The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-05-02

you know? Perhaps we never can
guess how he fought against the i'm
pulse to cut It off, and finally Just had
to. 1t might embarrass him to have
1t spoken Of"
You'd willingly let him keep it,
would your"
Doesn't he deserve IT."
Do you suppose the man you
marry would enjoy having a lock of
your hair In the possession Of another
man?"
Maybe I'll marry Champ"
A silence. The steamers trail of
smoke hung lazily across the sky.
There was hardly a breath of wind
even on the water Out In the sea
heads bobbed like idle corks. Some
times 1t was blue cap, sometimes a
red one. The mems heads were sleek
and shiny like seals. The beach
curved In a great sweeping crescent
toward the Fort. Sand bathers dotted
1t, some half buried IN sand, some hid
den behind parcsols. And everywhere
like elves Of the dunes were dancing.
romping kiddies.
Rawlston felt his frst serious emo
ton then and there. All at once, as
she said that in the casual, half shy
tone, he knew that he would do any
thing under heaven to keep Champ
Howells from marrying her Just
then he realized what world it would
be If never again we're he to see
Lenore Shepard, II he were suddenly
to find her with that man beside her
as her husband. ~
He had idled away nearly two
months at the sleepy little town for her
sake, going back to New York some
times to clear up accumulated busi-
ness, but always drawn back to
Neponic bay and Lenore. Her mother
and older sisters had the big, rambling
cottage that hung like a gull's nest
to the rocky crags back in the hill
ridge beyond the summer homes along
the winding shore.
Mrs Shepard's welcoming smile to
him had held full comprehension of
the tumult in his mind and the
strangely disturbing rumpus about his
heart strings. He knew he stood a
better running show with the family
that his fve-foot-five sojourner from
Indiana. The Shepards were from In
diana originally, he had heard Lenore
say. 1t made him wrathful every time
he pictured Champ having known her
years before he had even seen her.
They had lived in the same town,
| gone to the same school 1t was
natural she should love him. He had
seen Champ with her often lately.
the two deep into earnest condolences.
He knew they were condolences, for
they shut up the instant he had ap-
| peared.
Perhaps he had been too easy 60
ing and slow in his method of wooing.
He hadn't even thought Of 1t as seri-
Gus wooing, to tell the truth, not until
this hour. He had loafed and dreamed,
he told himself bitterly, while Champ
was getting In good work.
"Lenore," he turned to her sudden
ly, and Lenore smiled at him, the
swift sidelong smile that seemed to
take in her eyes, lips, and dimples all
at once. She raised one arm to look
at him under a veil of golden sheen as
the sun struck full on her drying hair.
He forgot the people along the
beach, the bobbing Leads out in the
water.
Don't give yourself away to that"
he choked on the various proper
and suitable epithets that suggested
themselves,-"te Champ Howells."
There he comes now," said Lenore
eagerly, leaning forward. Rawlston
never even turned his head. Dog
gedly he plunged ahead.
IF you don't look at me and say
you'll marry me will take the next
boat for New York or China. and
never see you again"
"Quitter,s laughed Lenore. ''It's
splendid sailing weather"
,Howells was near them now. He
stopped at Lenore's merry hail. and
smiled comfortable down at them. He
was plump fair, and exceedingly sure
of himself. RAwlston hated him
cordially from the ground up. He told
himself at that instant, he even hated
his shadow, and moved deliberately
J out of its reach.
II have news for you" He waited