The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1921-03-25


suppose It VIII appear quite incompre-
hensible to you when do not"
"Why Dolores, my dear grill This
is most amazing. Didn't Bill ask you
to marry him before he leftT
Eyes, he did me that honor, ard I
declined him."
"YOu what ["
She smiled at him so materially that
his hand itched to drag her down to
him and kiss her curvlng lips.
"Do you mind telling me Just why
you took this extraordinary attitude7"
"You have no right to ask, but Til
tell you. refused Billy because
didn't love him enough-that way.
What's more, never could"
He rolled his head to one side and
softly, very softly, whlstled two bars
of 1.-THE Spanish Cavalier" through his
teeth. He was properly thunder
struck-so much so, in fact, that for a
moment he actually forgot her pres
ence the while he pondered this most
incredible state of affairs.
'I see It all now. It's as clear as
mud" he announced finally. "You re-
fused poor old Bill and broke his
heart, and so he went away and hasn't
had the courage to write me since. I'm
afraid Bill and both regarded this
fight as practically won-all over but
the wedding march, as one might put
1t. might as well confess / hustled
the boy down from the mine just so
,,o,, 4rr0 oor1Ia rroA ~ r-aod Gus Itot,A
out on your honeymoon. figured Bill
could kill two birds with one stone
have his honeymoon and get rid Of his
malaria, and return here in three or
four months to relieve me, after 1 had
the mine in operation. Poor boy. That
was a frightful song-and-dance you
gave him."
81 suspected you were the match
maker in this case. / must say think
you're old enough to know better, Ca
liph John"
"YOu did. eh3 Well, what made you
think so?"
She chuckled. "oh, you're very OBJ
vious-to a woman"
II forgot that you reveal the past
and foretell the future"
''YOu are really very clumsy, Caliph.
You should never try to direct the des-
tiny of any woman"
'Tm on the sick HIST" he pleaded,
'and IT isn't sporting Of you to discuss
me. You're healthy-so let us discuss
you. Dolores, do you figure Bills case
to be absolutely hopeless?"
Absolutely, Callph."
"Hum-m-mp
Again Webster had recourse to med
itation, seeing which, Dolores walked
to the pier glass in the corner, satisfied
herself that her couture was just so
and returned to his side, singing softly
little song that had floated out over
the transom of Webster's room door
into the hall one night:
A Spanish cavalier
Went out to rope a steer,
Along with his paper cigar-r-roi
'CarambaW said he.
''Manana you viii be
Mucho bueno carne por Mol"
He turned his head and looked up at
her suddenly, searchlngly. "Is there
anybody else in Bills way7" he de-
manded. 81 admit it's none of my
business, but"
"Yes, Caliph. there is some one else"
II thought So" This rather vicious
~. "Im willing to gamble 100 to 1,
sight unseen, that whoever he is he
isn't half the man Bin Is"
"That," she replied coldly, ais mat
ter of personal opinion"
sand Bills clock is fixed for keeps9"
"Yes, Caliph. And he never had a
chance from the start"
''Why not3"
swell, met the other man first. Ca
liph."
"Ohl Do you mind telling me what
this other man does for a livlngP
"He's a mining man, like Billy"
"All right Has the son Of a horse
thief got a mine like Bnl's9 That's
something to consider, Dolores"
ale has q mine fully as good as
BilIy's. Like Billy, he owns a half
interest in II, too"
"Hum-m-ml How long have you
known him7"
''Not very long,"
''Be sure you're right-then go
ahead" John Stuart Webster warned
her. "Don't marry In haste and repent
at leisure, Dolores. Know your man
before you let him buy the wedding
ring. There's heap of difference. my
dear, between sentiment and sentimen.
tality."
'Tm sure Of my man, Callph."
He was silent again, thinking rapid
~. swell, Of course" he began again
presently, "wkile there was the slight
est possibility Of Bill winning you, ]