the mus
tang careering round about the htching-post,
"Mettle! Yo rio de oso" said the knsman
proudly "He will not be more than half busted yet"
"Si sill" smiled Luis. q should like to mount
him. Have I your permission cousm?'
After dinner the two went out to inspect the
horse which showed his friendly sentiment by laying
back his ears and exhibiting very red mouth.
"Han said Luis in response to this greeting, 'you
dare me, then, nv beauty chr" And he vaulted into
the horned saddle. The bronco gathering its hoots
together made convusive movement "Cudado!
cried the kinsman warnngly; but already the animal
had wheeled like eddying wind, and LUIS lay very
white and still beside the ditch in front OF the Com
panys store,
In an instant a crowd surrounded him. The near
est and quickest of the throng was a woman who
had sped from the like thread of white light
ming, and who crouched over Luis now, uttering his
name wildly
When Lucero opened his eyes, as he did presently
and saw the face bent him in angushed tender
ness and heard his name on lips which had like to
have killed him with their silence, he seized cum
nngly at the opportunity which tate had sorted
him.
"Lorena! Querida! You my own"
There was feverish look in her deep eyes. eyes,
YES yes" she breathed. But she said it as one who
registers a VOW involving dreadful issues than
the nuptia hour.
After this episode life about the Companys store
began to manifest a wonderful difference. Pallor and
apathy no longer marred the young livelness OF the
girl whom Luis Lucero loved. AS flower from its
colorless sheath so her beauty sprung fresh and
sweet with radiance which astounded every one:
"Shes getting the good of the altitude reckon,
said her mother to those who remarked Lorena
altered air. Whereat Mrs. Holding, the postmistrcss
laughed. .
"Ben' in love has good effect the circulation"
said she. 81 amt ever been infected that way my
SELF but they say that when it don't pull you down.