New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-03-16

His bOyishness annoyed Carlotta.
She did not want the situation tn get
out of hand. Moreover, what WIS so
real for her was only too plainly a
lark for him. She began to doubt her
power.
Tip hopelessness of her situation
was dawning on her. Even when the
touch of her beside him and the soil
tule of the country roads got in his
blood, and he bent toward her, she
found no encouragement in his words:
81 am mad about you tonight"
She tool her courage in her hands:
Then why give me up for someone
r~lse.!"
"That's-different."
"Why is 1t different? I am n wom-
an. II love you, Max. No II else
will ever care as | do"
"You are in love with the Lamb! !"
THAT was a trick. ! nm sorry,
Max. | don't care for anyone else in
the world. If you let me go I'll want
to die" 80
Then, as he was silent:
"if youll marry me, I'll be true to
you all my life. l swear it. There
will be nobody else, ever"
The sense, if not the words, of what
he had sworn to Sidney that Sunday
afternoon under the trees, on this very
road! Swift shame overlook him, that
he should be here, that he had allowed
Carlotta' to remain in ignorance of how
things really stood between them.
I'm sorry, Curl0tta. It's impossible.
I'm engaged to marry someone else"
"Sidncy Page?'-allnost Il whisper.
"YeS.". ,u..-
He was ashamed at the way she
took the news. If she had stormed or
Wept, he would have known what to
do. But she sat still, not speaking.
"lou must have expected it, sooner
or later"
Still She made no reply. He thought
she might faint, and looked at her
anNiously. Her profile, indistinct be-
side him, looked white and drawn. But
Carlotta was not fainting. She was
making IL desperate plan. If their es-
calade became known, it would end
things between Sidney and him. She
was sure of that. She needed time to
think it out. 1t must become known
without any apparent move on her
part. If, for instance, she became i'll,
and was away from the hospital all
night, that might answer. The thing
would be investigated, and who knew
The ear turned in at Schwitter's
road and drew up before the house.
The narrow porch was filled with small
tables, above which hung rows of cleo
trio lights inclosed in Japanese paper
lanterns. Midweek, which had found
the White Springs hotel almost desert
ed, saw Schwittcrs' crowded tables set
out under the trees. Seeing the crowd,
Wilson drove directly to the yard and
parked his machine.
mo need of running any risk" he
explained to the still figure beside him.
1--WE car walk back and take a table
under the trees, away from those In
fernal lanterns"
piS iNSiSN % illiC 90 III hSipSd Il
out.
mot sick, are you?"
"I'm dizzy. I'm all right"
She looked white. He felt a stab
of pity for her. She leaned rather
heavily on him as they walked toward
the house. The faint perfume that
had almost intoxicated him, earlier,
vaguely irritated him now.
At the rear of the house she shook
off his arm and preceded him around
the building. She chose the end of the
porch as the place in which to drop,
and went down like a stone.
There was a moderate excitement.
The visitors at Schwitter's were toe
much engroSsed with themselves to be
much interested. She opened her eyes
almost as soon as she fell-tO foreStall
any ttsts; she was shrewd enough to
know. that Wilson would detect her
'm%alingering very quickly-and begged
to be taken into the house.
81 feel very ill.," she said, and her
white face bore her out.
. Schwitter and Wilson carried her
in and mp the stairs to n of the
rooms. The little man was twittering
with anxiety. He had n horror of