La Junta tribune., 1912-11-30


early rising.
lie said Somcthin: about this even
ln..' she said io herself. md wis,fui
Smiic curved her pink lips.
Lena GiIlert. passing ny. SAW the
smile and maryr.-'i. ii.r avn lips
were set In u straight scarlet line that
matched the vivid hue of her cap 1T
j. fate" she uuiirrcd between hrs
set teeth
III. men did not return from their
hunting expedition nniiI an hour before
dinner. II Felicia had spent tn. after
nDpu la her own room. aud when she
was sure that every one was dressing
she stole downstairs To- tI. music
room aud opened the piano She. bowed
fli,.>.. half hours of music. when in fhe
sound proof ronm III. played softly to
herself. dreaming a. sh. PLAYED
When she had finished with a dain-
". airy thin. that >c,.n,ci 10 express
her own light b.Hri.,lncs- she went
To- the library. Tile evening papers
would lie here. nnI II WAS favurife
dinner
She was well Within the great room
before she was awnr. that II was al
ready occupied and That her presence
wls an intrusion. l.nngford DALE was
standing there. nur elbow on the high
mantel shelf and his head thrown back.
loukiu. down NJ L"ua a.ilb.rt with
rather surprised expression on his face.
Lena. dazzling in pale blue witt her
golden hair piled In II mass of puns
and curls at the back OF her bead.
stood before him with flushed clrpk,
aud dropping eyes 4, Felicia entered
Lena was saying
I received your note. Lang. aud
am here
The little scene smpi. sharply upon
Fclicin's happy mool. aud the rosy
veil was torn from her eyes. Before
either of them had noticed her pres
encc she had vanished. Back TO the
music room she dew. her fingers crush
cd tightly In her palms.
When she stopped In tn. middle u
the room aud stared before her she
saw her own rcte'iion In the long mir
ror All In white she was. like
bride. and her fnc- was as waIeu As
the white lilies of TIA. valley On her
bosom Those were i.angford Dalr's
favori,c flowers
All at ouc- she laughed shortly and
tossed tn. flowers from her. She cross
eel the room To- another door and en-
tered the small conservatory. Here
sh. deliberately chose n brilliant scar.
i-, poin--ttia blossom and placed 1,
against the white Of her gown II
gav. color io her cheeks and lips
when ,h. went to the dining room.
Felicia did not glsnc. ~ Lnusford
Dale. who had taken Lens Gilbert In
to dinner. She talked ylvscicu,ly 10
Jimmy Folsom and sscited sabo Aot'es
I In the breast Of that mueh soitten
young man. Sh" did not notice that
I.angford'- handsome fsr- was pale
and set or that L.nn's eve, flashed
t.rribl. anger and contempt snd that
the two did not once addr-s, each 9TH
-r. but conV-rs..i with their n.igbtoru
st the table Felicia. heart vas bleed.
Ing and sor. a, tn. faith'-ssness of
On. whom she thought worthy OF her
love
After dinner lAn.fori 'pund her
nlon. for an instant aud arprosched
her "felicia." he Was whisi~rin.
eagerly. when she aro-. mud with II
wi'hcrins look n, him. cros.'i 10 Mrs.
iind-ny'- side whore sh- rrnains~i
the res, nf the evening.
Good night ani ro-ihy. cycrybSiy.
rm going on the early train tpmorrow
morning" called Lens Gilbert m~rri-
~ As they all parted ut the 'po, of ID.
stairs ut bedtime
A. they crowded around Miss cil.
i.ri. .nch one adding hi Or hrr word
/ Il regret n, her going. frIeia over-
heard Jimmy Folsom Si-akiu- to Lang
I ford Dale. You going on that early
train. too. ianef You said YOU wer~
! len,ins In the morning. bat isn't II
Just n bi, .hf" he chncki.si lissgr~e
nhly
Don't Lee an ass. Jimmy growh.d
iangfogd
Well. YOU told IN. n h5'f bour ar"
that business suddenly required your
presence lu town But rrlciN did
not hear th. rest, She said spodby ~
lena Glll-ri and then went M 10 hrr
rnom. the nnhapl'ir-t girl In ID. world
II one excepted Lena Gili-rt
Just ms midnight va. striking in the
hall below Lena cam. tapping ~ b~r
door. May come In. f-llrinf' she
inquired In strained volc.
Certainly" called f.licla who sst
In her dressing gown before the ARE.
N th"r" VEN traces of tears on hsr
cheeks sb. had forgotten 10 remove
them. aud 80 she and Lens Giii~st
stared NJ each others wo-l"son- fscw~
without n word Al last Lena brought
a crumrl.i sheet ~ paper from hss
'."s"ni and laid u IN Fclicin's lap.
Non. fi,unt this today 1 thnu vhe