New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-11-08

toward the big house, "Or a goddess
/. her hairs like the silvery floss
around corn. Her name ought to be
Perdita, Marpessa or Ariadne. How
ever In the world did the Jones family
| stumble across such a creature?" The
glamOr of the girl wOve itself into his
dreams, and in waking intervals he
pondered on plans for an acqualnt-
ance. "Ah.ha, / have IT." ut last
laughed he.
Early the next morning he went a
fishing. AS luck would have IT. lie Sc
cured a well-flled creel. On his way
home, without ceremony. he lifted the
latch of Mrs. Jones' low back gate and
entered. He walked right up TO the
Kitchen window, for there stood Mrs.
Jones rolling the dough for breakfast
biscuit.
"Good-morning, Mrs. Jones'" said
he. "Ive got such n jolly big creel
full of fish here that ! don't know
what to do with them. There's no
enc over there'-nodding toward the
big white house-''but my housekeep-
er, and she's sick this morning so I'm
wondering if you'll accept these?'
With the gallantry of n knight he held
out to her his creel.
"Oh, Mr.. Selden :" exclaimed the
good woman, n bit flustered. but smil-
ing with unmistakable appreciation.
(Would the heavens fall next? When
had Mr.. Selden Howard last honored
her humble dwelling like this? Sure
~ not since his mother died, poor
soul.) "Acept them? Well. ! just
guess I will. And so Mrs. Patch Is
sick? Well, you'll Just stay here to
breakfast it'll be all ready in fifteen
minutes This was as much rs How
ard had hoped for.
"You're awfully kind, Mrs. Jones'
he said, affecting surprise "and-yes, I
believe I'll stay. I've Il sick collie over
in the kennels--Il 90 and look after
her. then I'll be back to accept your
hospitality"
When Katherine Hope entered the
dining room, Mrs. Jones, of course.
presented Mr.. Howard.
"How do you do, Mr.. Howard
said she conventlonally, with n smile
q little tired in spite Of the play Of
childish dimples. But Selden was
looking down admiringly on the fine.
white parting that separated the
braids Of purest flax.
"And how dye like them, Mr.. Sell
DEM" asked Mrs. Jones a bit later
referring to the biscuit.
az love them" answered he-refer-
ring to the girls dimples.
OF course. that was only the begin
ming. After that, Selden Howard man
aged almost daily to meet katherine
or, at least, to catch n glimpse OF
FER. Her lovely, tired eyes. md little
Quiet ways appealed to him in an In
nnitely more tender and real fashion
than had those of many n pampered
beauty whom he'd met in the course
OF his varied travels.
One morning Katherine was read
ing, 1.-THE House Of Mirth" out on h
veranda. At least, she was supposed
to be reading It,. In reality, she had
closed the book, keeping the page
marked with her slim forefinger. She
lNu OILY wv VutS IIpIt IVlC III W -
green earth, and the lilncs seemed to be
calling her imperatively. She has
been breathing in lilacs to that extent
that her thoughts seemed to be fairly
scented with them. All ut once an i'm
pulse of yielding came to her. Why
In the world should she not step over
the low hedge and 60 into the lilac
garden?
She did. Bees hume above the pur-
pie bloom, and a little H%ttcnuated foun-
tain tinkled in tho distance. oh! It
was altogether enchanting. Just then
u gOldcn-eycd sable collie came leisure
~ down the curved walk to meet her.
"You beauty" cried the girl exult-
entity. STOPPING to pat the dogs queen
ly head. The collie, with slowly
swishing tail, gently kissed her behind
the ear.
A commanding whistle from around
the turn of the walk. and then:
"Mollic. Mollie, old girl, where are
you?" Mollie sat with one ear up, the
ether down, rs collles will when per-
picked. She loved her master-but,
also, she loved her new-found friend.
"Ah" cried Selden. coming upon
them unexpectedly. But IT is heauti-
|, full to find you in my garden" he
, said, looking gladly upon Katherine.
ado you know, last night | dreamed
, YOU were here. You are very, very
, welcome, little lady"
"You see" she explained hclpleSsly.
trying to hide her ~telltale bushes, cit
was the lilacS. They called me-"
Suddenly he took both her hands in
his and drew her toward the bushes.
Dear %lilacs,' he whispered whimsi-
calIy, "she is here now-on enchant-
ed ground-and we must keep her.
You belong to my garden" he added
, masterfully, turning full upon katll-
9 crime, and I will not let you 80. The
house yonder is very lonely and waits
foi you. Will you stay
Her answer? Well, she was a girl
, and very tired, and he WIS Il man and
, strong-and it was spring-and they
were among the lilacs.