The Dolores star., 1916-03-31
1777o
IMPOSSIBLE BOY
ONLNA WILCOX PUTNAM
orpypk5t.r q, ,ree,.noee eu, "a

nAglq the feast shall appear!"
Th6n he drew mp q little round table
Before the hearth. stirred the dying
embers with fresh wood. threw an
Arabian cloth over the table and pro
ceeded to lay the feast.
She sat up and allowed him to feed
her. The solitary fork gave them
much cause for mirth. for she insisted
that they share It, and before the meal
was anished they were playing like
children.
Pedro's moods were generally ire
sistible. and he was determined that
she forget and forgive his thoughtle6s-
ness. A. he sat opposite. seeing her
cameo-like beauty. he thought for the
hundredth time that Hill had chosen
well. Small wonder that the latter had
been driven to despair by heri And
she-did she still care for tho absent
Dainterr She seldom spoke OF him.
and that argued well for lille cause,
And what had parted these two? Some
silly. silly quarrel, he again assured
himself. How we'll matched they
were. how admirably suited to each
other! But how about the girls atti.
tude toward himself ;? A subtle
smile crept to the corners Of his mouth
at the thought. and he hastily took his
eyes from her face, looking intently at
the glowing cigarette between his I'm.
gers instead.
What 10 the matter7 she asked.
"A second ago you were merry. Now
you look quiet, wise-dangerous How
you changed"
Dangerous! Far from I'll" he ex.
claimed. pushing back his chair, shat
Is. unless you call Overwhelming curl
osity dangerous. Personally think
1t less dangerous than lack of curl
osity; to the individual. at least"
And what makes you curious7" she
asked.
Then Pedro. who did not know how
to lead gently up to any subject,
plunged in. ~
Were you engaged to Hnl7" he
asked abruptly.
Without answering. she arose and
walked away to the window. where she
stood for several moments before re-
plying, her back turned.
Yes" she said at last.
"And do you still care for him7"
To her own intense surprise she
found that she could not reply at once.
II beg your pardon. Madonna" said
Pedro softly.
"Oh, you don't understand" she
cried wildly, throwing out her hands
II don't care. l hate-oh! why did you
ask me?"
Il think l do understand" he said
very distinctly, looking straight at her.
A wave of crimson Hooded her
cheeks. What did he mean? Unable
to face him longer, she buried her face
in her hands. He came toward her
and stood where he could have touched
her. " -'.E ..-r-
Sam Hill 10 a great SOUL" said he
softly. He 10 generous and good. He
10 talented. he is ~. :"
He Is nothing to mel" she gasped,
looking up. '>' .fN -
HE is my FRIEND" finished Pedro
firmly.
She flung her arms wide, and turned
to him with an appealing gesture. her
face revealing an emotion she made
no attempt to conceal. nor he to
ignore.
"Pedro!" she began passionately,
you will think me mad for saying It,
but ali! cannot help it-you make
me! Pedro; love :"
There was q crash ~ his LIQUOR
glass fell to the door.
"Hush!" said he.
What IL 1T" she asked, for the mo-
ment startled into normality.
"Nothing!" said he, "only you are
not to finish your sentence. Never
mind the glass. it was done intention
ally. Let US talk Of other things"
But, Pedro" she said Historically,
Il cannot! I am possessed! How can
you be 80 cruel?"
please, pleased he begged her.
Madonna. l am abject; am in tor
ture!. Have pity!r
ut u akin to pity" she replied.
Pedro walked to the hearth and
stopped to mend the fire. Then he
bLh16ASChCA Wy eA0 0ROAo. ..
"Impossible!" he said quietly. "Ut-
terly impossible" .
And she, watching him >intently.
knew he had believed her, although he
presented this denial. She felt, too,
that her cause was nearly hopeless.
you do not care. them" she said in
q low voice.
Madonna Lady," he said sadly. II
care for you great deal. but not ~
Hill does: not a. man should, to be
your lover. You charm me beyond
words: you are lovely a. dream, and
II / could lore any woman, 1t would
shs you-but you are not for me-"
why notf" she asked sharply, be-
tween her tortured breaths.
THE reason is beyond my power to
alter" said Pedro.