El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-07

drudSery of the wOrkaday world
+ is accomplished swiftly and
pleasantly if they have some happiness
in anticipation as a sort of objective
point toward which they are PROCESS
ing. Mary Danforth did not appreciate
that, from the time she received and
accepted Craig's invitation, each task
completed and each hour passed were
to her inner consciousness but steps
nearer to Wednesday night when she
would again be with the man who had
begun to mean much to her.
She did not see the Texan in the
four days which interviewed between
the receipt of his note and the night
on which aida" was to be sung On
Monday evening her father again men
toned casually that Craig had once
more called at his office He dropped
in this morning" he remarked, and /
asked him up to dinner tonight, but he
said he was going over to Philadelphia
for day or two, so he could not &C
cept. He sent his kindest regards to
you, my dear"-turning to his wife
and wished also to be remembered to
Mary" As he spoke he bestowed upon
his daughter another of the searching
, looks which he regarded her frequent
" of late, but she made no comment
She was at loss for something to say,
and, under the circumstances, sought
safety in silence.
On Wednesday Afternoon. returning
from school earlier than usual she
found that her mother had gone out,
but that, before leaving, she had laid
on her daughters desk a pencilled
memorandum. It ran: Mr. Craig tel
ephoned this morning just after you
had left the house. He wished to re-
mind you that he is to call for you at
a quarter before eight"
The girls heart beat faster as she
read the few words He must care a
great deal, she thought. to go TO the
trouble of emphasizing by a telephone
message an arrangement already made
by letter. As if she could forget She
smiled happily and hummed gaily to
herself as she went about her various
tasks Yet it was characteristic Of her
that later, when her parents spoke OF
Craig and her plans for the evening,
her demeanor was cool and almost in
different. At dinner she was quiet and
demure, although the glow of excite
ment burned in her cheeks, and she
fingered after she had finished her des-
sert, chatting with her father and
mother while they drank their coffee,
always keeping the conversation upon
commonplace matters
You have never looked prettier than
you do this evening, sweetheart" her
father declared as she rose to go TO
her room to don her wraps Upon my
to his wife, does it seem possible that
this is our little girl all grown up into
a beautiful lady so soon?"
The girl turned impulsively and
threw her arms about the speakers
neck.
1.-The beautiful lady as you call her.
is never going to grow up so far as
you are concerned, daddy dear" she
whispered, elinging to him Il always
want to be just your little girl"
He kissed her fOndly. Run along
and get ready, dearie." he said husk-
lily. I hear the Texan hero's ring at
the door now" He laughed teasingly,
put there was a note Of sadness IN MS
voice and he looked wistfully after the
slight figure as the girl hurried away
Craig, handsome and distinguished
in bearing in his correct evening dress,
rose to greet Mary as she entered the
draWingroon- clOaked, with a filmy
scraf thrown over her hair.
Behold a wonder among women!"
he exclaimed smiling. You are on
time to the minute
Mary's greeting was cordial, but IN
ruffled by any inward perturbation
MY father is to be thanked for the
punctual habits Of his daughter" she
said after salutations had been eX-
changed. at is he who has made me
a bit more careful in that matter than
girls usually are"
Il have already learned" the man
answered gravely that you are diff
ferent from all other girls in many
ways. If your father is responsible
for this fact, society in general, and
in particular, owe him debt Of
thanks"
The entrance of Mr.. and Mrs. Dan
forth caused a diversion that Mary
found welcome, and soon she and her
escort babe the elderly pair good night
and took the elevator down to the
street door Here a taXtcab stood, its
engine thrObbing with calm Oisre-
gard to the cents and dollars that We're
being marked off on the dial at the
ichauffeurs side. Craig assisted the
sgirl into the semi darkness of the
limousine. gave an order to the driver,
then followed her, sinking into the
seat by her with sigh of content
WHO knows but the world may end
tonightT he quoted laughlingly.
in a taxicab that sounds more like
a grisly prophecy than a delicate COM
pliment," retOrted Mary. Are you
fond of BrOwning2"
IF the note of surprise in your
voice implies that you did not know
him. he responded, 7 shall be forced
to say Yes to your question other
wise I will confess that 1 like only
parts of him. Yet can appreciate the
truly beautiful just as well as a New
Yorker can-eVen If l am theoretically
wild and woody He gazed admir1ngly
at her flushed face as ne spoke, and
his voice held a significance that Mary
recOngnized- But she pretended not to
notice it.
Tell me about the wreck she COM
manded hastily.
1T was hell" he said simply And
I am too near the seventh heaven Just
now to want to think of it"
'fWhc taught you to say such pretty
thinEs2" asked the girl laughing TO
hide her embarrassment.
Nobody taught me-" the man an
swered calmly. IF I say them at pres
ent. they are but the result of reflected
radiance and the outcome of my great
happiness of being with you again
And, as once before this evening, the
girl found refuge in silence.
CONTINUED in Next Issue)