Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-01-16

him since dat moment" she said with
morbid pride.
Hell come around yit," comforted
Hannah. "Dey says one weddin' brings
anudder. so l reckon you and Dan n
hitch up arter Miss Celia and Massa
Noel gifts married"
"'TwOn't be me dat gives In fust."
said aukey h%aughtily.
Come here, Sukey; dere dey go.
a-ridin' OF on Paul and Pauline.
Amt dey a handsum pair1 Golly, II
makes me young ag'in to see 'emr'
Hannah watched the happy young low
ers as they dashed down the west
drive, the noses Of the black horses
almost touching. II was a trick Of
Paul and Pauline that they loved to
race side by side, and so delicately did
they nneuv that their races always
ended in a tie.
After that happy day the people
around Posemead grew accustomed to
seeing Celia and Noel riding side by
side on Paul and Pauline. Noel took
Paul to his own stables at the Oaks,
but there was rarely n day that the
young lovers did not enjoy q gallop on
Colonel DIlworth's betrothal present
Paul and Pauline.
Hannah and Sukey sat by the kitch-
en- FIRE In the early twilight Of a day
three months later.
"Mom,'' inquired Sukey, does yo'
reckon dey1l ever sit over dis we're
madT'
Hannah looked up, her dim old eyes
filled with tears.
"Yo' mean Miss Celia and Massa
HOel7" she asked.
"Of co'se / dor
The older woman shook her turban-
ed head.
II reckon when engaged folks quar-
rel dey's obstinate as muels. / specks
dey's as much chance Of dem two
maxim up as dey is of yo' and dat M
count Niger, Dan Beebe."
sukey shrugged her shoulders.
"Its a mighty pore chance" she
said h%aughtily. Then coaxlngly she
added, MON. whuffore did dey fight
Ober-heyT'
"Tf l knowed. which / don't, I
wouldn't tell. and II I did tell, which
I wouldn't II ! kuowed. huccOme it
would do yo' any good? Tell me dat,
chile" was Hannah's enigmadc reply.
sukey sighed heavily. ~ reckon 1t
was over some no count trifin' thing"
she muttered. and she knew not that
she was speaking the truth.
Pretty Celia DIlworth, sitting gloom
fly in her own room, was harboring
the same thought. while Noel Milton,
galloping madly across the country on
the back of black Paul. was anathe-
MIXING the unlucky moment when he
Lad fatty disagreed with his sweet
heart. for It had ended I'm a bitter quar-
rel and a broken engagement.
As for Colonel Dllworth. he was In
happy ignorance of the broken engage
ment, which meant the SCATTERING of
all his plans. He was enjoying a visit
in the north with his only son, and
Celia's daily letters gave no hint of her
unhappiness. Meantime the colonel
took delight in purchasing various arti-
cles to add to Celia's wedding outfit.
Celia dried her blue eyes and rang
the bell sharply.
Sukey painted heavily upstairs and
appeared mt the door Of Celia's sitting
room.
"Yaas. Miss Celia" she said.
Tell Dan to saddle Pauline and
bring her around at once. Then come
back and lay out my riding habit
And, Sukeyg" Celia turned away her
face and started out at the leanesa
trees.
"Yaas, Miss Celia"
about that wedding cake your
mother baked. tell her to give It to the
FIRST bride on the plantation. / shall
not need It."
Sukey gasped. "Dat yere weddin
cake wild all de white sugar frostin'
weddin' bells and turkle dubs and
hearts? oh, w~hnffore, Miss Celia
whuffore all dis trubble? ?" she walled.
Celia did not reply. sukey had beer
her little maid ever since the blacl
girl had been old enough to render
service. and Celia knew that the CIR
was almost heart broken over the can
celed wedding of her mistress. Still
Celia would not discuss 1t.
Dan Beebe received CelIA's messag
from Sukey through Hannah. an,
presently Pauline came prancinl
around to the door. eager for a run
She sorely missed her brother Paul
and n night she had vaulted the pas
ture fence and galloped to the Oaks
where she took up a position unde
Paul's stable window and converse,
with him in her w language. Now
she was eager for a race with he
brother. Had not Noel and Paul al
ways Joined them at the gate OF Rose
meadl Today could not be any e1
ceptiOn although many days had elapi
ed since Celia had mounted her satl
back.
Celia rode slowly down the avenue
the sun shining on her fair hair bI