The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-01-31
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ENEMY NEXT DOOR
What Happened When He Was
Brought to Her Home Near
Deaths Door.
BY susANNE eLgNN.

Good morning. called the man
across the hedge in what Miss Matte
Mayne considered a disagreeably
cheerful voice.
Good morning." he repeated. loud
er and more cheerfully, as she contin-
ued pruning her currant bushes in ST.
lence
She lifted her head tlen with dig
nifty that she meant to be chilling,
and looked him over critically, before
she resumed her pruning
He is one of those men who new
er> can see through ANYTHING" she
sighed in evaporation, knowing that
Mary lane was enjoying her discom-
future from the back porch adjoining.
The man, she decided, was big with
an all-pervading cheerfulness, and
might have been called good-looking
If he had not resembled SO much the
rest of the Daytons!
Il wonder" he was saying to him
self, IF she can possibly be deaf?"
He cam quite close to the dividing
hedge. Won't you let me come over
and do that for your" he fairly shout
ed and Miss Matte distinctly heard a
suppressed laugh from the Lane back
porch.
With cheeks entirely scarlet, she ap-
preached the hedge. pruning knife
in hand. Seldom had she appeared to
better advantage. and she was not a
plain woman at any time.
Il am not deaf" she explained
painstakingly. and in a voice too low
for any ears but his. Gould you not
see that did not care to speak to
your"
But why?" he demanded, initiating
her tone as well as his good bass
voice would allow, his admiration
shining openly in his eyes. I'D like
to come over and do that hard work
for you What is the reason | can
not?"
Because" said Miss Matte slowly,
I'VE are enemies"
"Enemies?" He threw his head
suddenly and laughed so unre-
strainedly that head appeared at a
nearby window. why, my dear young
lady. how can we be enemies when
we are strangers. If we are to be
neighbors-"
But we are not to be neighbors.
she interrupted coolly. Il have new
er neighbored with the Daytons And
] beg of you to remember it, and moi
make me ridiculous before everyone
in the street" And she returned to
her pruning without another glance in
his direction.
What Philip Dayton thought of this
dismissal cannot be recorded, because
he had recently come to the old Day
ton homestead upon inheriting 1t al
the death of his uncle, and he ha6
made none of the interested neighborf
his confidant He settled down with
capable housekeeper, and Mis-:
Mayne continually heard him spokeT
of in the highest terms of approval
all of which she accepted in silence.
But il takes two to make bargain
as she presently began to perceive
she might refuse to be his neighbor
but he certainly had every Intention o
being hers.
One morning she found on her bacl
porch a basket of such grapes as grew
nowhere but in the Dayton garden
THE horrid wretch" she cried. mo
to give me an opportunity to refuse
them. Now shall have to accept, o
let them spoil" And she carried then
in reluctantly.
Another morning. following moon
light night, she found the apples iron
her Spy tree in neat pile at the foo
of her back steps. Il was out ther
yesterday wondering how should ge
them. and suppose was seen!
declare 1t is getting so hardly dar
walk about my own gardenl"