Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1922-06-08
The Cuban
Dancer

b. CALVIN HENDRICKS


sunset that Ned Murdoch told Dolores
OF his love.
He was resting upon his oars, hall
way between the mainland and Cy'
press Key. Under their boat the blue
tides ran swiftly.
Dolores" said the young planter,
"will you stay here and marry me?'
Shs startled and looked at him IN
tently.
Your wifei" she murmured, and
her fingers ciutched the rowlOcks con
yulsiyely for moment. "No!" she
continued hurriedly. "You don't know
who am or anything about me-"
II don't care" Murdoch cried. u
know that love you"
She had drifted into Big Cypress in
May, when the last Of the tourists had
left Florida and the hotel was closed.
She had come from Tampa, she eS-
planned languidly; touch Of fever, q
need for rest, for change.
Since then two weeks had passed.
and on the morrow she was to 60. She
would never come back, they knew,
that brilliant bird Of passage who had
fingered there, talking with the fisher
men, petting the fat children upon the
wharves, or reclining lazlly in the
shade of a palmetto tree, putting ut
her cigarette.
mo" she answered Murdoch In ag1-
tation. II must go home. II is tmpOs-
sible."
Ned Murdoch rowed her back and
left her at the cottage door. Next
morning she left Tampa. He did not
see her again.
She was gone, and Big Cypress
swiftly forgot her.
Then the event occurred which
changed his life. One evening, at the
hotel, tourist offered him a cigar
from the box He took one and then
snatched the box from the mans hand
and stood staring at 1t like man
hypnotized. For there on the inside
Of the I'D was Dolores.
All night he paced the beach In an
ecstasy Of happiness. He would find
her n0w--why had he never thought
OF going to Tampa beforef He would
find her and bring her back to be his
wife.
Te took the morning train for Tam
pa and made his way to the cigar fac
tory. There, having obtained an in
terview with the manufacturer. he
stated his case boldly.
''You are under mistake, senor,"
said the Spaniard. However, / think
you are sincere, and, as / happen to
know where you can find the Senorita
Dolores, l will tell you. Go to nnm-
Der 1872 Avenida Otranta at pine
o'clock this evening and you will as
suredly meet her there"
He bowed and, with cynical smile,
passed into his Office, Struggling his
shoulders.
In Bulls cabaret, No. 1913 Avenida
Otranta, the usual throng was assem-
bIed at nine O'Clock that evening.
Senior Bull, en- enterprislng Yankee
from Philadelphia, certainly knew how
to cater to the tastes of his patrons.
AS for Senorlta Dolores, he had picked
Ter up in an obscure music hall, and
1t was shrewdly said that the ten days
scandal which had brought her into
the lfmellght had been actually en-
gineered, IL not invented, by Senior Bull
himself.
When she came forward on the stage
that night the attendance at the little
tables broke into storm Of braves.
Attired as a matador, in short scarlet
skirts, holding her dart with its fiut-
tering banderole, she bowed and kissed
her hands to the audience and capered
forward and began her song.
1t was fine song and 1t went to the
hearts of the Cubans who heard her.
And whirling in the play Of colored
lights, until she seemed like a sea fairy
entangled in masses Of tilmy drapery,
the senorlta spun.
Then, all Of sudden, she stopped.
She stopped and stood perfectly still.
her eyes fixed on the audlence-no, one
Of the audience; on man who came
forward, eIbowing his way through the
crowds and pushing forward toward
the stage. That was all that the audi
ence saw, for the curtain fell and hid
them
But Murdoch knew nothing save that
he had found her again. He drew her
into the wings, and, holding her hands,
stood gazing at her triumphantly.
Gomez" ne said.
"Come7 Wheref" echoed the sen.
orita, for the first time finding her
voice. But 1t was broken with tears
and filled with shame.
"Why did you come herer she
sobbed Indignantly. "Why couldn't you
have forgotten mel You have no right
to Judge me because am just q
dancing girl"
II haven't judged you" said Muir
doeh quietly. Il want you to come
with me. Answer me one question,
Dolores Do you love me-Or rather
did you love me that day when asked
you to be my wifeT'
"Yes. loved you" she said. shut