El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-13
By Agnes G. Herbertson.

~ YNTHlA mao spread the Gun ID
of her jewel case out on the ia
~ BILE and was gazing at them con-
tenonlatiyely when Wortley was an
nounced Her occupation and the flush
on her cheeks did not surprise Wortiey'
though he paled a little He knew eA-
actlv what had happened AS ne hao
come down the road he had seen isaac
son leave the house and strike OIL II,
the onposite direction with his usuai
self-setisfied strut. Wortley had peeh
coenizant Of the object OF the mlliioh, !,
aires call on Cynthia, and ne nsu
known that 1t was to .ake place inns
morning He was GLAD tnat ne hau
nor met the other man face To face; ne
knew that he would have been beset oy
a primitive instinct to raise MS Ilst
ond vine the SNUG dissatisfaction OH
the Jews face.
To think that that man was 10 marry
Cynthia!
AS he advanced into the room Cynthia
rose with good deal Of CONFUSION
''Hullo, Johnny" she said.
'cHullo, Cynthia" said Wortley- nc
tried to make his tone as light as hers
had been, but the attempt was 1alIure'
He stared at the mass of trinkets on
the table. The topaz in tiny thin
ring Winked back at him. He wlnceo
again. He had given the ring to Gym
thia. on the day he went to college he
had not learnt then wealth's power
and the humiliation Of being poor
CYNTHIA saw his glance and colored
as she reseated herself. Surprised TO
find me at this kind of thing, areh
you?" she said. But L don often
snend hours in the contemplation Of my
treasures"
ooh. 1 quite understand" Wortley
said dryly: @T saw Isaacson coming
away from the house. and yesterday
an indiscreet person told me what was
likely to occur"
"Ohw said Cynthia, little coldly.
you are comparing those scraps with
the Isaacson diamonds. / can UNDER
stand the impulse-or, rather, can
detect IT." Wortley said, rather hastily
He rose from the couch on which ne
had seated himself and wandered round
the room. On the mantleshef was
little Dresden figure, shepherdess IN
stiffly piouant robes Cynthia watched
him take it up, and set it down, then set
IT down again The sight got on her
nerves. though she was not wont to be
thus easily ruffled. "Oh, do cease fid-
dlingr' she said.
4 Wortley set the figure down and
turned ''Of course, it is beastly mean
of me-" he burst out, Ito come ROUND
like this and rub the gilt off the GIN
gerbreadi, But, oh, hang it all, I hate
to think Of this marriage of yours. Gym
thia"
Cynthia's young figure grew even
more rigid. you are dog in the man
ger kind of a person, that's what you
arer' she said angrily. You don't
want TO marry me yourself, yet when
I get a really good offer, make the con-
quest of the season, so to speak, you
come round and try to prove to me
That marriage with Isaacson Will
not be all poetry? Yes, think l could
prove that easily enough" said Wort
ley. But his face was even paler ana
he had not been easy under the lash Of
her words.
CYNTHIA bent back, suddenly smiling,
purringly content, triumphant. Il shall
have" she began, " house in Park
Lane
with Isaacson in it!'' retor:ed
Wortley. He was still standing by the
mantleshelf, and his anger could not
bring color into his face
"Of course, why not?' said sne
haughtily. She proceeded with her emu
meration of her future joys. I snail
have a shootingbox in Scotland
She paused a moment, but Wortley
was silent He knew-and she knew
that Isaacson was a -wretched shot
WortIey was an excellent one, there
fore he said nothing.
Cynthia grew a little pink; the 81
lence was more eloquent than any
words could have been; but she went
on bravely. "He-he has a yacht, too
.and-wen, you know, Johnny, how
fond am of the sea- Her voice from
travel too-and I shall be able 10 do
all that now"
You are envious of me, that's what
it is" said Cynthia half-heartedly,
when you think of the full, beautiful
life 1 shall leadi
"Ahrr said wortley. He gave him
self little shake You are seeing the
poetry of it all, Cynthia And /, be-
cause-because 1 have known you all
my life, and have always been keen
about you, have always desired your
happiness, II see the prose What IS
the prose of it"
Cynthia turned her face from him.
Need we go into that? lit is so
she said in a low voice.
Unnecessary? Well, perhaps some
people might think so; but / care for
you. Cynthia, SO I am going to be
mean do another man a nasty turn,
and force you to face the truth You
have been romancing about the beauty
Of your future, the full vivid life, the
exquisite clothes, beautiful scenes, the
wonders of travel, the fascination
and it is a very real one-of wonderful
stones But what Is the prose Of it all?
The prose of it is that you are going to
marry a man not Of your own race
(well perhaps that does not matter so
a man who has made his
money by means, to say the least Of ii. |
doubtful, q man who is not personally |
4 attractive to you, a man whom you |
neither love nor respect-for the sake |
Of what he will give your"
Wortley was still standing at dis |
lance from her. his voice vibrant, eager, |
charged with feeling, rang through the |
room. There was an accent of disgust |;
IN the last pungent phrases, and the |
mans tones were not steady.
Cynthia ought to have WINGED under /
MS accusations, but she appeared en- |
tirely unembarrassed. Her eyes were |
merely a little wistful, a little ex- |
pressive of a half doubling regret as |
: he ss'rha