The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1918-05-17

lent view of the Yumuri, on the one
hand and of the town and harbor on
the other; no one ever climbed the hill
! from the city to gaze over into that
hidden valley without feeling a pleas
urable surprise at finding it still there.
We are accustomed to think of perfect
beauty as unsubstantial, evanescent:
| but the Yumuri never changed, and in
| that lay its supremest wonder.
Through what had once been we'll
tended grounds, O'Reilly made his way
TO a sort of sunken garden which, in
spite of neglect, still remained the
most charming nook upon the place !;
and there he sat down TO wait for Rosa.
The hollow was effectually screened
from view by growth OF plantain,
| palm, orange, and tamarind trees; over
the rocky walls ran a profusion of
! Towering plants and vines; in the CEN
ter of the open space was an old well.
its masonry curb all but crumbled
away.
When Rosa at last appeared O'Reilly
felt called upon to tell her, somewhat
/ sweetest flower on all the Quinta de
Esteban, and since this somewhat hack
neyed remark was the boldest speech
he had ever made to her, she blushed
prettily. flashing him dimpled smile
of mingled pleasure and surprise.
"Oh, but / assure you I'm in no
sweet temper" said she. Just now I'm
tremendously angry"
"Why?"
"It's that tepmother-Isabel. If she
dreamed that I see you as often as
do Well" Rosa lifted her elo-
quent hands and eyes heavenward. 81
suppose that's why enjoy doing it
so dearly love to spite her
q see" O'ReiIy puckered his
brows and nodded. But why, in that
case, haven't you seen me oftener? We
might just as well have made the
good lady's life totally unbearable."
silly She knows nothing about
it." With a fiirtatious sigh Rosa add
ed: That's what robs the affair of it's
chief pleasure. Since it does not bother
/ her in the least, 1 think l will not al
low you TO come any more"
After judicious consideration, O'Reil-
ly pretended to agree.
There's no fun in wreaking hor-
rible revenge, when your enemy isn't
wise to it," he acknowledged. "Since
it's your idea to irritate your stepmoth-
err perhaps it would annoy her if l
made love directly to her"
Rosa Uttered, and then inquired
naively, Can you make love, senor?"
Can I? It's the one ability an
O'Reilly inherits. Listen to this now
Reaching forth, he took Rosa's fingers
in his: wait p he cried as she resist
ed. pretend that you're Mrs. Varona,
your own stepmother, and that this is
her dimpled hand I'm holding"
"Oh-h" The girl allowed his grasp
to remain. But Isabels hand isn't
dimpIed: it's thin and bony. I've felt
it on my ears often enough"
Don't interrupt" he told her. us :
bel, my little darling"
Isabel I" exclaimed a voice, AMI
the lovers started guiltily apart They
turned to find Esteban, Rosas twin
brother, staring at them oddly. lisa
bel?" he repeated. whats this?"
you interrupted our theatricals. I
was rehearsing an impassioned pro-
posal to your beloved stepmother,"
O'Reilly explained, with a pretense of
annoyance.
Eyes, Senior O'Reilly believes he can
infuriate Isabel by laying siege to her.
! y.
cheeks were family flushed and her
color deepened at the amusement in
Estebans eyes. "He makes love
wretchedly."
What little overheard wasn't bad, =
Esteban declared; then he took
| O'Reilly's hand.
Fsteban was a handsome boy,
straight, slim and manly. and his re-
semblance to Rosa was startling.
With a look engaging in its frank di-
reefness. he said: Rosa told me about
your meetings here and came to
| apologize for our stepmother's discour-
tesy I'm sorry we can't invite you
into our house, but-you understand?
Rosa and I are not like her; we are
quite liberal in our views; we are al
most Americans. as yon see. l dare
say that's what makes Isabel hate
Americans so bitterly
''Nouldn'f II please her to know that
| Tm becoming Cubanized as fast as
ever | camp ventured the caller.
"Oh. she hates Cubans, too" laughed
the brother. "She's Spanish, you know
We'll. it's fortunate you didn't see her
today. Br-r' WHAT temperl She'll