El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-13
AMID THE TREES
(By NJ. Francis Xavier.)

II SSART was little tired of fiesta
-. do San Pedro, and two out of the
five aggressively cheerful mid
summer days that are given up to it
were enough to render him stunned and
deafened and altogether surfeited with
the strident gaiety that is deemed
necessary to make a Portuguese holiday
really satisfactory.
On the third morning OF the fiesta,
therefore, he walked out of Lisbon
when the day was so young that its
freshness and stiffness was dismaying,
and he felt that his presence was alien
and desedrating. He went out through
this wonderful winelike morning,
choosing the road TO Cintra that runs
by Larmanjat at first, but quickly de-
sorting 1t for a way less obvious and
hackneyed of his, own election that
branched off between hedges of aloe
and cactus; along this road he wan
dered pleasantly, and at the pace ca
price demanded
The southern darkness stole down
upon him in soft, warm dusk and ca
ressing gloom There was a strange.
moving fragrance in ", as though its
secret made up of exotic odors and the
perfume of curious and lovely flowers.
1t kept one enthralled by this scent as
one is enthralled by the essence of
scented woman. There was something
yelled and mystical in it, something in
scrutable, brooding.
AS he walked through the deepening
night, Essart began to come under its
SPELL Its delicious luxuriance and ten
derness engulfed him and his spirit In
a gentle and lovely bondage.
1T is a night ordained for the ro-
mantle" he thought. And SO is the
place" He began to weave for himself
bright patches of that moving color OF
thoughts that is romance.
Something within him broke loose
and swelled out of him and carried him
away with an intense fervor. What had
been a dream had, in an instant. merged
into acute need. He was trembling with
a sudden gust of passion.
"Ahi" he almost shouted, and he stood
in the middle of the road. "Ah, a woman
and love in this place. What would
not give for that-a woman and lover!
He sent his will streaming and feel
ing. wandering into the night seeking
contact with some other will.
"Oh, a woman, woman" he cried
IT will a woman to APPEAR
He laughed as he said this. but there
was a real power of will under the
laugh and he waited with a certain
frightened expectancy after he had
spoken, for he had fanc:ed he had heard
something as he uttered the command,
something that might have been a
voice, a woman calling out. 1t was. he
thought. rather shrill and painful, and
ended in a choked and sobbing note.
But though he waited 1T was not re-
heated. and in a second fle shook his
head to negative some inner question
1T was the wind" he muttered. Prob
ably it was blowing among the leaves,
and" He looked UP to discover motion
among the leaves, and, looking down at
him he saw the woman.
He was startled, but also he was at
tracted, and he could not take his eyes
away from her. She stood there very
quiet. in an attitude almost statuesQue.
The trees were not too thick. and he
could see the outlines of her head and
part Of. her body and something Of the
sweep of her gown.
Essert stood still and looked up at
her. and, though he was a little afraid,
he was wrung with a moving passion
as well He looked UP to the woman
and he whispered:
Then you have come"
And he heard her voice answer him
family, vaguely, like a breath among
the trees.
YES, I have come"
IT called you," he whispered. Did
you hear me call you?"
Yes" she answered.
ct sent out my spirit, and it met your
spirit and drew it?'