El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-04-25
~ =, OFSIs Of PRECEDING CHAPTERs

III Ois i;. OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS
! rt5 IN lloL loh' college man. tall ana
! p-1IIl' enjoying comfortable inherf-
/ lance ana prospecting business L1s
won the hand and heart of Editl, T4,Ie
I-ter nef return from a .ffnfshiDrrs'
! SS-t ~ III EuI ope- To save his dashine
1ISuiCSs young cousin, Ralph. from y
financial predicamenu Tom cg,l,ear,+s =.
cancer an evenings engagemcnr 7,-i-b
ms ILdlcee and run over to Baltimore
~ 800 sstlte me embarrassing debt
haIph, always popular with women.
/ and long friend and favoriTa ~
-uIlh $ oIrers 10 call at the handsome
maze mouse IN HOmewood 10 cheer bar
IN me- disappointment at missing a
an win Tom The l2Iter's releDbOned
(, explanation for his proposed .-bsence
lne does not reveal the cause for frI
leaFes his 1iancee .vexed that b77siDess
can De mere important than tax
over plans for their own engaseemenr
night ms
Constance 2Iedford. a tacteuI sensible
youhs cousin, who lives with the Hales.
champions Tom as Edith pouts. Per
maps Ralph viii come over. II so. T
shall not miss Tom. Tor Ralph is srIcH
Iun- and Ralph does call fails to
IlsIIilSs i-olth IS foolish suspicious as to
ION absence, but enjoys
CHAPTER V.
II Al-PH MORTON fingered long at
X the Hale's that evening. He and
Edith soon wearied Of dancing
and allowed Constance to cross the hall
into the libra y, which was her favorite
resort and where her uncle and aunt
were seated. one on either side Of the
large central table, reading BY the
soft light from the lamp standing there
The pair made a pretty picture. the
girl observed as she entered the room.
What a beautiful thing married life
was when a couple grow old graceful
a I'D p IA
similar and their mutual love strong
Yet what a wretched thing marriage
would be if two people were not con
genial
As she thus pOndered there flashed
into her mind the thought of Tom Nor
ton and his strong character and of
Edlth ana her eXcitable, affectiOnare. !
Yet lntolerant nature. Would this cou-
pie ever be the happy Darby and Joan
that Edith's parents were2 Marriage /
was serious thinE-so much more SER
ious than young people appreciated
She seated herself with little sigh
in a chair near the reading lamp and I
her aunt glanced at her with an af-
fectionate smile
80 you are leaving the young peo- !
pie and coming in here with US old /
folks. are yOu2 % she asked
Yes" Constance smiled back. they {
are having a strenuous discussion on I
the last new dance, and, you know, /
while I dance sometimes do not care /
might be room for me here"
Her uncle leaned over to pat her
shoulder reassuringly. You ought to /
know that there's always room for you ]
where your aunt and 1 are, dear child
he said.
Thank you. sir" replied the girl /
gratefully. How good these dear peo-
pie are to her and how much she loved 4
themi Tears OF gratitude came to her
eyes, and that she might not show
them she took up book that she had
this afternoon left on the table and
began TO read It SO absorbed did she
become in the story that she soon for
got her surroundings and the young
people across the hall. She was brought
back to herself with a start by her
uncles voice
u declare" he said softly. laying
down the volume he had been reading I
for an hour. Ralph i staying very (
late this evening"
les.' agreed the wife, looking MP Z
from her magazine. 4 wish he would
get home and let Edith get to bed.
She looks tired Moreover" sitting a
yawn. I'm a little sleepy myself
Go TO bed, then suggested Con- !
stance, and I Will stay down heTe !
reading until Ralph goes. I am in
terested in my book anyway"
Thus ursed, the two elderly people
went TO their rooms. stepping lightly (
that the caller in the drawing room !
might not suspect that they felt he was
outstaying their patience For an
hour longer Onstance sat reading. Z
Then she heard Ediths voice, and there I
was a weary sound in il.
I think, Ralph" she was saying. !
that I ought to send you home. I am ]
sure that father and mother have gone
Ipstairs-and I ought to go too"
II was not until Ralph replied that I
Constance appreciated that he had for /
gotten her proximity or that he did /
not suspect any one was within ear
shot
4 know. dear" he said. but there |
ire so few occasions now when I can ] ,
nave nice long talk with YOU alone. |
iuch as we have had tonight And the
lines are getting fewer"
Edith tried TO laugh. ooh we'll"
he said, I hope we will always be :
good friends 1 don't see why we ,
hOudn't" ;
Yet there was a wistful note in the !