The San Francisco call., 1913-09-23
CHAPTER XII
4 bridegroom Spurned

After Aggie's vigorous comment there
followed a long silence. That volatile
young person. little troubled as she
was by sensitiveness, guessed the fact
| that just now further discussion of
the event would be distasteful TO Mary,
and so she betook herself discreetly
to a cigarette and the illustrations of
popular magazine devoted to the
stage. AS for the man, his reticence
was really from fear lest In speak
ing at all he might speak too freely,
| might betray the pervasiye violence
| of his feeling. SO he sat motiOnless
and wordlessshis eyes carefully avoid
| ing Mary in order that she might not
be disturbed by the invisible vibra-
tions thus sent from one to another.
| Mary herself was shaken TO the
depths. A great WEAKNESS, a weari-
ness that cried the worthlessness of
all things, had fallen upon her. 1t
rested leaden on her soul 1t weighed
down her body as well, though that
mattered little indeed. Yet, since she
could minister to that readily, she
| rose and went to settee on the OPP
| posite side of the room. where she ar
! ranged herself among the cushions in
| posture more luxurious than her
ra ther precise early training usu-
| ally permitted her to assume in
! the presence of others. There she
rested, and soon felt the tides
of energy again flowing in her
blood, and that same vitality. too,
wrought healing even for her agon-
lied soul, though more slowly. The
perfect health of her gave her
| strength to recover speedily from the
shock she had sustained. 1t was this
| health that made the glory of the
fawless skin, white with living
white that revealed the coursing
| blood beneath, and the crimson lips
| that bent in smiles so tender, or so
wistful, and the limpid eyes in which
always 1urked fires that sometimes
burst into flame, the lustrous mass OF
undulating hair that sparkled In the
! sunlight like an aureole to her face
or framed it in heavy splendors with
its shadows, and the supple erectness
of her graceful carriage, the 1.-THE
| dignity Of her every movement.
But. at last, she stirred uneasily
and sat up. Carson accepted this as
sufficient warrant for speech.
You know-Aggie told you-that
Cassidy was up here from headquar-
ters. He didn't put name to it, but
| I'm on" Mary regarded his inquir-
| ingly. and he continued. putting the
| fact with a certain brutal bluntness
after the habit of his class. Il guess
you'll have to quit seeing young Gil
der. The bulls are wise. His father
has made a holler.'
Don't let that worry you, joe she
| said TRANQUILITY. She allowed a few
seconds go by, then added as II quite
! Indifferent: II was married to Dick
/ Glider this morning. There came a
suueal of amazement from Aggie, a
start of incredulity from Carson.
fnG
was married to him this morning.
That was my important engagement" F"
she added with a smile toward Aggie.
For some intuitive reason, mysterious
fo herself she did not care to meet
the mans eyes at that moment.
Aggie sat erect her baby face alive
with worldly glee.
MY Gawd. what luckr' she ex-
claimed noisily. why, he's a king
Ash. he is. Geei But I'm glad you
landed him.
.Thank you" Mary said with a
smile that was the result of her sense
of humor rather than from any ten
derness.
It was then that Carson spoke. He
was a delicate man in his sensibilities
at times, in spite of the fact that he
followed devious methods in his man
ner of gaining a livelihood. So, now,
he put question of vital significance.
do you love hiu1?"
The question caught Mary all un-
prepared, but she retained her self
control sufficiently to make her an
swer in voice that to the ordinary
ear would have revealed no least
tremor.
"No9 she said. she offered no ex-
PLANTATION, no excuse, merely stated
the fact in al fi0alifv
Aggie was really shocked, though
for a reason altogether sordid, not
one whit romantic.
"Ain't he young?" she demanded