Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-09
CHAPTER vI.-(Continued. !

CHAPTER vI.-(Continued.)
cts pretty-very pretty. But has it
the deep feeling Of ours?" Although
Betsy-Barbara taught English litera-
ture and composition to the middle
class iof Arden seminary, she found
cred little in this attempt at literary
criticism. NOW this for example"
She fed to song for expression, and be-
gan:
eye banks an braes-"
Tender" he admitted, "but gloomy.
And why should there be gloom in ex-
pressing love? You do not know your
depth of passion. We live our pas
sion and our gloom-and when we sing
we make our thought tender so that
we may forget. Listen!" Now he
struck deeper key:
"Perro al abrise la rosa
II have made that into English
verse;" he concluded
But the rose unfolds in the dawning
At the touch Of the sun and the dew,
And the sun and the rain and the sum-
mer Of life,
Is the touch and the thought Of you"
"You are really poet!" exclaimed
Betsy Barbara. She was about to say
more; but his eyes rested upon her as
he started another song:
"Angel divine que tn es!" '',--''
THAT" he concluded, rs In praise
Of the mantilla blanca. The ssong is
old and the custom nearly dead. Now
and then we have woman colored not
like the rest Of us dark-but white
and gold like the angels. In some
countries she had the privilege Of
wearing q white mantilla; and where
ever she went, she was queen. This
is how it runs: "A divine angel wore
three, white mantilla. The warp was
goodness and the wool beauty. Thy
bosom is the white rose, thine eye the
blue heaven, and thy soul the void
above heaven"
He strummed little shimmering
chords as he spoke He fell to sill
ence, but still the dangerous music
quivered from the guitar. Betsy-Bar-
bara turned about on the piano stool,
her hands folded lightly In her lap, her
eyes cast down. He was speaking
again; and this time 1t was what he
said which moved and disturbed her
1t was his tone.
"Mantilla blanca!" he was saying
over and over again; "mantilla
blanca!"
It was many years before Betsy
Barbara, looking back over everything,
could analyze the feeling of that
moment, could put it in It's true rela-
ton to herself and her life. At the
time, she knew only that she sat there
i'm passive, embarrassed, but inert, that
she felt shame yet also furtive pleas
ure at the steady look Of those caress-
ing eyes. It lasted only moment.
The outer door slammed violently.
Betsy-Barbara started as though
caught In something guilty. She hes
itated a moment for fear Of showing
her feelings to Estrilla. Then she
walked out into the hall. There was
no one in sight. That seemed curious,
since the hall stairs were not car
peted, and one could hear footsteps.
1t was rs though some one had opened
the front door and then quickly she
turned back, puzzled, she felt the nee
essity for explanation.
II thought it might be Miss Hard
ing" she said, falsely-'T wanted to
see her."
He only smiled the same caressing
smile. But the spell was cracked; and
Betsy-Barbara. herself completed the
break.
"Well, anyway" she said. pulling
herself together, "the Spanish have no
martial music like ours" And she
struck up Scots VIVA Haze Nor did
music and conversation turn again to
love songs. In fact, half an hour later
Betsy Barbara winged hint, which he
caught mid-course, as he seemed to
catch every delicate shaft Of meaning.
He rose and bade her formal good
night. II hope may sing with you
again." he said at parting.
Betsy Barbara went to her own
room. She dawdled over her prepare
lions for undressing, making dozen
starts and stops. She was not sleepy;
O hundred currents of thought were
crossing and recrossing in her mind.
So at last she threw kimono over
her evening gown and sat down at the
window, maiden-fashion, and thought.
To make no further mystery, the
person who opened the front door and
disturbed the tete-a-tete between
Estrilla and Betsy-Barbara, was only
Tommy North. He had been search
ing strenuously for Job. No mystery
about that, either. The reason was
Betsy.Barbara. The nights quest had
failed The fluid mercury Of his dis
position had fallen almost to absolute