The Washington times., 1913-02-08
CHAPTER xxx.
The Coming of Don Alvar.

- ORDEAUX and 4 wandered about
x the streets for hours before We
IL went to Macmurtrie's office.
After the brief melancholy fol-
lowing upon his confession of love foT
Mariposa my good friend became a.
merry a madcap as ever. As for me, /
felt as II my heart had taken new
hold on me A new love had come iE-
TO it, or 1 should say that my love FOR
Mariposa had undergone change
which is not as mysterious to me now
as IL was then
/ Lnink that where n groTn-up love
springs out of an inseparable affection
or a very disappointing one. y smooth
love from childhood ends in the man
/ cannot speak sof the woman-becom-
ing so used 10 having all OF her, that
there Is either nothing new to know
or have, CT he looks upon his discov-
cries as irritating Developments in her
character.
but as in my case-and you have seen
how many Irritating faults l found
in Mariposa-when a man has TO hight
to regard as mis-, and IL his lady's way 3
are ever teaching him that he knows
nothing ABOUT her. then one day he
may awake, ds l did. to fall In love
with her ali over again, on the under
standing that EE must not only do his
:gooing like a stranger. but keep IN
wooing IL he would keep the lass.
1t has been a sore task for me to
write these pages. for realize that
mainly 4 appear as fool-and Jeal-
GUS fool at that. / have read many
books since then and / know that no.
body likes a fool, and nose people de-
spise q Jealous fool But this Is not
matter Of likes or dislikes. IL Is just
the truth I have set down; although
Mariposa says she could not have loved
me as much II I had been as bad as |
have painted myself.
But, anyway. my life seemed differ
ent that morning, and, DESPITE my swol-
len knuckles and aching head. | was
happy and full OF this new tenderness
and respect for the lady called Mari
posa.
I was full of curiosity too about Al
cxander Macmurtrie and his words.
When Bordeaux and ]. after II meal at
the Sign Of the Thistle. climbed the
stairs TO the lawyers office. we found
Macmurtrie there before us. He had q
pile of papers spread before him and
wore an air of great Importance. sniff
fies was at his accustomed place and al
his accustome employ. The moment we
We're seated the IaHycT drew long
face and said:
''will We have heard that 2 man was
found dead not a stones throw from
my house this morning? No? HOOt.
toot, We live in troublesome time. and
IL Is fair la-amentable the number that
hae met their dooms by yOn clms. None
kenned him. puir man-eXcep' masel,
maybe an All wadnae mcntiOn mis-
name for worlds. It's lo-amentable, la
amenis ble!'
MscnIurtrie wiggled his fat nose vi
ciousiy, gave a great snort, snapped the
lid off the snuff-box, and said bTislsIy:
But All didna ask ye here to speak
of highway robberies and the like, but
20 ask IL ye nae seen anything o. young
jamie, who was by heritage Laird O.
Kilellsn Of Cowal. in Argyll. Ma?
Neither have ]. but ] was thinkin' that
II he was TO come here | might show
him a bloody sword that would ft his
empty sheath. That IS to say. the Toon
Craftsmen might. and they're gey an
eager to put rope around the neck %
you varlet who has pestered the kings
highway for a twaimonth. He'd be
MAR useful danglin' on the eIms than
sittin' at the fit, WI a primed pistol an
malice aforethouSht. But All hae nae
doot Il he's a sensible man, he'll cross
;he border. There's braw outlook for
rogues In the new India Company. A
handy man wi q length O. sword an q